CHARLOTTE, NC – With 8:18 left to go in the fourth quarter of a tied ball game, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense got the ball back after their defense forced the first and only three and out of the game.
With a chance to run down the clock and set themselves up for a win, Dallas instead went backwards on the first two plays of the drive, losses of seven and five yards respectively on quick screen passes to Javonte Williams.
"I wouldn't say it's demoralizing, I'd definitely say it's frustrating," Prescott said following the game. "Just even the last time we had the ball, that was not our best series of the game right there… at a crucial point like that, we just can't do that."
Prescott finished the day with 261 yards and three touchdowns on 25/34 passing, which ultimately wasn't enough to get the job done.
Sunday served as the fourth game in the 2025 season that was decided by one possession, including the Week 4 tie against the Packers. Dallas is now 1-2-1 in those games, and the solution to fix to that statistic is easier said than done in today's NFL.
"We've got to find a way to win these games," Prescott said. "That's the missing chink in the armor right now is, whether it's the tied game or this game, we've got to find a way to win games. If you do that, you feel a whole lot different in the locker room.
"Now in reality, is the team different? Not necessarily, but you feel a lot better, you're taking confidence, and when you get that confidence, that allows you to feel more confident at the end of games, understanding and knowing and believing that you're going to pull it out. Right now, we've just got to find a way to win the fourth quarter."
On all but three of their drives, Carolina's offense put up points on the board, putting Prescott and the offense in a difficult position to be able to answer that. Still, Prescott lays the blame on himself and the offense for not upholding their responsibilities.
"If we don't score, last thing I'm going is being frustrated at the defense," Prescott said. "That's my problem, somebody on offense, or something that we didn't do better."
What makes him confident that the Cowboys defense will be able to improve from their struggles to start the year?
"That we go against them every day [in practice]," Prescott said. "It's an iron sharpens iron mentality. I understand the players and pieces they have over there. You see them getting better. They're getting better."
As the Cowboys defense looks to continue getting better like Prescott is observing, Dallas' offense is hoping they can get healthier. Tyler Guyton and Tyler Smith returned to the offensive line against Carolina, but the team is still missing playmakers like CeeDee Lamb, which gives Prescott the confidence to wish opposing defenses "good luck" stopping Dallas' offense.
The biggest reason for optimism with Prescott? The 11 games remaining on the schedule, and the chance to find their solution to winning the close games they've grown accustomed to early in 2025 with their next opportunity to get a win coming on home turf next Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
"It's a long season, it's a long, long season. I've been three and five before, we went and made the playoffs. That's my point, we've just got to find a way to win these close games right here, and I've got all the confidence that we will."
