Dak Prescott has never been shy about backing his team, and that confidence has only grown entering the 2026 season. Back in July, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback made it clear he had no intention of avoiding Super Bowl expectations as he prepared for his 11th NFL campaign.
“Playing in this organization, being in it 10 years, going into year 11, I’m not going to shy away from it,” he said.
However, former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho does not believe Prescott alone can turn those championship hopes into reality.
Emmanuel Acho Feels Dak Prescott Is Not Enough for Cowboys’ Super Bowl Push
Speaking on the “Speakeasy” podcast, Acho argued that the available evidence tells a different story about Prescott’s ability to lead Dallas to a Super Bowl.
“Objectively speaking, even Cowboys fans would have to say, Dak is not enough,” he said. “Based upon all the empirical data and the evidence that we have up until this point, you can’t say Dak is enough.”
To support his point, Acho looked back at some of Prescott’s most painful postseason performances.
“Because you won 15 straight games, you’re playing the youngest team in the NFL in the Green Bay Packers. You’re playing them at home, won 15 straight home games, Cowboys fans, you know what I’m referencing,” he said.
“And Dak Prescott, you go out there and throw a couple picks, including a pick-six, and Jordan Love, he makes the whole defense look silly, and Dan Quinn’s the defensive coordinator. So, Dak in that moment wasn’t enough.”
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Acho was referring to the NFC Wild Card Game on Jan. 14, 2024, when the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers shocked the No. 2 seed Cowboys 48-32 at AT&T Stadium.
Dallas entered the matchup as heavy favorites, riding a 16-game home win streak. Meanwhile, Green Bay brought the NFL’s youngest roster into Arlington.
Despite those favorable circumstances, Prescott threw two costly interceptions during the first half. One turned into a crushing 64-yard pick-six by Darnell Savage and helped Green Bay build a stunning 27-0 lead. On the other side, Jordan Love picked apart Dallas’ defense under then-defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
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Acho also pointed to two earlier playoff losses against the San Francisco 49ers as further proof.
“Dak against the San Francisco 49ers, he wasn’t enough. Dak losing sight of time against the San Francisco 49ers the year before, he wasn’t enough.”
On Jan. 22, 2023, the 49ers beat the Cowboys 19-12 in the NFC Divisional Game, as Prescott struggled against San Francisco’s defense in a tight contest. He threw two costly first-half interceptions, and both led to 49ers field goals while Dallas failed to find an offensive rhythm.
Moreover, the year before, San Francisco eliminated the Cowboys 23-17 in the NFC Wild Card Game on Jan. 16, 2022.
“So I can’t say, based upon everything I’ve seen from Dak, that Dak is enough,” Acho concluded.
Prescott’s biggest criticism remains his postseason record, as he owns a 2-5 mark in the playoffs. Dallas also has not won a postseason game since 2022, something Prescott must change.
The Cowboys spent the offseason reshaping a defense that allowed the NFL’s most points last season.
Prescott, for his part, posted an 82.1 PFN QB Impact Grade, sixth among quarterbacks, but Dallas hopes its biggest improvement comes from a defense now led by first-year coordinator Christian Parker.
This season, Prescott and the Cowboys have another chance to chase their ultimate goal. Now, the pressure is on to see whether they can finally turn regular-season promise into meaningful playoff success.
