Dak Prescott’s new quarterbacks coach with the Dallas

FRISCO http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/bobby-okereke-jersey , Texas (AP) — Cowboys has far more NFL starts and touchdown passes than either of his predecessors.Oh, and Jon Kitna easily has the most interceptions as well.“It’s just the fact that I can tell them, ‘I’ve already paid that cost for you. You don’t even need to look at the route when you get this coverage. I’ve already done that. I threw that pick. So go somewhere else,'” Kitna said. “I think there’s some respect for that.”Experience aside, Kitna clicked quickly with Prescott by appealing to his desire to build on his first playoff victory, which came two years after the unheralded fourth-round pick became the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in what began as a fill-in role for the injured Tony Romo .And by building, that means from the ground up with Prescott’s technical skills. The two-time Pro Bowler who has started his entire career noticed the attention to footwork and other details of the mechanics of throwing from his third position coach in four seasons.“He kind of said it best,” Prescott said of Kitna, who made 124 starts with 169 TDs and 165 interceptions. “Every other position has gotten more technical over the years whereas the quarterback position has kind of faded away from that.“It’s just good to get back to the basics, getting better at the drops, getting better at how you’re basing everything you want to do when you throw the ball.”The late Wade Wilson, who made 69 starts in the 1980s and ’90s, was Prescott’s QB coach his first two years http://www.jacksonvillejaguarsteamonline.com/jawaan-taylor-jersey , replaced last year when Kellen Moore went straight from being Prescott’s backup to his new position coach.The promotion of Moore , who appeared in just three games over six seasons, to offensive coordinator created the opening for Kitna.The 46-year-old has plenty of background with the Cowboys, having started nine games in 2010 when Romo was injured. Dallas had to bring him in as an emergency backup for the final week of the 2013 season when Romo was hurt again. He didn’t have to play.Kitna went back to his job as a high school coach in Washington state, then was hired at a Dallas-area school. Kitna was around some the first two years of Prescott’s career when he would bring his Waxahachie staff to Cowboys practice.But Kitna had to get in the same QB room to get the impression of Prescott he has now.“He’s a rare individual,” Kitna said. “From a physical standpoint, the mental standpoint, the experience standpoint, the leadership, on down the line. I don’t think you even want to even try to put limits on what that would be, what his best is.”Kitna says Prescott sometimes challenges him as much as vice versa, in part because Kitna is new to some parts of the Dallas offense despite his long history with coach Jason Garrett, who joined the Cowboys as offensive coordinator 12 years ago.The other part is Prescott pushing Kitna to keep pushing his new understudy.“He comes out every day wondering http://www.jacksonvillejaguarsteamonline.com/gardner-minshew-ii-jersey , asking the whys,” Kitna said. “Why am I doing this? Why are we doing this drill? What do you want me to do this for? Because he wants to know why it connects and how it’s going to help him become an elite player in this league for a long time.”While many of the questions for Prescott these days revolve around when he will get a contract that figures to make him the highest-paid player in club history, he tries to deflect with talk by saying his focus is on the locker room and the meeting rooms.A big part of the success that put Prescott in position for a big contract was his leadership trait. Dallas coaches noticed in visits with Prescott before his draft, and teammates saw it even before Romo went down with a back injury during the 2016 preseason.Garrett had seen that before as well — when Kitna was a backup in the Dallas locker room.“What’s most impressive to me about each of those guys is their ability to connect with other people, players, coaches,” Garrett said. “They just have a really infectious spirit about them that’s contagious. I think it’s good to have a new voice for Dak.”Prescott is listening.“I’m feel like I’m getting better at everything, from footwork to being able to throw in every platform,” he said, “no matter if somebody’s in my face and I have to throw it now or being able to move and escape and get the ball out.”Kitna has a few ideas about where not to throw it, too. NEW YORK (AP) — The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go through the Big Easy.Though the Saints‘ path to get to Atlanta could be challenging: The top three teams in the latest AP Pro32 poll are all from the NFC.The Saints received all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting Wednesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.New Orleans (13-2) clinched the top seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. The previous time New Orleans had the top seed in the NFC was 2009 when it reached and won the Super Bowl.“The news is all good for the Saints: They clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a thrilling win over the Steelers, and (quarterback) Drew Brees has a chance to win his first-ever regular-season MVP award,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.The NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams jumped three places to No. 2 after dominating Arizona without star running back Todd Gurley. The Rams can clinch a first-round bye with a win against San Francisco in the regular-season finale.NFC North champion Chicago Bears inched up a spot to No. 3.“With a swarming defense and a solid ground game http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/darrell-henderson-jersey , the Bears appear poised to make some waves in January along the frosty shores of Lake Michigan,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa.The next three teams in the poll are all from the AFC.Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers, tied at 11-4 in the AFC West, slipped to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. The Chiefs dropped a spot after their 38-31 loss at Seattle on Sunday night, and the Chargers fell from No. 2 after losing to Baltimore on Saturday night.The New England Patriots, who won the AFC East for the 10th consecutive year, moved up a spot to No. 6.Seattle climbed three spots to No. 7 after clinching a playoff berth with a win over the Chiefs.The Houston Texans slipped two spots to No. 8 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 32-30 on Jake Elliott’s field goal as time expired Sunday. However, the first-place Texans clinched a playoff spot later in the day when the Steelers lost.Houston will clinch the AFC South with a win over the Jaguars.The surging Baltimore Ravens jumped three spots to No. 9. The Ravens (9-6) lead the AFC North by a half-game over Pittsburgh. The Ravens host Cleveland on Sunday and will take the division with a win.“Who wants to play them?,” asked Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki of the Ravens, who were 4-5 entering their bye week and have won five of six overall.The Steelers need to win at home against the last-place Bengals and have the Ravens stumble for their best chance at reaching the postseason.The Indianapolis Colts fell one spot despite rallying past the New York Giants to round out the top 10. The Colts and Tennessee Titans, who remained No. 14 in the poll, are both 9-6 and end the regular season in a prime-time matchup on NBC. The winner will clinch a playoff spot and could take the division if the Texans stumble earlier in the day.