FRISCO, Texas _ Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott doesn't want to talk much about last year's 27-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
But it's a game his body and mind will never forget.
He took a beating, as he was sacked eight times, including six by journeyman defensive end Adrian Clayborne who turned the performance into a free-agent contract with the New England Patriots.
And it was a loss that began a three-game slide, coinciding with the loss of running back Ezekiel Elliott for a six-game suspension, that killed last season.
But it was also one that had reverberations that carried into 2018.
Namely, an erosion of confidence in Prescott and the passing game, which have been the foundation of Cowboys struggles during a 4-5 start the season heading to Sunday's return to the scene of the crime against Falcons at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
"I mean, I don't know," Prescott said when asked about a loss of confidence. "That was last year. That game wasn't pretty. You can turn on that tape and see from any aspect that game wasn't pretty. It's not something, I guess, I want to speak on for what it did to this team or this team's confidence, but I mean I know we're confident. It's a whole new year. I'm not really worried about last year's game."
No one questioned Prescott as the future quarterback of the Cowboys prior to the Falcons game. He followed a 13-3 campaign as a rookie when he had one of the finest first seasons of a quarterback in NFL history with a 5-3 start as a sophomore.
His numbers through the first 24 games of his career compared with the best in NFL history.
Prescott had a 102.4 quarterback rating with 39 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. He completed 66.2 percent of his passes and was sacked 35 times. He also rushed for 477 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 228.5 yards passing a game.
More importantly, the Cowboys had an 18-6 record.
In the 17 games since, including the loss in Atlanta, his numbers have been pedestrian at best. Prescott has been sacked 54 times and has a QB rating of 83.1. He has 17 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and is averaging 202.1 yards passing a game with a completion percentage of 63.5.
The Cowboys record of 8-9 also speaks volumes.
It all can be linked directly back to the day ran for his life in Atlanta and painful images that brought back to life as he prepares for Sunday's return trip.
"No, I didn't forget about it," Prescott said. "It's one of those ones you watch but you speed through watching it. I obviously watched it because there are a lot of the same people we're going to play, but some changes have happened. As I said, it's a new year and a different team from our standpoint. We've got our running back, we've got some players healthy that didn't play last year. A different team from their standpoint."
Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan claims he hasn't seen a difference in Prescott since he was running for his life in Atlanta. The numbers say different. But he does allow that last year's game through the Cowboys for a loop.
"You can argue that because we didn't play well for a stretch," Linehan said. "You live and learn in this league. I think you learn more from games like that than you do the ones you feel good about. I think it was a very valuable experience and I think our guys are using it for motivation to get ready for this one."
As the Cowboys prepare for this one, Prescott repeated that this was a new team and new year countless times when asked about the memories of last year's as if he was trying to convince himself as well as the countless reporters with recorders in his face.
He also repeatedly said this Cowboys team is going to Atlanta "hitting its stride" following last week's 27-20 against the Philadelphia Eagles as to opposed to last year when they not only lost Elliott but also played without Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith. His backups Chaz Green and Byron Bell gave up the six sacks to Clayborne. They are gone and Smith is good to go for Sunday, despite missing a day in practice this week due to back spasms.
He has six touchdown passes to just one interception over the last four games and feels good how the passing game has opened up following the bye-week trade for receiver Amari Cooper.
It's not lost on Prescott that a win in Atlanta can boost the Cowboys' hopes of making a run to the playoffs as much as last year's loss proved to be the beginning of the end.
But said he said there is no overriding motivation to make amends for last year just the focus continuing to play with a sense of urgency so they make something out of this season.
"It's two different teams. It's two different standpoints," Prescott said. "We're finding our stride. We're ready to go. Last year as you said, we lost and it kind of derailed us. To this year, we're catching our stride. We're feeling good about the direction we're going in and we go to continue to do that and improve on that.
"Our backs are still against the wall. We control everything in front of us, but we got to win every game that we have in front of us. It's one game at a time and right now it's Atlanta. It's how we go in on the road and get this win."
For Prescott, it's also an opportunity to get his pre-Atlanta mojo back.
