Playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys is a unique profession. Dak Prescott is learning that firsthand.
A college student a year ago, Prescott today has helped the 'Boys carve out an 11-2 record -- putting them in position for the No. 1 seed -- but two straight sluggish performances have people asking the obvious question:
Will Tony Romo return to lineup if Prescott doesn't shine?
One of Romo's best friends, tight end Jason Witten, went out of his way this week to throw support behind the rookie.
"Dak's answered the bell every step of the way, and I'm 100 percent confident he'll do that on Sunday night," Witten said of the team's prime-time tilt with the surging Buccaneers, per The Dallas Morning News. "We all go through adversity and any time you lose, it's easy for people on the outside to point blame at that position, but we all have to do better. You look at that offensive performance, we all understand that."
Said Witten: "He's not a rookie anymore. A lot of that is for people at the barber shop to talk about. For him, he comes back to work, continues to try to get better, works hard, good communicating. He's had really two good days (of practice)."
Witten also dismissed the idea that media speculation about who should start at quarterback would have any effect on Prescott.
"That's who Dak is. Rookie, fourth-round pick, in May or August, he's third on the depth chart. You don't get where he's gotten in his career, probably started way before he got here, by worrying about anything that's being said on the outside," Witten said. "He plays that way, he has that confidence with us, communicating, veterans, rookies, everyone in between. I think that's why he has the respect he has in this locker room."
While those on the outside might clamor for a switch, the Cowboys have held course with Prescott under center. That could change if Dallas falls to Tampa, but it's not something the players are pushing for.
