ARLINGTON, Texas — The great news for Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys is that they were good enough to win against the Green Bay Packers, but the bad news is they made just enough mistakes to not end the evening with a 2-2 record — though they also avoided the loss in their 40-40 overtime tie with their bitter rival from the NFC North.
It's an awkward feeling that permeated the entirety of the Cowboys' roster and staff, and undoubtedly that of the Packers as well, and Dallas' head coach and offensive playcaller Brian Schottenheimer isn't interested in spinning it as a win, because it isn't one.
"We're not satisfied because we didn't win, and winning is the only thing that matters," he said following the game.
That sentiment was echoed loudly by quarterback Dak Prescott, who admitted he doesn't exactly know how to feel about it, an emotion heard by several throughout the locker room.
"I'm unfulfilled with this — very, yeah," said the All-Pro quarterback. "You don't play the game for ties. I've told you before, I don't care about the stats. I don't care about the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows that you hear about.
"The end result [should be a] win. When you don't get that, right now, it's tough for me. In ten years, it's the first tie I've been a part of. It's hard to kind of wrap my head around, but I know I would've felt a hell of a lot worse if it was a loss; but I'm not satisfied, not that I would be if we won.
"Um yeah, it's just, it's a weird feeling."
Mathematically, depending on how the chips might fall, a tie could work in the Cowboys' favor, but it could also work against them if the chips fall in the wrong direction, but such is a tie.
In and of itself, it's neither good, nor bad — at least not until the rest of the season plays out to determine if its presence will matter.
That said, what is definitely back in the category of good is what Prescott and the offense were able to do in a game that saw them enter as a sizable underdog on their own field. The defense continued to struggle in Week 4, but Prescott was able to continually match the haymakers landed against the Cowboys' defense by landing several of his own against the Packers', and that was despite the absence of injured starters such as Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker and All-Pro record-setting wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
George Pickens racked up 134 receiving yards and two critical touchdowns on 11 catches to contribute to Prescott's night of masterpiece theater, and running back Javonte Williams also punched relentlessly alongside others who stepped up and made an impact — namely Jake Ferguson, Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin.
It was a collective effort by the offense, and Prescott couldn't be more thrilled for what that might mean for the unit going forward, particularly once they're whole again.
In all, the Cowboys' offense put up 436 total yards of offense to go along with 38 points, the other two being added by a blocked point after attempt by Juanyeh Thomas that was returned for a two-point conversion by Markquese Bell.
"Those are guys who have been itching for their opportunity, honestly," Prescott said of those who stepped up with Lamb working to return to the field. "When you've got a guy like CeeDee, you've got a guy like George, there's only one ball there when you're speaking about two of those great players, right? So those other guys are like, well, whether they get crumbs, whatever it is, they're ready to make plays from opportunities, and so when you lose a guy like [CeeDee], all you're getting is these hungry men and playmakers who are saying, 'I could be a guy, too.'
"So I think that's just what you're gonna see."
And as far as the defense allowing 40 points against the Packers and an average of 38.5 points per game at AT&T Stadium goes? Prescott isn't focused on that portion of the game, and instead points the finger squarely at himself, saying he and the offense could've and should've ended the game when they had the chance, e.g., on their lone drive in overtime when they drove down into the red zone only to end up with a 22-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey.
In a game that was just strange enough to see a lone second remain on the clock despite poor time management by the Packers to try for one final touchdown play in the waning seconds — before kicking the tying field goal to end the night all square — Prescott reiterates none of that happens if the Cowboys score a touchdown when it was their turn.
"This game, yeah, I can be mad about the one second on the clock," he said. "I could be mad that they drove the ball but, at the end of the day, I'm pissed that we didn't score in the red zone. We had an opportunity to score in the red zone and if we do that, they're having to get back on the line again and throw another Hail Mary to the end zone. So not for one second am I looking at the defense.
"I'm a guy that looks inward first and, like I said, what we need to do and what I need to do to help this team; and if we score in the red zone or start faster, who knows if we're even in that position."
The next two weeks will see the Cowboys take their act on the road against the Jets and then the Panthers to try and get above .500 for the first time this season, and they'll be completely fine if they never see another tie again in their lifetimes.
Not unless it's one that comes with a blazer and a nice button-down shirt.
