SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Dak Prescott had every part he needed: the ball and an opportunity.
With 3:05 to play Sunday evening, the Dallas Cowboys trailed 30-24 to the San Francisco 49ers, and Prescott took the sphere 75 yards away from doubtlessly profitable the sport with a landing drive.
“Hell yeah there’s perception,” Prescott stated. “I imply that is all I can ask for. All this group can ask for is a chance, ball in our hand, down 6 to go win the sport.”
Three weeks in the past towards the Pittsburgh Steelers, Prescott delivered. Trailing 17-13 with 4:56 left, he took the Cowboys on a 15-play, 70-yard drive. On fourth down with 20 seconds remaining, he hit receiver Jalen Tolbert for a 4-yard landing cross.
However their likelihood on Sunday ended as they all the time appear to towards the 49ers: with a loss.
Within the 2021 wild-card spherical of the playoffs, the Cowboys have been down 6 with 32 seconds to play. Prescott acquired the Cowboys to the San Francisco 24 with a 17-yard run, however a sequence of occasions led to the clock operating out earlier than he may spike the ball for one last play.
Within the 2022 divisional spherical of the playoffs, he had two probabilities within the fourth quarter to tie or take the lead, down 19-12, though one was rather more practical than the second. With 3:04 to play, Prescott took over on the Dallas 18, and the Cowboys went three-and-out. Then they acquired the ball again 94 yards from the top zone with 45 seconds remaining however may get solely to the Dallas 32.
Sunday appeared like an ideal manner for Prescott to finish his 49ers jinx and write his personal story. On the Cowboys’ earlier fourth-quarter drives, Prescott had accomplished 9 of 11 passes for 137 yards with landing throws of seven and 20 yards to CeeDee Lamb.
On this drive, 4 Prescott passes fell incomplete and the Cowboys left Levi’s Stadium with one other loss, falling to 3-4 on a season that’s near unraveling.
“It has been a pair years, a pair occasions,” Prescott stated. “It is irritating. I’ve acquired to make the performs, interval.”
On first down, Prescott seemed to Lamb, though three defenders have been within the receiver’s neighborhood. Linebacker Fred Warner dropped what ought to have been a game-clinching interception.
“Bought to only put the ball larger or scramble to create one thing with my legs, being it is first down,” Prescott stated.
On second down, he was pressured to throw beneath duress for an incompletion.
“They did a very good job, took [tight end Jake Ferguson] away beneath, form of bracketed this nook route, pressured me out of the pocket,” Prescott stated.
On third down, he launched a superbly positioned deep ball down the sideline to receiver KaVontae Turpin, hitting him within the arms just for it to fall to the bottom.
“Favored the matchup, took a shot, and did not convert it,” Prescott stated.
On fourth down, he was pressured and scrambled to his proper, throwing up a heave to Jalen Brooks, who was coated by two defenders. The Cowboys needed a cross interference penalty. No flag was thrown.
“I needed to get out of the pocket and form of put one thing up for hopes,” Prescott stated. “Hope that there was contact ultimately. Did not go that manner. Two guys on one. They made the performs once they wanted to, and we did not.”
Whereas the ultimate drive stands out, the possibility to beat the Niners took a dive throughout 4 consecutive sequence throughout the second, third and fourth quarters, not together with a kneel-down to finish the primary half. After taking a 10-3 lead, the Cowboys ran 12 performs and gained 22 yards.
The 7-point lead changed into a 27-10 deficit earlier than the Cowboys acquired their preliminary first down of the second half with 11 minutes remaining within the recreation.
“You could have ebbs and flows within the recreation, however we positively stayed in that valley manner too lengthy,” coach Mike McCarthy stated. “We did not give our protection any reduction both.”
That the Cowboys’ protection would battle just isn’t a shock, given how the season has performed out and the absences of their three greatest cross rushers (Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland) on account of accidents. San Francisco ran 36 occasions for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Brock Purdy was 18-of-26 for 260 yards, no interceptions and a 2-yard landing cross to tight finish George Kittle, who had six catches for 128 yards.
Prescott, in the meantime, turned the primary Cowboys’ quarterback with two interceptions in three straight video games since Troy Aikman in 1992. Prescott stated his second interception by cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was one of the crucial “boneheaded” interceptions he is ever had.
On the season, Prescott has eight interceptions. He had 9 in 17 video games final season.
In his previous 4 video games towards the Niners, Prescott has had the worst touchdown-to-interception ratio (5:8), worst yards per try (6.0) and worst completion share (60%) of any opponent he has confronted a number of occasions previously 5 seasons, based on ESPN Analysis.
Most significantly, he’s 0-4 in these begins.
“I haven’t got to be good, however I certain cannot be having the turnovers,” Prescott stated, including, “As soon as once more, we put ourselves behind within the turnover battle, and that is on me. Cannot have that should you’re planning to win video games. I’ve acquired to scrub that up, interval.”
