The way this season is headed, Dak Prescott can expect the ball in his hands with the game on the line every single week.
Three games in, the Cowboys' offense has had a chance to win or tie with a late drive:
Week 1, an offensive pass interference penalty wiped out Prescott's 47-yard completion to Michael Gallup in a three-point loss to the Rams.
Week 2, Prescott's 24-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb set up the winning field goal in a remarkable one-point comeback victory over Atlanta.
Sunday, Prescott's duel with Seahawks star quarterback Russell Wilson came down to the final seconds yet again. After driving 53 yards just outside Seattle's red zone, Prescott got sacked for a 4-yard loss, and on third-and-14 with 10 seconds remaining, he threw a final heave to the end zone that was intercepted by defensive back Ryan Neal.
Seahawks 38, Cowboys 31.
Wilson's fifth touchdown pass of the game – a 29-yarder to D.K. Metcalf and subsequent two-point conversion with 1:47 left – was ultimately the difference.
On this day, Prescott and the Cowboys weren't able to match.
"For sure, I want the ball in my hands. I never want to shy away from the moment of having the ball in my hands and having a chance to win the game," Prescott said. "I want to make those throws and I want to have that opportunity. We've just got to be better, starting with myself of converting those and making more of these one-score games wins for us. I know we will."
Prescott completed 37 of a career-high 57 attempts for a career-high 472 yards Sunday at CenturyLink Field. He surpassed 100 career touchdowns with three on Sunday, but two of his three turnovers – an interception just before halftime and a sack-strip fumble on the opening drive of the third quarter – led to a pair of Seattle touchdowns.
"Another turnover that results in a touchdown. Simple as that, that's how you lose games," he said. "Me personally and everybody, we've got to be better protecting the football."
The Cowboys' offense had all three timeouts to start its final drive after Seattle took a seven-point lead. With the Seahawks in a two-deep look defensively, Prescott made several throws underneath to get the offense in scoring position in the final minute.
On the game-ending interception, Prescott spun out of a would-be sack by Benson Mayowa, barely kept his balance and launched into a crowd of Seahawks defenders in the end zone, looking for receivers Noah Brown and Michael Gallup in a jump-ball situation.
"We just didn't give ourselves a chance, an opportunity to take some shots at the end zone," he reflected. "Obviously I had a little chance at the last one. I just tried to give my guys a shot and we came up short."
After three games, the Cowboys are 1-2 in three games decided by 11 total points.
The yards and points have been there, particularly in the last two games. But Sunday lacked the dramatic finish from a week ago.
"We'll go back this week, have some tough practices, get back on it, pay attention to the details and we'll change this thing around," Prescott said. "We've got a long way to go."
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