4 prime reasons the Cowboys will disappoint fans — again! — this season

Coming off one of the most horrific injuries anyone has ever witnessed on an NFL field, Prescott returns along with the hopes of Cowboys fans all over the world. Oh, wait a minute, he’s hurt again already. Hopefully, with some rest and treatment to his throwing shoulder (latissimus strain), Prescott will be ready to go by Week 1 of the season (a Thursday night visit to defending champion Tampa Bay).

Before the injuries, Prescott was an ironman, never missing time — but now a return to such past glory looks to be in jeopardy with this latest setback. While Dak insists this isn’t major, the team is taking a different approach and is being cautious about the injury.

Last season in 4.5 games Prescott was on a record-setting pace, putting up Madden NFL-type numbers until his ankle injury occurred in Week 5. Everyone got so excited about his blazing fast start out of the gates as Prescott was on pace to throw for over 6,000 yards. What gets overlooked is most of that yardage came from Prescott when the Cowboys were trailing and, in many cases, trailing by multiple scores.

Elite QBs become elite by doing it when the lights shine brightest and when games are still in doubt. Not when you’re down by double-digits week-after-week, piling up yards when the opponent is so far ahead they give you anything you want underneath, not worried about a score because your defense hasn’t stopped them all day. The time has come for Dak to step up and become an even greater leader in Dallas. But for him to do so, he’s got to get, and stay, healthy.