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Todd Archer
LANDOVER, Md. — The Dallas Cowboys will miss the playoffs, however after Thursday’s 30-23 win towards the Washington Commanders, quarterback Dak Prescott reiterated he needs to play in subsequent week’s season finale on the New York Giants.
“I will have some combat again,” Prescott mentioned. “It is determined by the way it comes, what is the function, what is the purpose. Clearly, I perceive being approached about it, however the conversations we have already had about it are for me to play.”
Prescott was sacked six instances, a season excessive, and hurried 11 instances by the Commanders. For the primary time this season, he failed to finish 60% of his passes, hitting 19 of 37 makes an attempt for 307 yards and two touchdowns. He additionally ran 4 instances for twenty-four yards.
Requested if Prescott would play towards the Giants, Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer hedged barely.
“It is Christmas,” Schottenheimer mentioned. “I’ll get pleasure from Christmas, man. I’ll have some eggnog. I will take care of that once I get trying again to the movie, however positively some eggnog. And we’re enjoying to win.”
With a victory towards New York, the Cowboys would keep away from posting a shedding file in back-to-back campaigns for the primary time since they suffered three straight 5-11 seasons from 2000 to 2002.
Prescott mentioned there’s a “massive distinction” between ending 8-8-1 or 7-9-1.
“Lot of pleasure, and I believe that is another excuse I wish to play,” he mentioned. “In a season [of] me being wholesome, I’ve by no means had, in all of my life, profession, a season beneath .500. So, that tie goes to come back into play rather well. So, it is an enormous distinction. It is a type of issues that, I imply, yeah, it is simply pleasure. It is pleasure, truthfully.”
Prescott went 8-8 because the starter in 2019. The 2 instances he has performed fewer than 9 video games, the Cowboys have gone 6-10 (2020) and 7-10 (2024). This would be the third season by which Prescott has began nearly all of video games and the Cowboys haven’t made the playoffs (2017, 2019).
Prescott mentioned any conversations he has had with Schottenheimer because the Cowboys had been eradicated from the postseason have been with the thought he would begin.
“I like this sport,” Prescott mentioned. “I like any alternative that I get to play it. So, with that being mentioned, yeah, if I get to go on the market, I’ll give my finest. I’ll put together the identical approach. I’ll be the identical participant.
“I perceive the the explanation why perhaps not [to play], and if I am approached with that, I will deal with it then.”
The draw back is substantial if Prescott had been to endure an harm. He’s set to depend greater than $74 million towards the cap, though the Cowboys will restructure his deal to achieve some cap house, with a $40 million base wage. Schottenheimer mentioned he didn’t like that Prescott was hit as a lot as he was by Washington.
“Once more, we wish to win,” Schottenheimer mentioned. “We play to win. Eight-eight-and-one. Do the maths; sounds approach higher than the choice. However once more, the opposite factor is, proper now we’re 4-1 within the division [NFC East]. This can be a fairly good division. Traditionally, it has been probably the greatest in soccer, and you’ll see how bodily the video games are simply by watching as we speak’s sport.”
Prescott has received 14 straight video games towards the Giants, though the Cowboys wanted a 64-yard discipline purpose to pressure additional time in a Week 2 triumph. He has not misplaced to New York since 2016, his rookie season. He believes momentum can carry over to 2026 with victories.
“Profitable helps all the pieces,” Prescott mentioned. “Simply ending off with a win, two of them, can be nice for us.”
After Thursday’s contest, Prescott wore a sweatshirt that learn “Get up pleased” on the entrance.
“I will get up pleased, for positive,” he mentioned, “however I will in all probability get up slightly sore too.”
