When Dak Prescott went down, it was crunch time and Andy Dalton knew it.
Dalton, the Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback, is no ordinary No. 2. Many may forget that Dalton led the Cincinnati Bengals for nine years and had some success when he was with Cincy.
When the Cowboys were looking to keep away the Giants from pulling off an upset, this receiver detailed what Dalton said in the face of adversity.
According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, Michael Gallup said that Dalton had a message for the team the first time he took the huddle. He told the team, “Focus up, this is what I came here for.”
Apparently, every time Dalton entered the huddle, he told the team “I came here to win. I came here to play. Let’s do it.”
Michael Gallup says every time Andy Dalton enters the huddle he says: "I came here to win. I came here to play. So let's do it."
Dalton to the offense when he came in after Dak went down: "Focus up. This is what I came here for."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 14, 2020
Dalton helped muscle the Cowboys to a 37-34 win over the Giants. Despite not scoring any touchdowns, he helped set up two critical field goals as he finished with 111 yards passing and a QBR of 108.7.
With Dak out, Dalton is the man in charge of the Cowboys offense. If the Cowboys get last year’s version of Dalton, it could be a downward spiral.
In 2019, Dalton completed just 59.5% of his passes in a year where he finished with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He was 2-11 as a starter in his final year.
Then again, the Cowboys have three stud receivers in Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Gallup, which was something he did not have anywhere close to having in Cincy.
Either way, the Cowboys brought Dalton in as insurance, and they are cashing in on the plan right now.