Dak: Offense Lacked 'Professional' Approach in Loss to Ravens

 

ARLINGTON, Texas — There's a common saying in sports: "You play how you practice." 

For the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott, this may have been particularly true in their recent game against the Ravens. Prescott admitted that a subpar practice session on Thursday led to a shaky performance from the offense during the game.

That lackluster practice seemed to carry over into Sunday, as the Cowboys struggled through the first three quarters, ultimately falling short in a 28-25 loss to the Ravens.

"I didn’t have a great practice—Thursday, I believe," Prescott said. "I even told Coach McCarthy that I feel better when it’s on me, because I can control it and fix it. But it's also about ensuring others are doing their jobs too. We've got to avoid dwelling on mistakes during practice, myself included."

While the Cowboys managed to rally in the fourth quarter, scoring 19 points thanks to an aggressive passing game that capitalized on the Ravens’ soft coverage, Prescott remained focused on the team's earlier struggles.

"Starting late—that's the biggest issue," Prescott said in the post-game press conference. "Penalties, mistakes with alignments or assignments—we need to clean that up. We have to be more focused, accountable, and locked in on our roles."

The Cowboys’ offense had only managed six points in the first three quarters, as the Ravens cruised to a 28-6 lead. According to Prescott, the offense needs to adopt a more "professional" approach when preparing for games.

When asked to elaborate on the lack of professionalism, Prescott explained: "It's about knowing where you're supposed to be, understanding your reads, lining up correctly, and making route adjustments based on coverages. Being a professional means being prepared for every aspect of the game—whether it’s during practice or from watching film. We've had a few mental mistakes that were crucial, and that comes down to focus. To me, it’s about being a pro, knowing your job, and doing whatever you can to be ready."

Prescott emphasized that the offense needs to sharpen its focus and execution to avoid these costly errors moving forward.