For the first time since the 2019 season, the voice in Dak Prescott’s mind will be different.
And it speaks with a distinct Pittsburgh accent.
“It’s different,” the Cowboys quarterback joked with reporters about head coach Mike McCarthy’s new play-calling responsibilities for 2023. He called one out there today, and I looked back, and I went, ‘Was that right?’ Yes, it was, it was just that his accent was hard to hear. No, it’s fun.”
Prescott and McCarthy have been together for over three years. But this off-season, it seems like they are just getting to know each other.
Kellen Moore was Dallas’ offensive coordinator for the past four seasons. He served as the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2018. And he was Prescott’s partner for two years before that.
This is Prescott’s first NFL off-season without Moore, but the Cowboys’ 2023 offense will still be built off the foundation he laid.
“As far as the installation, obviously there’s been some additions, some things taken out,” Prescott said Thursday. “I think you just get the feeling overall that maybe the game is being called a little bit differently.
“It’s not like we’re going to throw away our playbook and try to start again, anything like that. Obviously, we’ve had some success. Good there. We had to take that and expand the hell out of it.” Everything we’re doing. We already have plays, new plays, just understanding the purpose and making sure everyone knows why and what the purpose is in their play and in their roles. Just to elaborate on it And, I think, it will make us play faster and get better.”
Objective is a term that McCarthy seems to be using a lot these days. It’s clearly a point of emphasis as she and her quarterback feel each other out in their new working relationship.
“We’ve got a thing called PCP, really just play-call objective. Play-call objective: PCP,” the coach explained at Thursday’s press conference. “It’s one thing to learn the intricacies of the play and the play, but when you continue to know and anticipate when and where it will be called, I think it’s just the strong communication and connection that a quarterback and play-caller have.” Must have.”
Both men hope that having a better understanding of the purpose of a particular play call in a given situation will reduce the number of sloppy mistakes that contributed to a career-high interception last season for Prescott.
“It’s the detail and the responsibility and the discipline within a play that all 11 boys have to have,” Prescott said, “understanding their roles and understanding if they’re clueless or they’re actually eating a window or eating one.” man to open the place and for the man to understand not to destroy his window, to open it and… yeah, I think some of these young people may not have heard some , and you look at it and click and you see them understand quickly. It’s just been good. You can see it and feel it and sense that everybody’s locked in, everybody’s buying into the objective and the objective of their role, which overall allows us to play fast and play cleanly. Is.
And interestingly, more communication on things like play-call intent now means Prescott will actually listen. Less McCarthy’s voice in his mind on game day: Just the play call, no extra reminders of the details of the play.
“No, no, no, leave me alone,” Prescott said of his choice in helmets. “Because of the time we spend all week. He shouldn’t have given me a reminder, and I think he would say the same. That’s because we’re going to be talking about communication, the game, what it’s purpose is, game position, down and distance, all week long. So, that conversation should have been held a few days before when that play is called, I know what he’s thinking, why it’s called, where we are specifically in that position, and how to execute
This kind of fine deep dive of the Cowboys playbook has forced the duo to go back through the entire playbook to see what has worked and what hasn’t for the offense as of late.
“Like we broke up [Thursday’s practice]Prescott explained,[Coach McCarthy] Said, ‘You know what? Check out everything we put out and make sure we’re running the things you love and the things we’re good at. If it’s something you’re a little irritable about, let’s get it out. Let’s master the thing we are great at.’ Just having that clear communication and being able to work with him day in and day out, it’s new, it’s fresh, it’s fun for both of us.
The beginning stages of a new relationship are supposed to be refreshing and fun. Cowboys Nation is about to see if Prescott and McCarthy are destined to move past this honeymoon phase and become a happily-ever-after couple with shiny new jewelry.
,
