Cowboys Offense: Prescott questions team's new identity

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott expressed uncertainty about the team's offensive direction during a media session on Thursday in Frisco, Texas. After eight games in the 2026 season, Prescott indicated he is unsure if the current style of play is one the team should be proud of.

"Is it one we're proud of? I don't know," Prescott said. "We'll be better, I can promise." The comments reflect a visible shift in the team's statistical output since the previous campaign.

The Cowboys currently average 27.4 points per game. However, the offense has relied less on pre-snap motion and play-action passes compared to 2025. Under new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas ranks second-to-last in the league with a 36.5 percent motion rate. The team is 22nd in under-center rate at 30.4 percent and 21st in play-action rate.

A year earlier, the Cowboys operated with a more varied approach. Last season, Dallas ranked in the top half of the league for these metrics, recording a 28.2 percent play-action rate, a 38.4 percent under-center rate, and a 56.6 percent motion rate. The reduction in these elements has altered the rhythm of the offense for Prescott and his receivers.

The running game has also struggled to complement the passing attack. Dallas produces 94.1 rushing yards per game, which is the eighth-worst total in the NFL. The team runs the football on 32.5 percent of its offensive plays, placing it at the fifth-lowest rate in the league. This pass-first design leaves the ground game as a secondary option rather than a balanced component.

Prescott described motion as a tool for gathering information and manipulating defenses. "Sometimes, it's [motion] just to dress it up and take the defense, give them a different look of us running a core play and breaking some tendencies with a motion to get this play done," he explained. He added that moving players helps him identify disguises and create favorable matchups by shifting defenders from one side of the field to the other.

Coach Schottenheimer appears to view motion as a potential complication, suggesting it can cloud the quarterback's view when the team is trailing. Prescott holds a contrary view, emphasizing that motion provides essential data to complete plays. The Cowboys must resolve this tactical difference to support their passing attack while their defense continues to allow high volumes of points.