ARLINGTON, Texas — Dak Prescott admitted the memory of the injury he suffered 364 days ago against the New York Giants played a part in his slow start Sunday, but his 49-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb in the second quarter lifted him out of a “mental fog.”
Prescott finished with three touchdown passes while completing 22 of 32 passes for 302 yards in the 44-20 win against the Giants.
“I’m glad it’s over with, I’m glad I’m past that and I think this was the final shovel in burying this thing,” Prescott said.
In the locker room after the game, he shared a hug with director of rehabilitation Britt Brown, who oversaw his comeback from the compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle.
“He said, ‘I know what this meant to you,’ and I told him, ‘Thank you,'” Prescott said. “I told him I’m glad this is behind us. I don’t know why I was in a slow, I guess, mental fog early.”
Try as he might, Prescott could not block out the anniversary of the injury. He was facing the same team, in the same stadium on the same week of the NFL season. He was intercepted on the Cowboys’ first series and lost a fumble at the New York 8-yard line on the Cowboys’ third series, stopping a scoring opportunity.
“As much as I’ve tried to put it off, as much as I’ve tried not to think about it, I think it just naturally does, right?” Prescott said. “And it’s in the back of your head, unconsciously or not. Yeah, I would say I didn’t quite feel as energetic or as myself early in the game. I don’t know if that played a part in it or not, but once I threw that touchdown to CeeDee, that was kind of when I just started rolling and got in a groove.”
Prescott completed 3 of 8 passes for 20 yards and the Cowboys did not score a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time this season. In the final three quarters, he completed 19 of 24 passes for 282 yards and three touchdown passes, including the 49-yarder to Lamb.
“I just think he had the performance that complemented the win and so it was just outstanding,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “He made a big play there when we needed a big play and so when we make the run, he takes what they give us.”
Prescott said his injury popped into his mind when he saw the cart take Giants running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Daniel Jones off the field in the first half.
“It definitely came in my head like, ‘Get that thing out of here,'” Prescott said. “I mean I flip the page quick. I mean I’ve got a short memory so obviously it’s thought about at that moment. My thoughts went for him and I hope he’s OK and I hope Saquon and all those guys [are OK]. You never want to see anybody get hurt. It’s a physical game. We know this game can take a toll on your body, but you never want to see anybody taken out.”
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