FRISCO, TEXAS — Dak Prescott isn’t interested in looking backward.
As the Cowboys prepare to open the season Sunday night against the New York Giants, Prescott said the team’s focus is on the work it has put in this offseason rather than its recent history against its NFC East rival.
“It’s about us,” Prescott said. “It’s about our focus. It’s about the team that we’ve built this whole offseason.”
That approach will be tested immediately with Tyler Smith sidelined. Prescott acknowledged the loss along the offensive line but expressed confidence in T.J. Bass, calling him a true professional who has consistently stepped in and done his job.
Bass will be part of a younger offensive line, putting added responsibility on Prescott as the veteran voice. He pointed to former Cowboys center Travis Frederick as someone who helped him early in his career and said communication is now one of his priorities with the current group.
“You just have to overcommunicate,” Prescott said.
Prescott also expects Jake Ferguson to play an important role in an offense featuring CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. With defenses likely to devote significant attention to the Cowboys’ top receivers, Prescott believes Ferguson’s continued development can create opportunities in the middle of the field.
The quarterback also rejected comparisons between this year’s defense and the Cowboys’ struggles in previous seasons.
“It’s a new team. It’s a new identity,” Prescott said.
That same mindset applies to Sunday’s opponent. The Giants enter the season with John Harbaugh as head coach and a revamped defense. Prescott said he has studied new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s work in Tennessee but isn’t predicting exactly what New York will show.
“We’re going in there, focused on our game plan, ready for whatever they throw at us,” Prescott said.
For Prescott, the message entering the opener is simple: stay present, communicate, adjust and finish.
“Win the process before we win the game,” he said.
