Prescott Frustrated but Focused as Cowboys Playoff Hopes Fade
It’s been a turbulent ride for the Dallas Cowboys this season, and no one feels that more than Dak Prescott. The veteran quarterback didn’t hold back when asked about where the team stands now - disappointed, frustrated, and yes, surprised.
“Definitely surprised,” Prescott admitted, reflecting on the highs and lows of the season. “Especially after the bye week when we started rolling.
The confidence was sky-high. We were making plays, coming back from 21 down against Philly, stacking quality wins.
And now, here we are.”
That stretch Prescott’s referring to - when Dallas looked like a team peaking at the right time - feels like a distant memory. The defense was flying around, the offense looked in sync, and the Cowboys were making a case as legitimate contenders.
But in the NFL, momentum is fragile. A few missed opportunities, a couple of costly mistakes, and suddenly the playoff picture gets cloudy.
Prescott knows the math isn’t officially against them yet, but the reality is hard to ignore. The postseason is slipping away, and the quarterback isn’t sugarcoating it.
“I’m hurt, pissed off, frustrated,” he said. “But all I can do is get better tomorrow.”
That’s the mindset Prescott is leaning into - not just for himself, but for the locker room around him. Even with the playoffs likely out of reach, he’s not entertaining the idea of coasting through the final games.
“You’re a professional football player. You have to come to work and give your absolute best, regardless,” he said. “It’s about taking pride in who you are as a man, and in your job.”
Prescott pointed to a recent Thursday night game where the Falcons, already eliminated, knocked off a playoff hopeful in the Bucs. That’s the kind of effort he wants to see from his team - prideful, competitive, and unwilling to go quietly.
“This is the NFL,” he said. “You can’t just give up.
You can’t just stop. It’s about showing up, doing your job, and preparing the right way.
Game day is the celebration of all that work.”
Prescott’s leadership has never been in question, and he’s making it clear that nothing changes for him down the stretch. Whether or not the Cowboys make the postseason, he’s going to keep setting the tone - and he expects everyone else to match that energy.
“If you don’t [give your best], you probably won’t be in this league for long,” he said.
Brandon Graham Looks Like Himself Again - And the Eagles Are Better for It
When Brandon Graham came out of retirement earlier this season, it was more than just a feel-good story. It was about unfinished business. And now, after five weeks back on the field, the veteran defensive end is starting to look like the disruptive force Philly fans remember - just in time for another playoff push.
“It was cool to go out there and make a play, because it’s been a while,” Graham said, after notching two sacks in the Eagles’ dominant Week 15 win over the Raiders. “I feel like myself now.”
That’s not just talk. Graham’s return has added juice to a Philadelphia pass rush that’s starting to heat up at the right time. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio pointed to the front four’s resurgence as a key reason for the defense’s recent uptick.
“We’ve improved our rush,” Fangio said. “Bringing in Phillips has helped.
Jordan Davis is improving. And we’re getting into more third-and-long situations, which lets us get after it.”
Graham’s impact goes beyond the stat sheet. His presence in the locker room is invaluable - but quarterback Jalen Hurts made it clear that Graham’s value isn’t just emotional.
“He’s more than a leader,” Hurts said. “He’s still a hell of a player. I’m glad he’s feeling like himself again, because that sets the tone for all of us.”
For a team with championship aspirations, having a healthy, confident Brandon Graham back in the mix is a big deal. And if he’s truly rounding into form, the Eagles just got a whole lot more dangerous.
Giants Rookie Abdul Carter Flashes Star Potential in Breakout Performance
It’s been a learning curve for Abdul Carter in his rookie season with the Giants. The first-round pick has had to navigate the usual ups and downs - including some off-field discipline for lapses in preparation. But on the field in Week 15, Carter showed exactly why New York invested in him.
Two forced fumbles. A sack.
Three tackles for loss. It was a statement game from the young outside linebacker - and his veteran teammates took notice.
“Greatness is doing it over weeks. Being consistent,” said defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
“That’s what he can get to. He’s just got to stick with the process and understand who he is.
His ceiling is through the roof.”
Brian Burns echoed that sentiment, calling it Carter’s “coming-out party.”
“He had a good game,” Burns said. “I feel like, for the most part - just a feeling, since we haven’t watched the film yet - he executed his assignments.
And then he came up with some big plays that we needed. I’m proud of him.”
For a Giants team that’s building for the future, Carter’s emergence is a bright spot. The raw talent is there.
The next step is consistency - stacking performances like this one week after week. If he can do that, the Giants may have found their next defensive cornerstone.