FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott has turned his focus to the issue of interceptions during his film review sessions, especially with the recent surge of errors in his performances for the Dallas Cowboys. Over the last three games, the standout quarterback has thrown two interceptions in each match, a statistic that marks an unprecedented streak in his nine-year career.
Prescott, who was the runner-up for the NFL MVP award last season, finds himself in a challenging situation as the Cowboys, the defending NFC East champions, attempt to recover from a disappointing 3-4 record. They are now heading into a game against the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons (5-3) as they face their second two-game losing streak of the season.
“It’s important not to dwell on the past,” said offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. “We have faith in Dak. He will undoubtedly make more good decisions than bad ones, and what we need to do is go out there and compete.”
Currently, Prescott has accumulated eight interceptions and sports a passer rating of 84.5, which are on track to be his lowest statistics in both categories over his career. In contrast, just a year ago, he led the league with 36 touchdown passes against nine interceptions while achieving a career-best passer rating of 105.9 with 4,516 passing yards.
The second interception during last weekend’s 30-24 defeat against San Francisco was particularly damaging, as it led to a disastrous third quarter for Dallas. That interception, an athletic catch by Deommodore Lenoir, came at a moment when All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb was unable to assist on defense. That pick meant Prescott had an equal number of interceptions and touchdown passes for the season before he managed two fourth-quarter touchdowns aimed at Lamb.
“I need to improve — that’s straightforward,” Prescott acknowledged on Thursday. “But my confidence remains intact. A lot of it comes down to decision-making, which I’ve been analyzing more deeply in film this week, recalling my awareness of risk versus reward from a few seasons back.”
The reference he made alluded to 2022, a year where Prescott was tied for the NFL lead with 15 interceptions despite missing five games due to a broken thumb. Currently facing a lackluster rushing offense—ranked the worst in the league—and an offense line with youth and inexperience, Prescott’s challenges are compounded by a defense that is down its top two pass rushers, impacting their ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Dallas has also struggled to contain the run effectively.
Given these team dynamics, much of the pressure falls on Prescott to make significant plays. He was able to lead a game-winning fourth-quarter drive against Pittsburgh—his last victory—though he faltered with four consecutive incompletions in a similar situation against San Francisco weeks later.
“This offense is designed to set the quarterback up for success,” stated coach Mike McCarthy. “Of course, a fundamental aspect of that is effective running plays. That’s where we need to start. I would advise against placing the burden of needing to do more on him than what he’s already tasked with.”
In the previous two years, Prescott has faced challenges as well—he threw at least one interception in 10 out of 12 regular-season games. Yet, he managed to bounce back brilliantly in the playoffs last season, showcasing one of his career’s best performances in a wild-card win at Tampa Bay that ended Tom Brady’s illustrious career.
In 2022, the Cowboys recorded a 3-2 record during games in which Prescott threw two interceptions. In contrast, the current streak of three games with multiple interceptions have yielded only one victory, amid a host of personnel challenges that complicate their playoff hopes.
“As a team, we have to focus on what’s next and not get caught up in the past,” said Lamb, who finally hit the century mark with receiving yards in a game against the 49ers, a feat he accomplished eight times last season. “Dak is aware of the situation, and it’s up to us to create opportunities for him. That means running precise routes and maintaining finesse within the offense.”
Prescott has experienced three-game losing streaks thrice in his career, with the first occurring in 2017, followed by instances in 2019. These are the only seasons in which the Cowboys did not make the playoffs while Prescott was healthy for the entire season. The upcoming matchup against the Falcons marks the beginning of a series of four consecutive games against teams that currently boast winning records, with three being division leaders. Dallas is already two losses behind in the NFC East standings.
When asked if the game against Atlanta is crucial, Prescott replied affirmatively. “For me, every match is a must-win. Given our current 3-4 standing, there’s a lot of season remaining, but we need to approach this one with the aim of evening the score.”