Over the last couple of seasons, the Dallas Cowboys have been considered by many to be Super Bowl contenders, but they have gone home early in the playoffs the last two years.
Both times, they were sent home by the San Francisco 49ers, their historic arch-rivals.
This season, Dallas has looked dominant at times, but on Sunday, they were dominated themselves by the Niners, 42-10.
Quarterback Dak Prescott threw three interceptions during the contest, and former NFL player Kevin Carter says that the contest was evidence that he processes situations slowly, per NFL on CBS.
“Gotta be better at it Dak, he has to lead the way if they are gonna overcome a team like the 49ers,” Carter said.
"I can tell you when a QB is late. I can tell you when a QB is processing slowly. And that is Dak Prescott."@KevinCarter_93 says Dak needs to pick his game up if the Cowboys want to be real contenders 👀 pic.twitter.com/sEzVoRvX0P
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 9, 2023
Interceptions have been a problem for Prescott in the past — he led the NFL with 15 interceptions last season despite playing in just 12 games, and he had two picks in last year’s divisional-round loss to San Francisco.
While the Cowboys certainly have a championship-caliber squad, even without star cornerback Trevon Diggs, who is out for the year with a torn ACL, how far they go will depend on how well Prescott plays in big games.
Prescott has a history of underperforming when it matters most, and Sunday’s loss to the 49ers was yet another example.
The Cowboys are likely not nearly as bad as they looked on Sunday, but right now they’re not as good as people thought they would be when the season started or even after the first two weeks of the season.
They will have a chance to redeem themselves somewhat next week when they visit a banged-up Los Angeles Chargers team before their bye week.
NEXT: Cowboys DC Makes Clear Statement After 49ers Loss
