FRISCO, Texas — Walk through the halls of The Star and one thing becomes clear every summer: expectations never change for the Dallas Cowboys.
Winning the NFC East isn’t enough. Making the playoffs isn’t enough. Around this organization, the standard has always been competing for the Lombardi Trophy.
That’s the challenge facing Dak Prescott as he enters his 11th NFL season.
Prescott has already accomplished more than many quarterbacks ever will. Since taking over the starting job in 2016, the former fourth-round pick has become the Cowboys’ all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He’s earned Pro Bowl honors, led one of the league’s most productive offenses and established himself as one of the NFL’s most respected leaders.
His résumé doesn’t need validation.
His legacy does.
Fair or unfair, quarterbacks in Dallas are remembered by what they accomplish in January. Roger Staubach won Super Bowls. Troy Aikman won three. That’s the history Prescott inherited the day he became the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.
The regular-season numbers have never been the issue.
The postseason has.
Dallas has reached the playoffs several times with Prescott leading the offense, but the breakthrough has yet to come. The Cowboys haven’t played in an NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season, and every early playoff exit only raises the expectations for the next year.
This season feels different because the roster has been built with one goal in mind.
The Cowboys believe they’ve given Prescott more help.
CeeDee Lamb remains one of the NFL’s premier playmakers, and the addition of George Pickens gives Dallas another receiver capable of changing a game with one catch. If Javonte Williams can provide consistent production on the ground, it should create the kind of offensive balance this team has been missing in previous playoff runs.
That’s been one of the biggest issues.
When the running game disappears, too much falls on Prescott’s shoulders. Defenses pin their ears back, the offense becomes one-dimensional and mistakes become harder to overcome against playoff-caliber opponents.
Dallas doesn’t need Prescott to throw 40 or 45 passes every week.
The Cowboys need him to play efficient football, make smart decisions and deliver in the biggest moments when opportunities present themselves.
Just as important is the offensive line.
The Cowboys have traditionally been at their best when they’re controlling the line of scrimmage. If Prescott has a clean pocket and isn’t constantly facing pressure, he’s shown throughout his career that he can pick apart defenses and move the offense.
Then there’s the defense.
Championship teams don’t ask their quarterback to win every game by himself. They force turnovers, get off the field on third down and give their offense extra possessions. Dallas has added young talent and athleticism to that side of the ball, but potential has to translate into production once the season begins.
Health may be the biggest factor of all.
Prescott is coming off another productive season, but the Cowboys know they need their franchise quarterback available when the games matter most. The same goes for the players around him. Every deep playoff run requires talent, execution and a little luck when it comes to staying healthy.
There isn’t much left for Prescott to prove during the regular season.
He’s won games. He’s put up impressive numbers. He’s rewritten the franchise record book.
Now the focus shifts to January.
That’s where quarterbacks build lasting legacies in Dallas.
If Prescott plays his best football when the stakes are highest, the running game provides balance, the offensive line holds up and the defense becomes a difference-maker, there’s no reason this roster can’t compete for an NFC title.
The Cowboys have the talent.
What they need now is to finally put it all together when the season is on the line.
For Prescott, that’s the next step.
And until it happens, it will remain the standard by which his career is judged.
