Dak Prescott barely played over a three-week span before losing

Dallas Cowboys two years ago.Rust won’t be an excuse in his second playoff game against Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks (10-6) on Saturday night.Not only did Prescott play the entire game with the Cowboys (10-6) already set as the fourth seed in the NFC before a 36-35 win over the New York Giants Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , he had just the fourth game in his three seasons with at least 40 attempts and a career-high four touchdown passes.“We can definitely build on this,” said Prescott, who was 27 of 44 for 387 yards, capped by a 32-yard score to Cole Beasley on fourth down and a 2-point conversion pass to Michael Gallup. “This was not meaningless to me. It wasn’t meaningless to any of the guys that played or even to the guys that didn’t play.”Part of the reason it wasn’t meaningless to Prescott is that he remembers the slow start in a divisional loss to Green Bay after the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year combined with fellow first-year sensation Ezekiel Elliott to lead the Cowboys to an NFC-best 13 victories.Because an 11-game winning streak had the Cowboys cruising to the NFC East title, Prescott played just two series of a loss at Philadelphia in the regular-season finale going into the playoff bye. Dallas fell behind 21-3 in a 34-31 loss to the Packers that eliminated them.This year, the Cowboys had to revive their postseason hopes after a 3-5 start, doing it with a five-game winning streak and going 7-1 in the second half. While Elliott sat as expected against the Giants, the offense kept the momentum alive with one of its best showings of the season.“I wouldn’t give anything for those last two quarters,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “I wouldn’t give anything for this team and Dak to experience that comeback and handle that adversity, come back and make those plays.”Two Pro Bowl linemen also sat against the Giants in left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Zack Martin. Both are expected to play against the Seahawks, although Martin had the more challenging situation all season while dealing with a left knee injury sustained in a preseason game.The defense was without lineman Tyrone Crawford a week after he injured his neck on the second play of a division-clinching win over Tampa Bay. Crawford could be available against Seattle as well after his neck checked out OK at a hospital.While the Cowboys gave up at least 30 points for the first time this season, the unit that carried them through several wins came up big by forcing four straight incompletions from Eli Manning after Prescott’s go-ahead sequence.“We treat every game like it’s our last one, and we’re going to be in full attack mode no matter what,” linebacker Leighton Vander Esch said. “No matter what the circumstances are, we’re just going to carry on into the playoffs.”Prescott led the Cowboys to go-ahead scores twice in the fourth quarter against the Giants. It was actually pretty similar to his one playoff experience against the Packers, when he engineered two tying drives in the final five minutes before Aaron Rodgers took the Packers to the winning field goal on the final play.The Dallas quarterback just as vividly remembers spending most of the game trying to recover from the early deficit.“I think you can almost take that year for an example how important the momentum is,” Prescott said before beating the Giants. “I think that’s what you can turn to as a reason on why we should play and how important it is that people just keep their feet moving and stay active.”That mission was accomplished even before the Cowboys secured their 10-win season. PHILADELPHIA — This time Kaleb McGary Jersey , it’s Kirk Cousins vs. Carson Wentz.The quarterbacks and the stakes will be different when the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) host the Minnesota Vikings (1-2-1) in a rematch of the NFC championship game Sunday.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamNick Foles led the Eagles to a 38-7 win over Case Keenum and the Vikings last January. The Super Bowl MVP went back to the bench after Wentz returned from knee surgery in Week 3. Keenum went to Denver because the Vikings gave Cousins a fully guaranteed $84 million contract to be the face of their franchise.Neither team is playing at a championship level right now and both are desperate for a win.“They’re a great team, record aside,” Wentz said. “We know we’ll get their best, obviously with the way it ended last year.”Cousins had been successful against the Eagles in seven starts for Washington. He had thrown for 2,122 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions while going 4-3 in those games.“It’s a great environment, a great place to play an NFL football game on a Sunday afternoon. Great crowd,” Cousins said. “I’ve had my fair share of battles there. Some have come out victorious, some have come out as the loser. It will be a great test for us.”Some things to watch between the Vikings and Eagles:FLIP’S FAMILIARITYVikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo was Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach the past two seasons. He’s quite familiar with Wentz and coach Doug Pederson’s system. The Eagles already beat former offensive coordinator Frank Reich and the Colts in Week 3.“The same as going against Frank, some of the terminology, some of the calls, maybe hand signals, whatever it may be that he knows,” Pederson said. “Listen, he’s a smart guy, but he’s also preparing his team to get ready to play. I think that’s where his focus is right now this week.“We’re seeing some of the same things from their offense that we do, and so it’s good for our defense to see. We’re aware of it. It’s a home game Kendall Sheffield Jersey , so we can cut down on a lot of the signals, a lot of the verbiage, things like that at the line, and just try to go play.”GETTING DEFENSIVEBoth teams are struggling on defense. The Vikings had the No. 1 defense a year ago. They’re 21st this season. The Eagles were fourth last year. Now they’re 10th and the secondary has been shredded by Ryan Fitzpatrick and Marcus Mariota in two road losses.The Vikings are missing three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Everson Griffen. The Eagles lost safety Rodney McLeod.NO BALANCEThe Vikings are last in the NFL in rushing and Dalvin Cook leads the team with only 98 yards while averaging just 2.7 per carry. The Eagles are first in run defense but poor against the pass. So expect Cousins to throw a ton. Or not.“It’s important for us to have balance,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “It keeps the defensive line from pinning their ears back all the time. I think it helps the football team overall. We just have to do a better job.”NO BALANCE IIThe Eagles had success running the ball in an overtime loss at Tennessee, gaining 109 yards on 20 carries from backs Jay Ajayi and Wendell Smallwood. But Pederson called 74 percent pass plays.“We try to be as balanced as we can be and we’re going to play the game that we think needs to be played, and some of it is dictated during the course of the game,” offensive coordinator Mike Groh said. “Coach is as patient a play caller as there is in the running game in this league and really doesn’t deviate from it. … A run call is never very far from the tip of his finger. He’s always thinking about it and conversing with the staff during the course of the game.”DYNAMIC DUOVikings receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs have been unstoppable. Diggs leads the team with three touchdowns and is averaging 11.5 yards per reception. Thielen has 40 catches and is the only player in the league with 100 yards receiving in every game this season. They’re going against a pair of cornerbacks, Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby, who’ve struggled.MINNESOTA (1-2-1) vs. PHILADELPHIA (2-2)Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FoxOPENING LINE — Eagles by 3RECORD VS. SPREAD — Minnesota 1-3, Philadelphia 1-3SERIES RECORD — Eagles lead 14-13LAST MEETING — Eagles beat Vikings 38-7 in NFC championship game, Jan. 21, 2018LAST WEEK — Vikings lost to Rams 38-31; Eagles lost to Titans 26-23, OTAP PRO32 RANKING — Vikings No. 14, Eagles No. 12VIKINGS OFFENSE — OVERALL (12) John Cominsky Jersey , RUSH (32), PASS (5).VIKINGS DEFENSE — OVERALL (21), RUSH (13), PASS (23).EAGLES OFFENSE — OVERALL (20), RUSH (11), PASS (17).EAGLES DEFENSE — OVERALL (10), RUSH (1), PASS (19).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Rematch of NFC championship game featuring different QBs for both teams. Kirk Cousins replaces Case Keenum for Vikings. Carson Wentz replaces Nick Foles for Eagles. … Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo was Eagles quarterbacks coach last season. … Eagles have won seven of last nine meetings. … Cousins has 1,329 yards passing, 12 TDs, three INTs in four games in Philly while with Washington. … RB Dalvin Cook leads Vikings with only 98 yards rushing and has been in and out of lineup. … Vikings WR Adam Thielen aims to become only third player to start season with 100 yards receiving in five straight games. … Minnesota DE Danielle Hunter has sacks in four straight games. … Vikings S Harrison Smith has 14 tackles and fumble recovery in last two meetings with Philly. … Eagles are 17-3 at home since 2016, including playoffs. … Wentz is 13-2 at home, including nine straight wins. … Eagles rank first in run defense after finishing first last season. … Philly leads NFL in time of possession (34:12). … Eagles TE Zach Ertz‘s 31 catches are first at his position. … Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery had first 100-yard receiving game last week since Dec. 13, 2015 with Chicago vs. Washington. Fantasy tip: Ertz has 15 catches for 185 yards in two games since Wentz returned.