'Ugly, Ugly!' Dak Prescott Promises Cowboys Change Against Blitz Vs. Cardinals

The Dallas Cowboys haven't always handled opposing defenses' blitz-centric approaches this year.

And in the past against the Arizona Cardinals?

Same story.

But this time around, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott - well aware that the otherwise-lowly Cardinals have inexplicably owned in recent years - swears that Dallas has a new plan to deal with the blitz.

“Yeah, they’ve had our number these last couple of years,'' said Prescott, who leads the 3-4 Cowboys into their Sunday noon home game against the visiting 2-5 Cardinals. "And credit to their defense, credit to the way that those guys come in and play and execute.

"But it’s a new year. Everything’s different.''

Sure, but ... is it?

Last November, Arizona used the blitz in a 27-17 win at AT&T Stadium as Prescott was sacked five times in a “Monday Night Football” loss. Arizona also forced three turnovers, and Dallas went 0-for-3 on fourth down.

Additionally, the Cardinals have won the last four meetings, dating back to 2020.

“We’ve got to win, right? Understanding you just said what happened last year. It was an ugly, ugly game, ugly on our part. And then, yeah, you can go to some years before then where they’ve been at Arizona,” Prescott said.

Fast-forward to this year's Dallas team. Pressure on Dak was a major factor in back-to-back losses to Tampa Bay and to Green Bay as the Cowboys were held to a total of 29 points in the two games.

More "ugly, ugly.''

So what's about to change on Sunday in Week 8?

Maybe the Cowboys can build on last week's win at the Philadelphia Eagles, a victory in which Prescott often rolled out and threw on the run by design. He completed a trio of pretty TD passes (two to CeeDee Lamb and one to George Pickens) while avoiding being sacked.

And now, for Arizona ...

The QB is suggesting that Dallas has made the appropriate adjustments.

The Cowboys have, Prescott vowed, “Made the plans, got the plan, made the adjustments, studied it up, prepared for it.”

A snarky Cowboys cynic might respond by saying, "Yeah, but didn't you 'study up' before all your other losses to the Cardinals, too? 

Meanwhile, a fair-minded Cowboys observer might respond by waiting to see if the vow comes true.