The Dallas Cowboys were one of the most disappointing teams in the league last season — and it was for one huge reason. In a Week 5 game against the New York Giants, Dak Prescott went down with a gruesome looking ankle injury that forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Coming into the year, the Cowboys had high hopes, but it is difficult to achieve goals in the NFL when your starting quarterback misses significant time. With that being said, the defense for Dallas was putrid early on and let them down in many games.
As we slowly approach the NFL Draft, Dallas knows that there are some holes to fill. Despite the injury, Prescott and the Cowboys were able to agree on a four-year, $160 million dollar contract extension. This means that the team has now locked up Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper on the offensive side of the ball.
In a division that continues to be winnable, Prescott will have to return and play good football if the Cowboys want to compete. Now that the contract extension is done, there is nothing holding Prescott back and he knows where he is going to be in the future.
Coming off ankle surgery is never easy, but Dak Prescott has the ability and strength to bounce back. Here are three way-too-early predictions for the season that Prescott will have coming up.
3. NFC East Title
This might not be that bold of a prediction given that the Cowboys will enter the season as the favorite to win the NFC East. When looking at the current dynamic of the division, it certainly does not jump out at anybody, especially after last year. The fact remains that teams continue to improve and Dallas struggles on the defensive side.
Both Washington and New York were expected to be the doormats in the division a season ago. This is not the case as they finished in the top half with Washington taking home the division title. Many will say that if Prescott did not get hurt, that the Cowboys would have won the division. This may be true and the 2021 season is his time to prove it.
Dak Prescott is certainly the best quarterback in the division, which carries a lot of weight in the NFL. Dallas has the weapons offensively, but it will be up to their defense to get some stops.
There are no excuses anymore for this Cowboys team. They seem to underachieve year in and year out and there is always some excuse as to why. As the years go on, excuses run out and it is time for the team to perform.
2. 4,500 Yards and 35 touchdowns
When looking at numbers specifically, it is hard to argue against Prescott’s production over the last few years. The Cowboys are a dynamic offense with a lot of weapons and Prescott is the leader. He has a chance to bounce back after an injury with another elite season statistically.
Prescott led the league in passing yards two years ago before getting off to another hot start last season before his injury. He led the league in passing yards at the time of his injury and even continued to lead the league for weeks after he was out. This was because of some massive performances when the team fell behind, especially against the Atlanta Falcons and the blowout loss to the Cleveland Browns.
When a team is behind, quarterbacks are going to put up big numbers because they are forced to throw the ball. This could be the case again if Dallas’ defense does not make any improvements.
Poor defense or not, Dak Prescott is a threat to go off every Sunday. He can use both his arm and legs to make plays and we will see that once again this season.
1. NFL Comeback Player of the Year
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year award is one that is tailored for players coming back from an injury to win. If Prescott puts up big numbers, it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will win the award at the end of next season. He will certainly be one of the favorites coming in.
Prescott suffered an ugly-looking ankle injury last season. It required surgery and he had to sit out the rest of the season. After signing a contract extension, Prescott is ready to come back and put up a big year for a team looking to compete.
When it comes to the Comeback Player of the Year award, there is no one like Alex Smith standing in the way of Dak Prescott this year. It is set up well for Prescott to take home this individual honor and quite frankly, it would be a surprise not to see him win.
While it is certain that Prescott would rather hold up the Super Bowl trophy, the Comeback Player of the Year award would credit his journey back to the field. Prescott is a tough player and one that will certainly bounce back nicely from his injury.
