FRISCO, Texas – Yes, Dak Prescott has won 10 straight games against the Giants.
He knows it. His teammates know it. The media certainly knows it, and we can assume the Giants do as well.
What does that mean? Not much according to Dak, who not only points out that all teams and seasons are different, but also that he's not overlooking this Week 1 opponent because of history.
"It's a good team," Prescott said of the Giants. "Going to give them respect and just do what I've done every year, every time playing these guys, prepare my ass off going into this game and just be ready for whatever they have. But they do have my respect. It's always fun playing New York, and definitely playing them up at their place."
Ironically enough, Dak's first two losses of his career came to the Giants, including his first-ever game. In the 2016 season opener, the Cowboys lost 20-19 to the Giants at home, only to win 11 straight games after that. Dak's second loss occurred in a snowy-game at the Meadowlands, 10-7.
But since then, Dak has reeled off 10 straight wins. The only loss to the Giants since 2016 occurred in the 2020 season finale when Andy Dalton started in place of an injured Dak (ankle).
According to Prescott, playing the Giants is not why he's comfortable heading into Week 1. He said entering his eighth season, with the confidence he has in the coaches and players around him, has him feeling as confident ever.
"My comfort level is at an all-time high," Dak said about the offense, which has Mike McCarthy calling the plays and Brian Schottenheimer as the new offensive coordinator. "Our (game) plan is in right now; just went out there and practiced it. Obviously, we'll cross our T's and dot our I's and iron out the rest of it over these next couple of days."
For Dak, the focus is on Sunday and not a few weeks or months from now. But like every team, the goal is to win a Super Bowl, something that has eluded this franchise since 1995. Dak is fully aware of the expectations, and as the leader of the team, he said they embrace it.
"I know where we want to go," Prescott said, referring to the Super Bowl, which will be played in Las Vegas. "I keep that in the forefront of my mind, whether it's the playlist that I play on my phone to name something to remind me. I've got a lot of just little different reminders that reminds me of Vegas, reminds me of where I want to be at the end of this year. But at the same sense, it's about being present and capturing each day. I know there's no way I can get there unless I give each day my all, and that's more of the focus than [the Super Bowl] is. But at times, when it is tough, when you are sacrificing, when the days are long, you want reminders, so I have those things placed here and there."
To get to the bright lights of Las Vegas, Dak and the Cowboys have to shine bright in just about all other stops along the way, beginning Sunday in New York, which for a Sunday Night game, can be rather bright in its own right.
