Dak Prescott says he’s tuning out the Jerry Jones channel, but not without firing a nice little salvo at the Dallas Cowboys owner. So it’s drama in Big D, setting the stage for bold predictions as the Dallas Cowboys look toward the 2024 NFL season.
At the top of the list is the kind of season Prescott will have. The Cowboys’ ground doesn't look all that scary. So Prescott will have the best season of his nine-year NFL career. Yes, that means he will top last year’s impressive numbers.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will throw for 5,000 yards
Prescott has three 4,000-yard seasons under his belt, but this year he will reach the 5,000 mark. And he will match his 2021 total of 37 touchdowns. When you have a receiver like CeeDee Lamb, who recently got a fat pay raise, the degree of difficulty in reaching big numbers lowers.
Just like last year, the Cowboys are going to force the ball to Lamb. He had 181 targets in 2023 and could get close to the 200 mark this year. There’s not a lot of excitement for Dallas’ other receiving weapons, although tight end Jake Ferguson should get plenty of looks, too.
For Prescott to reach the 5,000-yard mark, he will have to do it under intense pressure. And most of that won’t come from opposing defensive linemen, according to NBC’s NFL analyst Tony Dungy via usatoday.com.
“It’s crazy, but the Cowboys coach and the Cowboys quarterback are going to be under more scrutiny than anybody in the NFL,” Dungy said. “That’s just the way it goes. But as far as the people in those positions, I don’t think they worry about it.”
Dungy said the Cowboys, and Prescott, can’t escape the spotlight.
“It’s more on a national level with them,” Dungy said. “I don’t think anybody in Los Angeles cared about what Tony Dungy’s situation was in Tampa. The Cowboys are on the map. Every place you go, you’re going to hear it. It is a national story. But from Mike’s standpoint, you don’t even think about that.”
Mike McCarthy will make it through the season
The Cowboys’ head coach is believed to be on the hottest of hot seats, but he will still lead his team to regular season victories. That’s what he does. And Jones won’t fire a coach who is winning. Period.
Dungy said McCarthy will tune out the noise.
“You don’t worry about what the media thinks, what fans think,” Dungy said. “None of that matters. People don’t believe that, because they hear so much about it. ‘McCarthy’s under fire. What did Jerry say today?’ And you think he’s got to respond to all of that. You really don’t.”
Jones said shortly after last year’s disappointing playoff finish that McCarthy is still the Cowboys’ best option as head coach, according to cbssports.com.
“I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach,” Jones said. “There is great benefit to continuing the team's progress under Mike's leadership as our head coach.
“Mike has the highest regular-season winning percentage of any head coach in Cowboys history and we will dedicate ourselves, in partnership with him, to translating that into reaching our postseason goals. Certainly, Mike's career has demonstrated postseason success at a high level, and we have great confidence that can continue. I am 100 percent supportive of him as our head coach and ability to reach our goals.”
But despite those glowing words, Jones said recently he wants McCarthy to be on edge in the last year of his contract, according to Pro Football Talk.
“Absolutely, I do,” Jones said. “There’s no question in my mind that angst, pressure, competing will bring out the best in this game from coaches and players. But this game has to have some extra (fire) over the guys that you’re in front of (on the field). That’s why I’m kind of amazed at someone talking about the job they’re doing without a contract. Blows my mind.”
“I see no difference in what Mike is. Mike is a Super Bowl-winning coach. He has had an outstanding record since he has been here. That’s where it is.”
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will catch 18 TD passes
This comes down to weaponry. The Cowboys don’t have a boat load of marquee weapons. And they might not be able to bull their way into the end zone inside the 5-yard line. Plus, Prescott only has four rushing scores over the last three seasons combined.
So for Prescott to reach his lofty touchdown total, somebody needs to put up big numbers. Enter Lamb. McCarthy said expectations are high, according to nytimes.com.
“He can play outside; he can play inside,” McCarthy said. “He has the speed to play outside, (and) also has the agility and the quickness — he has the whole package,” head coach Mike McCarthy said on a conference call Monday. “One thing about CeeDee, he’s as tough as they come. He’s definitely a complete player.”
And McCarthy said no matter how good Lamb performed in 2023 — 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 scores — he can exceed those totals this year.
“Last year’s numbers (are) a high bar, no question,” McCarthy said. “I think the biggest thing is you know what he’s capable of. We want to win every week. We definitely want to be in a position that at the end of this regular season, everybody’s playing their best football. As long as that lines up with big numbers, I think we’ll all be happy.”
Of course, all of the Cowboys coaches and fans are happy to have Lamb back on the field after the contract holdout, according to dallascowboys.com.
“I think, No. 1, is it's great to get the contract in place and to have him back,” said McCarthy. “I was anticipating a sooner or later type of situation today. But it was good to get this done. I think we're all relieved.”
LB Micah Parsons will set career-high sack total
In three seasons with the Cowboys, Parsons’ sack totals are pristine. He totaled 13.0, 13.5, and 14. So maybe it’s not too bold of a prediction that he will set a career-high because the progression suggests it.
But look for Parsons to get 18 sacks this year with his new role under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who said Parsons will do many different things, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.
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“I’m not sure he couldn’t play every position out there, to be honest with you,” Zimmer said. “He’s got great acceleration, great quickness, he’s extremely brilliant. He’s got power and strength. We’re trying to figure out a lot of different ways to move him. One week he might be doing this and then next week doing something else.
“We’re trying to get him one-on-ones as many times as possible. Playoff games and a lot of the games they struggled with last year, they knew where he was, and they found him. And they did a good job. Sometimes we’re gonna have to use him (when offenses are focused on him), we’re gonna be bringing people from the other side. They can’t just sit there and key on him.”
Micah Parsons said Mike Zimmer is a smart dude
And Parsons said Zimmer will help him excel this season, according to Parsons’ comments on The Edge, via RJ Ochoa of Blogging the Boys.
“Don't give up on us, Cowboys Nation,” Parsons said. “It's going to be a great year. Mike Zimmer's here. He's going to be a great addition to this defense. He's one of the smartest guys I've ever been around. This guy's just so articulate, how he wants things done. I'm glad I've got this year to be with him. I hope he's here next year. This could be a really special year and I can't wait for you guys to witness this.”
Cowboys will beat Dan Quinn’s Commanders twice by wide margins
This isn’t a diss on Quinn. He should be able to utilize the talents of Jayden Daniels and get the Commanders off to a reasonable start.
However, the Commanders are thin in terms of depth. And they don’t play the Cowboys for the first time until Nov. 24. By that point, backups and guys off the street could be in key roles. The Cowboys can handle this situation much better than the Commanders.
Yes, this is a diss at Colin Cowherd, who clearly has little clue on what actually happens in the NFL. Cowherd said the Commanders would top Dallas for the NFC East title, according to The Herd via Sports Illustrated.
“Why the Commanders? $75 million in cap space, love (new coach) Dan Quinn and (new offensive coordinator) Kliff Kingsbury as a staff,” Cowherd said in February (yes, consider turning him off and finding someone else to watch). “I think the Commanders get Drake Maye. I think he's like Justin Herbert as a comp.”
Of course, the Commanders didn’t draft Maye. They picked Daniels. So that gives Cowherd an out. And perhaps he planned it that way — figuring they would get Daniels. If so, consider keeping him on your TV screen. Of course, if Maye doesn’t find his way into the starting lineup of a pitiful New England team pretty soon, it makes the Cowherd comment look silly anyway.
