Consider it a first. Consider it, at the very least, a shot fired across the bow.
In the examination of Jerryspeak, it can take up to 24 hours to sort through his statements — especially when it comes to a 22-minute interview on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM] — to determine his official decrees. And on Tuesday, for the first time in seven seasons, the Cowboys owner applied the heat to quarterback Dak Prescott.
The subject was Prescott’s troubling interceptions. He has thrown nine in eight games. Since returning from injury in Week 7, he is tied for the league lead with eight. In what should have been a fairly soft homestand against the Giants, Colts and Texans, Prescott had six touchdown passes and five interceptions. He has explained his interceptions as being a function of his aggressiveness.
That’s when Jones jumped in to disagree.
“Certainly those interceptions can neutralize great execution and effort in other parts of the game. And that’s being trite,” Jones said. “I can tell you right now the definition of aggressiveness does not have to include turnovers. Aggressive does not. And I do like aggressiveness without turnovers.”
If Dak leads the Cowboys to a smooth sailing victory in Jacksonville Sunday, he has no worries. If it’s a loss or a tight game that involves more turnovers from the quarterback, he has to consider some new explanations. Jones is determined to remove the alibi that being aggressive and putting opponents back on their heels can lead to interceptions.
While it might sound like Jones is seeking perfection, it should also be mentioned that the Cowboys’ passing attack, prior to the Houston game, has been neither overly aggressive nor productive. Prescott does not have a 300-yard game this season. In the three games between the Green Bay loss and the furious rally to beat the one-win Texans, he did not have more than 30 pass attempts in any game.
Prescott had five 300-yard passing days a year ago, and three of those were of 375 yards or more. That’s when he ranked seventh in the NFL in passing yards per game. He ranks 17th this season, behind Denver’s Russell Wilson and the Rams’ Matthew Stafford among others.
Jones also made it sound as if he expects opponents to continue to disguise coverages as Houston, Green Bay and others have done to create that confusion that has led to takeaways. “We’ve got a lot of football left. We’re going to especially see teams doing different things in the playoffs,” Jones said. “We’re going to see it all.”
What’s notable is that Jones has never shied away from putting head coaches on the hot seat but has rarely issued anything even resembling criticism of his quarterbacks. That’s particularly true with Prescott and Tony Romo in charge over the last 15 years.
The Cowboys are 10-3 and yet there is frustration among some fans that this team has not shown the improvement it needs in order to advance through the playoffs. Or if it did demonstrate those qualities in the 40-3 rout of Minnesota, the team — largely the offense and, specifically, the passing game — has leveled off and is now putting the team at risk.
Toward that end, Jones believes that he has handed Prescott and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore a gift in the form of longtime Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. The club signed him this week and he could be in the lineup as early as noon Sunday against Jacksonville.
“He’s really one of the smartest receivers I can remember," Jones said. “He can really help us out. He brings a ton of experience. We want him to step in immediately."
Naturally, Jones stopped short of saying the Cowboys’ need for a veteran like Hilton was created by the awful trade of Amari Cooper to Cleveland for a fifth-round pick. But Hilton does remind one of Cooper — not as someone who is in his prime as the former Raiders receiver was when acquired in 2018 — but as a veteran whose route-running and ability to make tough catches could earn nearly instant chemistry with the Cowboys quarterback.
Of course, exactly how someone who has not played all season might fit this week or Dec. 24 when the Cowboys hope to be playing Philadelphia for at least a shot at the NFC East title remains to be seen. Michael Gallup remains a starter and Noah Brown came up big against Houston. James Washington made his long-awaited debut last week. Remind me, does anyone know if third-round pick Jalen Tolbert is still in town? And just how many receivers that aren’t playing special teams do the Cowboys plan to suit up each week?
It’s up to Moore to call their numbers and up to Prescott to locate them while steering clear of opposing safeties. The Cowboys might go into Jacksonville with a run-heavy attack. Or they may just fire away at the Jaguars’ vulnerable secondary. Either way, we now know that being aggressive no longer comes with any disclaimers for the Cowboys’ $40 million-a-year quarterback.
