The Cowboys woke up this morning facing the aftermath of an afternoon they’ll need to quickly forget. The final score against the Commanders was 26-6, and it should have been a whole lot worse.
They got humbled by one of their division rivals. But let’s face it, the whole division is a rivalry.
The disaster that happened against the Commanders is an easy fix. Because of the result of the Eagles game, it didn’t matter anyway. Blame the loss on cold weather and focus on the mountain ahead.
Going out with a win#DALvsWAS | #HTTC pic.twitter.com/lDAHZjSuGT
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 9, 2023
To which mountain do we refer? Why, Mt. Brady, of course. Yes, he is past is own physical peak. But even the less ferocious version of Tom Brady is undefeated against the Cowboys.
The irony… is almost too much to bear
So, the Cowboys are off again to face the team that beat them at the beginning of the season and the season before. They’ll square off against a quarterback they’ve never beaten. They’re 0-7 against him all-time. The irony of what will transpire is almost too much to bear.
Does Brady feel additional motivation when playing against the Cowboys? Almost assuredly the answer is yes. You could probably add his record to the stack of motivation he already has. He also doesn’t lose at home very often, or in the playoffs.
Tom Brady’s 2022-23 regular season at 45 years old:
◽️ 490 completions*
◽️ 733 pass attempts*
◽️ 66.8% completion %
◽️ 4,694 pass yards
◽️ 25 TD-9 INT
◽️ 5 game-winning drives
◽️ Playoff bound*single-season record pic.twitter.com/o1JGqdM7rN
— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) January 8, 2023
The odds don’t play in favor of the Cowboys. Nor do the omens.
If we compare the quarterbacks based on their regular season performance, they shouldn’t really be similar due to Prescott missing games. But oddly they have a couple of similarities. Brady threw 25 touchdowns while Prescott threw 23. Brady’s QB rating is 90.7, while Prescott’s is 91.1.
The areas where they don’t compare are interception ratios and total yards. Brady easily outmatched Prescott there. The lack of games prevented Prescott from getting more yards, and probably more picks as well.
We all know this is the G.O.A.T.
Both teams put up poor numbers yesterday. Apparently, the Bucs even tried to prevent Brady from starting and he put himself in the lineup anyway. Most quarterbacks don’t have the opportunity to make that happen. But we all know this is the G.O.A.T. we’re talking about. He gets special treatment whether we like it or not.
With Prescott’s high interception ratio recently, the Bucs will likely focus on the running game. If they stack the box, he has to take advantage and open up the passing game. He has to make better decisions than he did against the Commanders.
Prescott cannot afford to bail sideways out of a perfect pocket. Nor can he afford to stare down a wide receiver guarded by the same defender who nearly got a pick six the down prior. These are not good decisions.
¡OH BOY, PICK-SIX DE LOS COMMANDERS! ¡MAL PASE DE PRESCOTT Y WASHINGTON ALARGA LA VENTAJA!😎🔥#HTTC | #DallasCowboys
pic.twitter.com/u7QWtlYF1e— Holy Roller NFL (@HolyRollerNFL) January 8, 2023
He’s also taken flak for things which clearly weren’t his fault. Such is the plight of the quarterback. Add to that he plays for America’s Team, and there is no other sports position on any other team in the country more scrutinized. A lot of the sharks are out for blood no matter what he does.
Somewhere in the hallowed halls of Cowboyland, echo the former plights of Tony Romo and Troy Aikman. Romo was widely heckled for his occasional choking, but rarely acknowledged for his many comebacks. A well-known journalist wrote untrue things about Aikman in a book to spark their own career.
One of the best in the league
The Cowboys offensive line is solid as a rock. They are stacked around Prescott. The defense is one of the best in the league. So, it boils down to one player, Dak Prescott.
Can he shake off this thing that’s been draining him of his confidence? Will he return to form and punish the Buccaneers for stacking the box? There will be opportunities and he can’t miss the throws.
This could be the last opportunity for the Cowboys to beat Brady. It could also be the last opportunity for Mike McCarthy, as Jerry Jones is not known for his patience with head coaches.
