Cowboys 33, Panthers 10
Q. Dak, just coming off the big blowout win last week and knowing you have a game Thursday, was it just the aspect of handling business and taking care of it the way you needed to this game?
DAK PRESCOTT: Every week is about handling business, coming in and getting the win. Obviously I understood the challenge in this week. Honestly not even looking forward to Thanksgiving yet. It was about focusing where we were.
If you look on paper, a lesser opponent, but we knew we had to come in. Noon start, something we don't do too often. So had to get going fast and not take them lightly and keep the focus high.
Yeah, got the job done. To say it was clean and to say that we did exactly what we wanted to do, I can't say that. Got to go look at the film, but you'll take the win any way we can get it. It was a good win.
We've got to heighten the focus a little bit I know on our side of the ball, whether it be 12:00 game, whether it be the lesser opponent. Who knows?
It was communicated. It was communicated throughout the game. Guys answered that challenge and played better and went and got the W. When we needed to make plays, needed to get -- they made it a seven-point need game. Needed to convert third downs and needed to score, we went and did that and answered. Defense made it a bigger lead there. From there we were able to finish it off.
Q. What were they doing to limit the passing game, and talk about the importance of getting Pollard in the running game off?
DAK PRESCOTT: Yeah, they have a great rush over there. Obviously interior, Burns on the outside. They've got a great rush. Wasn't giving me the cleanest look that much time. You've got kind of a clock in your head, and they were doing a good job there.
Guys answered the challenge and cleaned that up, allowed us to get some opportunities outside. At that point we took advantage, converted third downs, as I said. It was huge for us to get the run game going there, to obviously get the favorable matchups we wanted to get outside, get them more in run stop and defenses so we could attack where we wanted to.
Q. Dak, obviously you guys went down and got a big touchdown to go up 24-10. To see DaRon to come back and do what he did, how much of an asset to the offense is he in that way?
DAK PRESCOTT: He is scoring touchdowns, and at that point he is a part of an offense when he is getting into the end zone as much as he is.
I'm always communicating with the guys, and I had watched these guys much on TV or checked out their offense. I asked was he going to get an opportunity? He told me he was going to get one. Just laughing in the locker room postgame, he said, I told you I was going to get one.
I said, I didn't know you were going to score.
His expectation, his standards, he said, You know that comes with it.
That's just great to hear. That's what he believes in. Ball guy. You put it near him and accurate with a throw, trust me, I've known it from the time that he showed up, just practicing against the guy. He is a big-time playmaker, and he is a doing a hell of a job. Proud of him. Happy for him.
Q. Before the game with Jimmy and Jerry and everything, what was that like for you? Did you guys know at all? Did you have any heads-up? How was that whole experience before the game?
DAK PRESCOTT: I didn't know the news until Clarence told me actually walking in. I saw them in the locker room, cameras. It's just another day of being a Dallas Cowboy.
For me it was cool. Obviously met him, but to shake his hand again. He'll have some kind words to say, him and Jerry both, before the game. It was cool.
Q. You are going to enjoy this game. How quickly and what's the process as far as enjoying this and flipping the switch to Washington Thursday?
DAK PRESCOTT: Being a noon game, we can enjoy it for the rest of the day, but come tomorrow morning, it's on to Washington.
A quick week. Monday is essentially Thursday; right? Yeah, got to get in, get the film studied and make sure we compact it, get what we have to be done to be prepared for these guys.
Division opponent. Had beat us the last time we played them, so focus will be high. Damn sure from my part. I know the rest of the guys, that will be my job as a leader is making sure guys understand that.
Once again, looking on paper, their record, lesser opponent, but we've got to come in, division opponent, be who we are. Take care of business on Thanksgiving, and then we can enjoy our holidays the right way.
Q. Will you actually start looking at some of it on the plane ride back, or do you need to clear your head a little bit and once you get home kind of --
DAK PRESCOTT: No. I wouldn't say it's a factor of needing to clear my head. When you are watching film, you want to make sure that you're really into it.
There's enough -- I'll watch this game, take some good, take some bad, figure out things we can get better from this game. That's what I'll do on the plain ride home and probably once again getting home and watching the TV copy as I do and maybe watch it for a third time. I don't know if the coaches plan on watching it with the coaches or not.
I'll watch it this a few times, and then as I said, tomorrow morning I will have turned the page and start watching these guys. That's part of the process.
Q. (Indiscernible) -- getting him going after many mishaps earlier.
DAK PRESCOTT: Yeah, big target. Can be a weapon for us. Obviously you saw right there in the seam, big target. Just being able to put it on him. Him running a good route, finishing the catch off.
Yeah, just getting these tight ends going. As I've talked about, all good offenses have great tight ends, and the more that we have, the better we're going to be to be able to attack guys in the middle with their size, their mismatch, leave guys outside one-on-one.
So happy for him. A guy that works his tail off each and every day. Young guy trying to learn, wants to get as much as he can, as much knowledge as he can from myself and as coaches. Happy for him and proud of him.
Q. You had a couple of direct snaps tonight. One of them you lined up outside and ran into the end zone. Talk about that a little bit and adding that wrinkle and look into what you are doing.
DAK PRESCOTT: Yeah, next I'm working on my releases out there, and next is maybe potentially throwing me a pass. Part of it obviously wild cat. Something that we saw we could take advantage of in film, and it was part of the game plan. I have to get out there, and as the coaching point says on the drawings, be smart for me. Yeah, try to.
Q. You joke about it, but you wouldn't mind if they threw you a pass at some point, would you?
DAK PRESCOTT: Whatever helps this team. I would love for them to throw me a pass. Yeah, yeah. Last time I scored, I believe, last time I caught one, so you know, not to brag.
Q. You guys are going into your first home stand of the season. How important is it to continue this win streak that you have going?
DAK PRESCOTT: It's huge. Obviously being Thanksgiving, understanding what that game entails. Having the halftime, knowing that game is going to be -- it's sold out, but just the extra energy being Thanksgiving, tradition, it's fun. We've got to win, simple as that.
A lot of antics and things going on outside of the game, but we've got to understand that it's about winning, and when we do, everybody can enjoy our holidays much better, especially us. It allows us to go into the week a normal week having to play again on the next Thursday at home.
Having a little bit of an odd schedule, it's going to help being at home, and so yeah, taking the travel out of it, it's about us winning and about us focusing on our job, what we've got to do, and just continuing to build off of the last couple of games.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports