FRISCO, Texas — One thing Dak Prescott knows how to do is win games at MetLife Stadium, but the challenge this coming weekend is clear: the Dallas Cowboys aren't facing the familiar New York Giants. Instead, they'll visit the New York Jets, a team Prescott hasn't played often.
As a matter of fact, the All-Pro quarterback has faced Gang Green only twice over the course of his 10-year career, and they've split the series with a 1-1 record — the loss occurring on the very field the two sides will square off on this Sunday afternoon.
The year was 2019, the tight end was future Hall of Famer Jason Witten, and Prescott completed 28 of his 40 passes for 278 yards and no touchdowns in the narrow 24-22 loss.
"I remember it wasn't a pretty game," said the former NFL MVP runner-up. "I remember going up there, and didn't finish the way that we wanted to finish. … Not the result that we're looking for when we go up there this time."
At the time, the Jets were 0-4 through the first four games of the season, snapping that streak against Prescott and the Cowboys and, as fate would have it, the 2025 version of Gang Green is also 0-4 to begin this season; and desperately seeking the first win of the Aaron Glenn era.
Pepperidge Farm, and Prescott, remembers.
"I know that was the team also that, I believe, was winless when we went up there, somewhat earlier in the season, as well," he said. "It's important for me to relay to these guys just how important it is for us to go get this game, and how important it is not to look at the records, and to understand that every other team wants to beat us. Every other team is gonna find a way to hype themselves up a little bit more, because it's the Cowboys.
"We've got to make sure we go out there with the right energy, and start fast, and in all three aspects of the game."
There's also something to be gleaned, a lot, from what the Cowboys experienced during their Week 3 trip to Chicago to take on the then-winless Bears, a team that quickly made it clear they were willing to pull out all of the stops to try and land their first win in the Ben Johnson era — going on to embarrass the Cowboys with a 31-14 final showing.
Additionally, sitting at a record of 1-2-1 after battling to a tie with the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys themselves are desperately trying to get back into the win column.
"You're still going against professionals," said running back Javonte Williams. "No matter what their record is, you've still got to go out there and play your hardest. Like what happened in Chicago, it can get ugly quick. We can't take anybody for granted. We've got to play our game."
It bears mentioning the Jets have lost three of their four games by a combined 10 points, hinting largely at the potential fight that awaits the Cowboys.
And with so many key players nursing injuries, including CeeDee Lamb and four of their five starting offensive linemen, Dallas has little to no margin for error, also having barely escaped the other team from New York only three weeks prior.
This week, the Cowboys do not want to discover that nothing beats a Jet2 holiday.
