The Dallas Cowboys picked up a 30-23 victory over the Washington Commanders on Christmas Day, but that still didn’t change the fact that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention. With a 7-8-1 record, the Cowboys have failed to meet expectations this season, as they simply have not been able to find a way to consistently win football games.
With nothing left to play for in Week 18, it’s fair to wonder if Brian Schottenheimer and the coaching staff will turn things over to some of the team’s reserve players. However, if you ask star quarterback Dak Prescott, it sounds like he has already made up his mind when it comes to whether or not he will play in the team’s regular-season finale.
Dak Prescott Intends on Suiting Up in Week 18
It’s been a bit of a messy season for Dallas. Things went sideways before the team could even get off the ground, as Micah Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers right before the start of the season. The defense never truly recovered from the loss of Parsons, which has made things incredibly difficult for Schottenheimer in his first season in charge of the team.
The Cowboys have had stretches where they have looked like one of the top teams in the league, but those moments have been fleeting. Much of the team’s success has come on the back of its offense, as Prescott has enjoyed quite a bit of success throwing the football to guys like CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Jake Ferguson.
There’s no doubt that missing the playoffs qualifies as a failed season for Dallas. And yet, even with nothing left to play for in Week 18, Prescott still wants to go out and win the team’s final game of the season. While he understands there’s a chance he won’t play next weekend, Prescott made it clear that if it were up to him, he’d be taking the field when the team wraps up its season against the New York Giants.
“I’ll have some fight back,” Prescott said when asked how he’d respond to being asked to sit out in Week 18. “It depends on how it comes. What’s the purpose? What’s the reason? Obviously, I understand being approached about it … The conversations we’ve already had about it are for me to play … Very prideful, a lot of pride in that. I want to go out there, and I want to win … I want to play.”
Should the Cowboys Start Dak Prescott in Week 18?
GettyDallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
The case to sit Prescott for the final game of the regular season isn’t too hard to map out. Not only would the team avoid the possibility of him suffering a serious injury, but it would also get a look at his backup, Joe Milton III, to see what he’s capable of. Last year, Milton starred for the New England Patriots in their regular-season finale, leading them to a victory over the Buffalo Bills that actually resulted in them missing out on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Prescott is going to push to play, though, and carving up a porous Giants defense could give the offense some positive momentum to carry into the offseason. Not much has gone right for Dallas this season, but giving Prescott and the rest of the starters a chance to finish the season on its own terms may be the best option for team morale. For now, the team will enjoy some extra time off before turning its attention to its final game of the season.
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