ARLINGTON, Texas — Dak Prescott has been enjoying with a lot confidence that he approached Mike McCarthy earlier than Thursday’s sport with an thought a couple of landing celebration.
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback needed turkey legs positioned in every of the 4 Salvation Military pink kettles within the AT&T Stadium finish zones. If the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day sport towards the Washington Commanders obtained out of hand late, Cowboys gamers would have fun by grabbing the legs and taking bites out of them ultimately zone.
Prescott had the dialogue with McCarthy whereas the top coach was speaking with Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones.
“(Jones) was all for it,” McCarthy mentioned. “So, I simply advised them that that sport higher be properly out of hand earlier than we begin pulling turkey (legs) out of a kettle can. That was a bit of totally different pregame for me.”
Dak Prescott on the turkey legs within the Salvation Military pink kettles: “I am going speak to Coach (McCarthy) earlier than each sport. I caught him as he was speaking to Jerry (Jones). I discussed it. After all Jerry favored it.” pic.twitter.com/aaXWQt68F4
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 24, 2023
Luckily for Prescott, McCarthy and Jones, the sport grew to become fairly lopsided within the closing eight minutes as Dallas ultimately cruised to a 45-10 win.
With six minutes remaining and the Cowboys dealing with third-and-6 from the Washington 34-yard line, Prescott threw deep down the center of the sphere for WR KaVontae Turpin, who had gotten behind the Washington protection. Turpin hauled within the exact throw and stood at the back of the tip zone in celebration. That’s when Prescott shortly approached and pointed to one of many pink kettles. Turpin jumped in and grabbed the bag of turkey legs that have been in an aluminum foil take-out container. The luggage have been positioned in every kettle by stadium employees.
“Group effort, workforce thought,” Prescott mentioned. “We talked about it as most likely a two-, three-day lengthy technique of whether or not or not it’s a 15-yard (penalty) and whether or not coach would settle for it.
“(After getting the OK), my route was simply make sure that we’re up and the sport was in hand. The landing (proper earlier than) to CeeDee (Lamb) and the next two-point conversion, in case you watch, I’m type of like, ‘Is it time? Can we do it?’ And I’m like, ‘No, we’ll get one other one.’
“Positive sufficient, proper after I threw the one to Turp, I used to be like ‘Yeah, let’s go for it.’ And it was good.”
With the Cowboys up 38-10, the opposite gamers had tossed their turkey legs as merely TD celebration props. Prescott, understanding his day was achieved, continued taking bites on the Cowboys’ sideline.
“If I believed we may have the results of him enjoying like he’s,” Jones mentioned after the sport, “I’ll make {that a} staple on the sideline for each house sport.”
There have been turkey legs in all 4 kettles. Nonetheless some on this one if anybody’s hungry pic.twitter.com/yFc9vwFYdn
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 24, 2023
Prescott completed the day 22 of 32 passing for 331 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions whereas posting a 142.1 passer ranking. For the reason that Cowboys misplaced to the San Francisco 49ers, 42-10, on Oct. 8, one of many worst video games of Prescott’s eight-year profession, he has responded with arguably his greatest stretch.
Over the past six video games, Prescott has accomplished 148 of 210 passes (70.5 p.c) for 1,874 yards (312 per sport), 18 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 122.6 passer ranking. He has additionally rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
Prescott’s TD passes have gone to quite a lot of receivers throughout that stretch, with CeeDee Lamb catching 5, WR Brandin Cooks 4, TE Jake Ferguson three, Turpin two and one every for RB Rico Dowdle, TE Luke Schoonmaker, WR Michael Gallup and WR Jalen Tolbert.
“Credit score to the offensive line,” Prescott mentioned. “I imply, I feel that’s the place it begins. The best way they’re defending, giving me time to take photographs down the sphere, permitting me to increase performs, whether or not or not it’s utilizing my toes to increase performs or make performs down the sphere once more after breaking the pocket. Guys are operating, guys are operating to win and (McCarthy) is flying them off the decision sheet. It feels good.”
Over the past six video games, the Cowboys have performed a really favorable schedule. The Philadelphia Eagles, who beat Dallas 28-23, are the one workforce with a profitable report. Nearly as good as issues have been, the Cowboys want this momentum to proceed throughout a way more troublesome stretch that begins subsequent Thursday towards the Seattle Seahawks.
Dak Prescott loved a turkey leg after the Cowboys dealt with the Commanders on Thanksgiving. (Jerome Miron / USA At the moment)
The wins may proceed piling up if Prescott and McCarthy, who’s in his first season as Dallas’ offensive play caller, preserve constructing on their rhythm.
“I feel it’s identical to something, I’ve achieved it for a very long time, he’s performed quarterback for a very long time,” McCarthy mentioned. “That is the primary time that we’ve achieved it collectively. Our Thursday night time assembly is a giant assembly. It’s an essential assembly. And in case you can see it two nights in the past in comparison with Weeks 1 and a couple of, I feel that may communicate volumes about the place we at the moment are. It’s so essential, and I’ve made the error of getting too distant from the quarterback room in my previous, and I received’t let that occur once more.
“It’s essential be ending one another’s sentences. I really feel like we’re there. I feel that’s all part of that rhythm. My job is to tee it up for him. He has the large job, the true job and that’s the plan. That’s simply the best way I’ve at all times approached it.”
Prescott mentioned that McCarthy is “undoubtedly on hearth” as a play caller.
“It’s about us being on the identical web page,” Prescott mentioned. “Now we have these conferences as soon as each week that we speak concerning the sport plan and the way we wish to assault these guys, what performs I really feel most comfy with, outlining the starters, situational third downs, pink zones. … He’s firing them off the decision sheet whether or not or not it’s run, play motion, no matter it’s.”
Thursday was the tenth time in Prescott’s profession that he had at the very least 4 passing touchdowns in a sport, tying Tony Romo for probably the most in franchise historical past. The win improved the Cowboys’ league-best house profitable streak to 13 video games. In addition they grew to become the primary workforce in NFL historical past to win every of their first 5 house video games by 20-plus factors.
“I don’t know that I’ve had a day like this,” Jones mentioned whereas leaving the locker room Thursday night time. “And I’ll embody all of them, I’ll put Tremendous Bowls in there. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a greater day with the Cowboys than right now.”
Does Jones suppose this workforce can win a championship?
“Sure,” he responded. “Sure, it will possibly. There’s 4 or 5 others at the very least that may win it, too, which are sitting there that a few of them we’ve obtained to play and a few of them we’ll go by to get one. However this workforce is actually able to profitable the entire thing.”
(Prime picture: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Pictures)
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