The Cowboys’ passing game is broken. We all know it. We see the ineptitude each game.
The Cowboys rank 30th in the NFL in yards (277.7), 31st in points (13.7), 31st in third-down conversions (23.5 percent), 27th in first downs (16.7) and 30th in yards per pass attempt (4.4).
Ridiculous.
Prescott has regressed from 2016, when he was named NFL Rookie of the Year. The receivers have been non-factors this season, combining for two touchdowns in three games, and the tight ends have been even worse.
The protection has been, at times, shoddy with Prescott getting sacked 11 times.
There’s no tangible evidence the offense will improve anytime soon.
After all, the first three games are a continuation of the last eight games of last season. Dallas has averaged 15.9 points and 289.0 yards in their last 11 games. It’s easily the worst stretch of offensive football since Jason Garrett joined the Cowboys in 2007 as offensive coordinator.
The offense’s poor performance is a continuation of training camp, when the unit struggled daily to complete passes, drives and score touchdowns in training camp.
Garrett’s belief in play-caller Scott Linehan has not wavered, though the public confidence in Linehan must be at all-time low. Garrett believes Linehan can fix Prescott and the offense, so he’s giving him an opportunity to do it.
For now, Garrett has no interest in taking the play-calling from Linehan.
“We're not going to go down that road right now,” Garrett said of taking the play-calling from Linehan. “I have a lot of confidence in Scott Linehan.
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“He has been an outstanding coordinator in this league for a long time. He’s been an outstanding coordinator for us."
Garrett is sticking with Linehan because the problem with the offense is multi-faceted. It’s not one player or one coach.
It’s everybody and everything.
“We have to get better throwing the football,” Garrett said. “Again we have to be more efficient and we have to be more explosive throwing the ball.
"There's a protection component. There's a decision-making component. There's a throw and catch component. There's a winning on the route component. Again we have to improve in all of those areas.'
"Every part of it has to take responsibility for it. We have to get back to work with our players on Wednesday and try to make it better.''
It’s hard to be much worse.
Against Seattle, the Cowboys gained just 303 yards, while averaging 4.4 yards per play.
At halftime, the Cowboys had managed just four first downs and Prescott had completed six of 13 passes for 40 yards with an interception.
We haven't played well enough on offense, so everybody has to look at it,'' Garrett said. "I think it would be false for me to say this is about the play calling.
"This is about everything we're doing offensively.''
Prescott has passed for more than 200 yards in just two of the last 11 games. He has five straight games with at least 25 pass attempts and fewer than 200 yards.
Only four quarterbacks - Rick Morse, Steve Walsh, Ken O’Brien and John Brodie - have had longer steaks in the last 51years.
Prescott is tentative in the pocket and you have to wonder if this coaching staff is equipped to bring him out of this funk.
His body language contradicted his words.
“I have a lot of confidence,” Prescott said after the game. “I stay confident by believing in myself, believing in the players in the locker room.
“They believe in me, we believe in each other.”
They must. Help is not coming.
Garrett, Linehan and Prescott will either figure out how to fix this offense or this season is doomed.
