DALLAS — Next time you need a character witness — apparently a chronic condition with the Cowboys — don’t ask Stephen Jones. Flagged down at the combine this week, he was asked why he said they have “all the faith in the world” in Dak Prescott’s ability to quarterback them to a Super Bowl despite recent evidence to the contrary. Stephen was doing just fine, at that, laying it on for the jury by citing Dak’s leadership skills and work ethic and the fact they know him so well.
And then came a hiccup in his testimony.
“Other than he hadn’t won some key playoff games,” Stephen said, “he’s everything you want in a quarterback.”
And if it weren’t for the singing, I’d be Frank Sinatra.
The unfortunate souls near my pew will testify there’s no resemblance. And critics will say the same about Dak’s resume as it relates to what you want in a quarterback.
Then again the Cowboys are merely remaining consistent in their evaluation skills of a quarterback more polarizing with each playoff loss. They waited two years too long to give him an extension back when he deserved one, costing them millions in the process. And now they’re apparently ready to lengthen his stay when they ought to be more circumspect with two years left on his deal.
At the very least, wait and see how he bounces back this fall from a season clearly his worst since his sophomore year before committing long-term.
Look, I get why the Cowboys would want to extend his contract beyond what they may or may not believe he actually deserves. He counts a whopping $49.1 million against the cap this fall. By reworking his contract, they could knock down that number, thus freeing up space for other deals that would enable them to build a better offense around him.
But kicking that can down the road also makes it harder to move on if you come to the conclusion that, even after making the offense Dak-friendly, he’s not the guy to break this 27-year drought after all.
Fair or not, quarterbacks make their bones in the playoffs. The best and most popular quarterbacks in Cowboys history are Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, in that order. And it just so happens that they also lead the franchise in playoff wins with 11 each.
Next in the pecking order is Danny White with five, followed by Craig Morton’s three.
Dak and Tony Romo are locked at two apiece, one more than the likes of Steve Beuerlein.
Know why Cowboys fans booed Don Meredith out of town? Because he only won one playoff game. Of course, he had fewer opportunities because of the manner playoffs were structured in the ‘60s, but he didn’t rise to the occasion when he had the chances, either.
In the end, it doesn’t matter how many touchdowns you throw or yards you pile up or regular-season wins you accrue. Only how deep you dive into the postseason. Is that a fair evaluation of a quarterback’s worth? Not always. Even Hall of Famers can’t lift mediocre or bad teams. Over his last five seasons, Aikman won one playoff game. The last of his 11 wins came when he was 30.
Dak will be 30 when he attempts to earn his third playoff win and dislodge himself from a tie with Romo. He appeared to be making a latent case for himself after a record-breaking performance in Tampa. Maybe the best game of his career. And then he threw it all away with another bad playoff game against the 49ers.
The fact that the Eagles won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles as their quarterback is a reminder that Dak’s good enough to get there. Like Stephen says, he has all the intangibles. Staubach and Aikman have cited those qualities, as well.
Furthermore, Dak’s teammates believe in him. Always have, pretty much from the day he walked in the door. Remember when Romo was ready to come back from injury during Dak’s rookie season? Jason Garrett stayed with Dak, which isn’t the usual protocol. The general rule in sports is you don’t lose your job because of injury. Once you’re ready to return, you’re No. 1 again. Garrett stuck with Dak because they were winning and after a decade and only two playoff wins it was time for a change. The players must have thought so, too, because once the decision was made, you didn’t hear a peep of protest.
The difference now is there’s no quarterback ready to assume Dak’s place. Before you can type “Cooper Rush,” no, he’s not that guy. Great backup, but not a full-time answer. Especially not for a playoff-caliber team. The lack of a reasonable alternative is another reason the Joneses may feel boxed in and willing to double down. Never quit a job or a quarterback until you have another in hand.
For that matter, Jerry Jones appears ready to take ancient unsolicited advice and draft a quarterback every year. My guess is he wouldn’t have confessed any such regrets if Dak had at least led them to the conference championship game this year.
The ending resulted in consequences for Kellen Moore and most of the offensive staff and maybe a make-or-break season for Mike McCarthy. Dak should expect no less an ultimatum. Win a few playoff games this year, Jerry should tell his quarterback, and then we’ll talk.
