The Cowboys have turned Dak Prescott into something he was never meant to be: how much longer can he keep it up?

D ak Prescott is throwing more than ever, and opposing defenses are making him pay for it. The Cowboys quarterback has attempted 246 passes in six games, an average of 41 per game and pressure has piled up during Dallas’ two straight losses.

The concern is not simply that Prescott is getting hit. Teams are sending extra defenders after him, and Dallas has struggled to find an answer.

Opponents are sending extra players after Dak

One reason Prescott is under pressure is the blitz. That’s when the opposing defense sends extra players to rush the quarterback, hoping to reach him before he can throw. The Cowboys’ blockers have to pick them up, while Dak has less time to find a receiver.

The Buccaneers and Packers used that approach against Dallas. Prescott faced 34 pressures over the last two games, including 21 against Green Bay. That’s a 35.4% pressure rate across his 96 pass attempts in those games, well above the 22.4% league average cited by Pro Football Reference.

The Cowboys’ coach knows Dak is taking too much punishment. “Dak got hit way too much in these last two games,” Brian Schottenheimer said, adding that the team has to keep him clean.

It’s harder for Dallas to slow down those rushes when the running game isn’t working. The Cowboys are averaging 76 rushing yards per game, near the bottom of the league. When they can’t make defenses respect the run and they fall behind they end up asking Dak to throw even more.

Dallas needs to block better, give the running game a chance and find quick plays that help him get the ball out safely.

The Cowboys visit the Eagles in Week 7. If they don’t give Prescott more help, opposing defenses will keep testing the same weakness and the question of how much he can carry will only get harder to ignore.