Dak Prescott did all he could in the Cowboys' preseason opener to silence the cries for a veteran insurance policy in Dallas.
Displaying remarkable poise for a fourth-round rookie, Prescott tossed a pair of touchdowns on his first two NFL possessions and led the offense to a field goal on his third try. He finished an impressive first half 10 of 12 for 139 yards, outplaying the Rams' more ballyhooed top draft pick Jared Goff.
Prescott showed mobility, saw the field, found his hot routes and flashed excellent ball location. It was smart of the coaching staff to play No. 1 receiver Dez Bryant, as the two worked magic for a back-shoulder sideline throw and an end-zone fade, capping an 11-play drive to jumpstart Dallas' offensive attack.
At halftime, Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant praised Prescott for playing beyond his years.
"I think the best thing about Dak is that he is extremely calm," Bryant said. "It's like he's been here before. He's not playing like a rookie. He is going to be very good; he's special."
The former Mississippi State star will have a tough time repeating that success over the next two weeks, but Saturday's start was promising enough to put any talk of a preseason quarterback trade on the back burner.
