Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has been at the center of conversation in the national NFL zeitgeist. With contract negotiations taking the scenic route of the scenic route, Prescott is preparing to play in what could be his final Week 1 appearance with the Cowboys.
With so much on the line, will Prescott start the season hot or cold?
Here’s a look at three predictions for the quarterback in Dallas’ Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Dak Prescott will suffer a season-opening loss
Prescott has been remarkable in the regular season, but he has always lost in the first two weeks of the playoffs. With Tom Brady calling the game in his debut as a commentator and all of the attention already surrounding the Cowboys in place in combination with the do-or-die moment for Deshaun Watson in addition to the already hyped-up Week 1, the game will have a playoff atmosphere. As such, Prescott will lose the game. However, there will be one fair reason he can point at.
He will throw one touchdown and one interception
In the end, Prescott will throw for just one touchdown and one interception. The Browns defense will come to play and Denzel Ward will snag the pick. While the ratio won’t be atrocious, it will set an unsettling tone for the season. Of course, Cowboys fans will be able to point to CeeDee Lamb’s lack of training camp as the biggest reason.
While Ezekiel Elliott will be back on the team and the revitalized duo will be a sight to see, it won’t materialize into a successful offensive attack in this game. The Cowboys will leave the game with questions and a hunger to get Lamb fully back in the fold. Prescott will attempt to get Brandin Cooks going, but the receiver, who has missed the 1000-yard mark in recent years, is not up to the task.
Dak Prescott will fumble once
Prescott will suffer several coverage sacks throughout the game. While the offensive line will hold up long enough for a conventional offense to deliver a pass, the receiver group will struggle to get open. While Prescott looks for a target on one play, he will fumble the ball, turning into the same effective result as a pick-six.
Some will blame the receivers while others will blame the offensive line. Either way, the Dallas Cowboys will leave analysts like Stephen A. Smith with plenty to say on Monday morning.
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