Despite quarterback Tony Romo's injury, many Cowboys fans have remained optimistic about the 2016 season based on rookie Dak Prescott's preseason.
That's a mistake.
SI's Albert Breer reported that Romo did not suffer ligament damage, but he'll still likely miss the first four games of the season (give or take a couple of games).
But why worry? Many aren't concerned because of how Prescott has looked during the preseason. His passer rating of 137.8 leads all quarterbacks with at least 25 attempts.
Well, the other top-rated quarterbacks with that many attempts this preseason include Stephen Morris, AJ McCarron and Robert Griffin III. Last year's top 4 are Matt Stafford, EJ Manuel, Brett Hundley and Luke McCown. You get the idea.
So what should Cowboys fans expect out of Dak Prescott in Romo's absence?
Circumstances are in Prescott's favor. He'll be fortunate to be facing four of last year's 12 worst defenses in opponent's passer rating (Giants - 21st, Redskins - 22nd, Bears - 26th and 49ers - 25th). And he'll be doing so behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines with top-notch skill players around him.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Dak will keep the team afloat while Romo's out, but Cowboys fans with hopes for a postseason run should pray for a speedy Romo recovery.
Prescott has put up good numbers against little to no pressure and throwing to receivers facing college-level cushions. His throws have been inaccurate and many of them will turn into incompletions or interceptions when those windows shrink to standard NFL sizes.
While most of his decisions have been good, Prescott has also forced some throws that were fortunate to not be picked off. And he hasn't even faced disguised blitzes and coverages yet.
To be fair, Dak has looked much better than I thought he would. His college tape showed a player that was a couple of years away from being an NFL starter, but he didn't look that far in his first few games.
Prescott's confidence and comfort in the pocket is something that many failed quarterback prospects have lacked. He has NFL-level physical tools become the next Cowboys quarterback.
Just don't expect it to happen during the first quarter of his first season.
