DALLAS — It took just 13 seconds.
Thirteen seconds. Three incompletions. A fruitless opening possession for the Dallas Cowboys, and their fans couldn’t help but fear the worst.
After an entire game's worth of nauseating three and outs against Washington eight days prior, starting like this was a nightmare. A nightmare made worse by a repeat performance on the next possession. Three plays, two runs and a sack totaling -5 yards, and another punt.
Who could’ve known in that moment that quarterback Dak Prescott was about to embark on the best performance of his NFL career.
The Cowboys defense – which deserves ample credit sure to come over the ensuing few days for their own virtuoso performance – stopped the Bucs in nearly identical fashion, creating the game’s fourth straight three and out, and giving Dallas the ball back.
And then Prescott began to cook.
Who could’ve known, after a week's worth of noise, a week's worth of the narrative getting out of control, a week's worth of even true Cowboys fans starting to question whether he was the right man for the job, that this was coming from #4? Prescott did.
“In a sense, yeah,” he said after the game. “I prepared well. I knew watching tape, that this team was going to be able to create matchups, and what we’re going to be able to do.”
Prescott began his Cowboys postseason record of eleven straight completions with a 15-yard pass to Michael Gallup, giving Dallas the initial first down of the game.
“I told the offense in the huddle, ‘hey, we get one first down, this thing’s going to roll,” he said after the Cowboys' first road victory in 30 years. “And that’s exactly what happened.”
He’d hit Dalton Schultz for a touchdown five plays later, and wouldn’t throw another incomplete pass until there were less than two minutes left in the first half. By that point, Dallas was already marching down the field toward their third touchdown of the day, and an 18-0 halftime lead.
In a game that felt more important for his legacy than any game that had preceded it, Prescott was outplaying the best quarterback of all time, and leading his team to a rout.
“Dak showed that he’s a warrior,” CeeDee Lamb said afterward. “He’s a baller, and he came out slinging it. I felt like it was a statement game for him.”
Prescott’s 2022 season is confounding. In some games, he looked sensational, making terrific throws and seeming to grow his arsenal of capabilities. In others, he threw interceptions you would expect a rookie to throw. Late, into traffic, underthrown, right to the defender, you name it. He also had more than a few interceptions on passes he threw directly to the chest of his teammate, only to have the ball dropped into the opponents waiting arms.
All the ebbs and flows of his season had led the daytime television debate shows to go nutty. One particularly clownish pundit going as far as to call Prescott ‘ass’ on national television.
Prescott insists he doesn’t hear it, doesn’t pay attention to it. Sometimes, one has to wonder how he manages to do that. But such is life for the Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
Whether he hears it or not, no one will have to hear it this week. Because Dak Prescott resoundingly shut all of them up.
“I loved it,” Cowboys defensive back Jayron Kearse said. “Loved it, loved it, loved it, loved it. Just to see his confidence. The spotlight was on him, and he showed up in the spotlight. A lot of people would’ve wanted him go out there and fold under the pressure, but he stood up, and he was the best quarterback on the field tonight.”
As Prescott came to midfield Monday night, he was greeted by Brady, who may have just seen his career come to an end, at the hands of the Cowboys quarterback.
“Good job, man,” Brady said as he shook Prescott’s hand. He pulled him in for a quick hug and said, “Good playing tonight. Way to go.”
And the most important part.
“Keep it up.”