Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tucked the ball under his arm and picked up a 12-yard run in this week’s preseason opener against the 49ers, and coach Jason Garrett liked what he saw.
Asked if he tells Prescott to take fewer risks of getting hit during the preseason, Garrett said Prescott is under no such orders.
“No, we don’t tell him that,’' Garrett said. “We tell him to go play.’'
That’s taking a big chance in a meaningless game: We’ve already seen promising seasons for players like Washington running back Derrius Guice and Indianapolis wide receiver Deon Cain come to an end this preseason, and losing Prescott would be devastating to the Cowboys. But for the few snaps that Prescott gets in the preseason, Garrett wants him to treat it like a real game. That means running the ball if he can pick up a first down, and that’s just what Prescott did.