/In NFL preseason, Dak is doing it all

In NFL preseason, Dak is doing it all

Yeah, right. Prescott is the most captivating rookie story in this NFL preseason, not only in Dallas but also here in Mississippi. This is the entire NFL. Fourth round draft pick Prescott has played three games like he’s been in the NFL for a decade. Quarterbacks talk about how the game slows down after a few seasons. Prescott already seems to be playing at full speed, while everything else is slow. Prescott has completed 39 out of 50 passes for 454 yard in three games. He has thrown five touchdown passes, but no interceptions. He has also run for two touchdowns. All of this is preseason. The opposition will not use all of the stunting or blitzing that they have to once the regular season starts. It will be much more difficult. Prescott’s achievements are still remarkable. Prescott has given coaches, players, columnists for sports and television announcers plenty to gush about because he only gave them reasons to gush. We should be amazed at what he accomplished at Mississippi State. I am. Prescott was a great quarterback. I knew that he had the athleticism, poise, body, arm and athleticism to succeed. It can take a while, which could mean three, four, or more years. Brett Favre was a rookie disaster, throwing for almost 72,000 yards and over 500 NFL touchdowns. He completed only four passes and had two interceptions. Another Mississippi legend was Steve McNair. He played in just 13 games in his first two seasons. In the thirteen games that he did play, he had more touchdowns than turnovers. Prescott was my concern, just like Favre many years back. I was concerned about his accuracy as a passer. Over Prescott’s two State seasons, I spoke to several scouts and they all doubted one aspect of Prescott’s game: His accuracy. You saw it if you watched. He missed easy throws sometimes, despite his brilliance. Swing passes, short dumpoffs, routine throws are all examples. He’d make a spectacular down-the-field throw, while evading the pass rush one play and then miss an easy dump off the next. The easy plays are the most important in the NFL. Everybody talks about how to play NFL quarterback. You must be able to complete the 25-yard “out”, which requires unusual arm strength. That’s true. The flip side of that coin is that you can’t miss easy throws. You must hit 99 of 100 to be able to catch hell for the one that you miss. Prescott has proven to be accurate so far. Prescott is yet to complete a regular season pass but it looks like he could, given the chance. Anyone who has been following Tony Romo’s career at the Cowboys will know that he will be given the chance. Romo has missed 24 games due to injuries in the last six seasons. He is 36 and likely won’t suddenly be more durable. Romo was injured in his back on Thursday night at Seattle. This has been a problem for him in the past. Prescott, who is playing against the best defense in football, enters the game on the road and completes 15 out of 19 passes for 116 yards. He also scores a touchdown in half one. He completed 17 of 23 passes with the touchdown and no interceptions. Prescott looks seasoned, even though it’s still preseason. Rick Cleveland is a Mississippitoday.org sports columnist. Support his work by making a regular donation today to celebrate our Spring Member Drive. This will allow us to continue important work such as this story. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of all Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think.