ARLINGTON -- You could have excused Dak Prescott for looking over his shoulder.

You could have excused Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan for looking over their shoulders as well.

For the first time in almost a year, Tony Romo was ready, beyond willing and able to play football again. And midway through the second quarter of the Cowboys' 27-17 victory, you can bet the 93,056 in attendance at AT&T Stadium on Sunday were taking a peek at the Dallas sideline to see if Romo was stirring.

Having the franchise's all-time leading passer on your sideline is like having Secretariat in your stable.

Prescott was struggling. He was finally playing quarterback like a rookie fourth-round draft choice is expected to play. He completed only six of his first 13 passes against Baltimore, the NFL's best defense. His seventh incompletion was a wide throw to an open Jason Witten at the back of the end zone.

His other six incompletions were a variety of overthrows, underthrows, wide tosses and passes behind his receivers. The first four Dallas possessions ended in punts, and the Cowboys found themselves trailing the Ravens 7-0. Prescott clearly didn't have his A-game going.

With all the rave reviews Romo has been receiving in recent weeks from owner Jerry Jones and the Dallas receiving corps, we all had to wonder if there was indeed a hook hidden away on the home sideline.

No need.

Prescott, the gamer that he is, heated up like few quarterbacks we've ever seen in Dallas heat up.

On the next play, he threw into a tight window in the front corner of the end zone to Cole Beasley for the game-tying touchdown. That sent the Cowboys off and running to a triumph over the Ravens and a franchise-record ninth consecutive victory.

It's like Prescott flipped a switch.

Starting with the completion to Beasley, Prescott completed 21 of his final 23 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. One of his incompletions was a throwaway under pressure in the second quarter, and the other was a strike to tight end Gavin Escobar in the third quarter that Ravens cornerback Shareece Wright ripped from his hands.

Yes, Gavin Escobar, the maligned second-round draft pick in 2013 who became a lost soul in the Romo offense. He'd go months without seeing a pass, much less catching one, with Romo dealing the cards. But Prescott has become so all-inclusive in his passing offense that even Escobar can make a contribution. He caught a 14-yard pass for a first down on the opening drive in the fourth quarter.

Prescott gets everyone involved. Of his final 21 completions, Dez Bryant and Witten caught five apiece, Beasley four, Ezekiel Elliott three, Lance Dunbar two and Brice Butler and Escobar one each. He doesn't force the ball to anyone, thus he doesn't put the football at risk. That keeps the Dallas offense on the field and the Dallas defense off it. Prescott takes what the defense gives him.

Prescott opened the season with a NFL-record 176 consecutive passes by a rookie to start his career without an interception. He now has another streak going -- 121 consecutive passes without an interception over his last four games.

Prescott completed his final 11 passes against the Ravens, including touchdown strikes of 4 and 13 yards to Bryant, to snuff out any chance of a Baltimore comeback. He wound up with 301 yards passing, only the second 300-yard game allowed by the Ravens and their fifth-ranked pass defense this season.

"His decision-making was outstanding throughout the game," Garrett said. "He just has great poise, great composure, great understanding of what we're doing against what they're trying to do to us. He gets better and better every week."

What I like best about Prescott is his ball security. He doesn't beat himself. I also like his resilience. He never doubts himself -- even after a slow start Sunday when he got sacked by Albert McClellan on the first series and drilled in the back by Matthew Judon on a blind-side hit in the second series. He was spraying passes all over the yard.

"I didn't know how many incompletions I threw earlier in the game," Prescott said, "but I knew it was a good bit. I wasn't throwing it as quick as I wanted, or had the greatest start, but I wasn't worried about it. I was just focusing on the next play, the next call, believing in the guys around me to make plays or make the blocks.

"When we do that, things get fun."

Prescott believes in himself. Ten games into his career, the Cowboys believe in him, too. If there is indeed a hook anywhere on the Dallas sideline, get rid of it. Prescott and these Cowboys are too much fun to watch -- or to doubt.

Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges and Donovan Lewis, and follow @RickGosselinDMN on Twitter.

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Photos: Tony Romo hangs out with his kids, chats with Dak Prescott; Dez Bryant throws up the X