There's a prevailing theory that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's butterflies will often get the best of him to start a game. That, in conjunction with hideous opening game scripts by the offensive coaching staff, Prescott himself comes into some games far too amped up to function at a peak level. Some games, he's able to play through it. Others, like Week 6's pathetic defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, was not one of them.
There was nothing remotely entertaining about the way Dallas lost, 23-13. The game wasn't even that close and the way the Cowboys have played two weeks in a row; there's no joy in watching them. The Packers missed four separate big plays that would-be touchdowns that eventually cost them an additional eight
points. With so much failure on display on Sunday night, it's hard to hone in on just one final takeaway, but lost in the big picture of Brian Schottenheimer's failure as a coach and Jerry Jones' as a GM and owner, the $60 million QB played a role in Week 6, too.
Dak's Day Doomed From Drive No. 1
If you're aware that Marvel is going to bring Robert Downey Jr. back as a new character in the same cinematic universe, you're hoping to be pleasantly surprised that the malaise and unconnected Phases 4 through 6 have a big payoff waiting.
But while DoomsDay isn't in theatres for another two months, it certainly reared its head for the Cowboys early in their Week 6 loss. Dallas won the toss, and wanting to rinse the taste of Week 5 out their mouths, chose to receive instead of kickoff.
Prescott detractors have built a strong case that one can tell what kind of day he'll have by the size of his eyes. When he's taking in too much of the surrounding game, his eyes remain wide. Whether there's real or pseudo science behind it, he certainly had that look in Sunday's game.
On the game's opening third down, Prescott got rocked. DC Jonathan Gannon brought seven men on the blitz, outnumbering the protection as the Cowboys sent four men out on routes. Prescott hit the quick completion, a conversion to WR Ryan Flournoy, but he took a murderous shot. Prescott was also pressured the very next play, a two-yard pass to FB Hunter Luepke.
It was clear the Packers were about to make an evening of onslaughting Prescott, and on 3rd-and-4, he heard the footsteps before they actually arrived.
The Packers didn't send a ton of pressure on this play, but it appears they were already in the QB's head, because he shipped the pass off to the dump off option who had no chance at getting a first down.
Dak rushed this early decision on the Cowboys opening drive.
— StopDropBinge (@StopDropBinge) October 21, 2026
3rd and 4
Rare moment when pressure didn't come immediately, but rushed dump off to Williams instead of waiting for WR routes to develop.
Dallas worst play (by EPA) of the 1st quarter. pic.twitter.com/v4Q5qmsAVs
This is just a small example. It doesn't mean that it will always be the case, but Prescott never really recovered in the Week 6 contest. The blitz, which has on many occasions been welcomed by Prescott, rattled him in this game and he wasn't able to escape it.
He'll need to fix that moving forward for there to be any chance at success this season.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Dak doomed the day, Week 6's final major takeaway
