The Week 14 loss to the Lions in Detroit was devastating for the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott, sapping the momentum they’d built up as a potential playoff team and leaving them scrambling to find their bearings in the NFC playoff race. Now come the Vikings, and Dallas carries–according to The Athletic’s playoff odds tracker–an 11% chance of earning a postseason spot, which would rise modestly to 15% with a win.
The Cowboys are favored in the game, by as many as 6.5 points, but that optimistic betting line obscures what could be a very real problem for Dallas, one that was exposed last week: The Cowboys’ line is overmatched against a team that brings strong pressure.
That’s the case, at least, with left tackle Tyler Guyton out and second-year lineman Nate Thomas replacing him. Thomas was brutal against the Lions, and allowed a game-high eight pressures on Prescott, plus was flagged for a penalty. There was some hope that Guyton, who missed the last two games with a high ankle sprain, would return for the Vikings game. But he was ruled out on Friday.
Dak Prescott Will ‘Relish This Challenge’
That means more Thomas at left tackle, and that could mean big trouble for Prescott. As much pressure as the Lions brought in Week 14, the Vikings should bring more in Week 15. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has been one of the most aggressive coaches in that role in the NFL, sending a variety of blitzes and doing it a league-high 47% of the time.
No Tyler Guyton means the heat is on Thomas–and he will need to keep it off Prescott.
Prescott says the Vikings’ variety will force him into adjustments at the line.
“Why I relish this challenge is, it is much as a game as anything for me mentally and what I am seeing on film and being able to decipher that pre-snap and being able to get us into the right protections and the right looks and plays,” he said.
Cowboys’ Nate Thomas Struggled
All in all, the Cowboys struggled to keep Prescott out of harm’s way last week, allowing 22 pressures on his drop-backs, per Pro Football Focus. Again, eight of those were courtesy of Thomas, who allowed a sack and two hits on Prescott, plus took a penalty. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said this week that Thomas is badly in need of a rebound.
“Nate struggled,” Schottenheimer admitted. “I think he’d be the first to tell you that. Young player, second start. Again, very talented. I think where Nate needs to grow is understanding that he plays a very difficult position to play and you’re going to get beat at times, you got to bounce back.”
Dak Prescott Doing His ‘Studying’ Before Cowboys-Vikings
Having been in his current job as Cowboys starting quarterback since 2016 certainly does help Prescott in the diagnosing of blitz-heavy defenses like that of the Vikings. But even with his experience level, he concedes that he can still be fooled, can still make mistakes.
Said Prescott: “Over time, certain blitzes, certain looks you see better than others. At this point, I have just seen more of them, so that it is hard to surprise me. But you still gotta be on your Ps and Qs. Hell, I just got hit with one two weeks ago against Kansas City and threw an interception.
“So, I am far from got all this dialed down. I am going to keep studying.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Dak Prescott Gets Terrible News Before Cowboys-Vikings appeared first on Heavy Sports.