Dak Prescott, Cowboys quarterback, was on pace last year to break the NFL’s passing yardage record. However, a leg injury in Week 5 ended his season. Prescott hopes that he won’t be passing as much this year.
Prescott stated, via Michael Gehlken, Dallas Morning News. “That’s because we aren’t running the ball. This means that we are not likely doing what we need to be a winning, balanced team. It would be wonderful to have these numbers, to break it or to hold that record or whatever it may be. It’s not something I think about. As I stated, I want to be the NFL’s best offense. I believe that if I don’t throw that much, our run game works, and we play complementary football, we’re winning lots of games. If that’s true, I hope I don’t have to play as many fourth quarters trying not to return and do the drills that I did in the first five games.
Prescott had 1,690 yards passing in the four first games of last season. That would have put him on pace to pass 6,760 yards in 16-game seasons or 7,183 yards over 17 games. These are absurd numbers. The all-time passing yardage record in a single season, set by Peyton Manning in 2013, is 5,477.
Prescott is correct that he was running at such a high pace because the Cowboys were losing late and he was passing lots to get back. Prescott had more yards last season than any other quarter and the Cowboys trailed him in the fourth of every game he began.
Although it’s not necessary for the Cowboys to run the ball often in order to have an effective offense, if they win late in games, they will keep the ball on ground to finish the clock. Prescott will throw for less yards but this will indicate that the Cowboys have the ability to win games in the fourth quarter.