3 Cowboys Bold Predictions vs 49ers in Week 5
By Tyler Maher
2. Dak Prescott Takes Care of the Football
Speaking of good defenses, San Francisco has an elite unit as well. The Niners rank third in points allowed, fourth in interceptions and fifth in yards allowed. They're going to put a lot of pressure on Prescott this week, so he'll need to stay calm in the pocket and take care of the ball if the Cowboys are going to win.
I think he'll be up to the challenge. After leading the NFL in interceptions last year, Prescott has done a much better job protecting the football and limiting dumb mistakes. His 71.3% completion rate is the best of his career and he's only been picked off one time, posting a career-best 0.7% interception rate.
Part of that is playing smarter and more conservatively, as Prescott has evolved into more of a game manager. With an elite defense behind him and one of the best running backs in the NFL (Tony Pollard) at his disposal, Prescott doesn't need to play hero-ball or try to do everything himself. He can let the game come to him and take what the defense gives him, much like Tom Brady used to do in New England.
That approach will serve him well here, as San Francisco will punish him if he starts forcing throws and trying to make big plays. If Prescott sticks to his guns and doesn't try to do too much, he'll be fine.
It also helps that Prescott has played plenty of primetime games before and has performed quite well in them. He's 21-10 with a 66.0% completion rate and a 49:21 TD/INT ratio in primetime, so he's totally comfortable on the big stage. He won't panic and make any silly mistakes.