Dak Prescott optimistic on Cowboys' offensive "playmakers" to overcome horrors of playoffs loss to 49ers

The last two seasons of Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys have ended with a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, both of them in astonishing fashion.

In 2021, with seconds remaining, Prescott did a quarterback slide without realizing that it would not stop the clock, inadvertently ending the game by spiking the ball. In 2022, he was forced to overthrow a pass after Ezekiel Elliott was tackled while playing center on a trick play attempt.

For the Cowboys, a lack of playmakers also played a major role. When Tony Pollard hurt his leg and foot at half-time against the 49ers, that left only CeeDee Lamb, and the defense smothered him. Heading into 2023, though, they're in a better spot.

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Dak Prescott thinks Cowboys have improved in speed department

On Friday, Dak Prescott revealed one aspect where his offense has improved:

"A lot of speed. You can name a lot of guys," Prescott said of this year's offense. "(We have a) few guys that have speed but are playmakers. Speed is one thing, but to be a playmaker is another thing."

He definitely has cause to be optimistic. During the offseason, Dallas traded for Brandin Cooks, a six-time 1,000-yarder who claims to still be able to do 4.3-s 40-yard dashes.

Pollard and Michael Gallup are back from injury, while Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin are expected to play bigger roles. Prescott said of his expanded corps:

"For me, it's about getting these guys the ball. Whether it's in the run game or the pass game, or just out in space to allow them to do what they do best – break tackles, make people miss and show off their speed. We've got a handful of guys and that's going to make my job easier."

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Dak Prescott thinks fans are overreacting on Trey Lance trade

The Dallas Cowboys' biggest move, though, has been trading for former rival Trey Lance. Dak Prescott has expressed his delight at having another top talent in the QB room. Skeptics, though, think it's a ploy to replace him.

On Wednesday, Prescott dismissed such speculation when speaking to Yahoo Sports:

“I think they read a little too much into it. As I've said before and I made it known, I understand that's the front office and they have a job to do, and I believe in everything that they're doing. Whether it's additions or trades to this team, they're doing it for the betterment of the whole team."

The Cowboys begin their season against the New York Giants, with their game airing on Sunday Night Football, so all eyes will be on their newly restocked offensive core.