The low points have been under the asphalt since Dallas Cowboys this season. This loss on national television to the San Francisco 49ers was ugly, and it was Dak Prescott at his worst. Three interceptions never look good on a stat sheet, but the Cowboys were already down 28-10 midway through the third quarter when he threw the first one. What was really brutal was that their offense only gained seven yards on their first four possessions.
Currently, the Cowboys are sixth in the NFC and appear to be a lock to make the playoffs. Their defense is one of the best in the NFL, with several stunning performances. However, a look at the DVOA numbers shows the Cowboys also have a top-10 offense.
The main reason for their offensive success has been the play of Prescott. Since the Cowboys’ Week 7 bye, their offense has been piling up the points. They have scored over 40 points in two of their last three games. In all of those games, Prescott passed for over 300 yards and at least three touchdowns. Since his leave, his 1,082 passing yards and 11 passing touchdowns are the best in the NFL.
Even counting his poor performance against the 49ers, Prescott played MVP-level football all season. In a season in which no player has emerged as the undisputed favorite, he deserves this award as much as anyone.
Prescott is third in the NFL in total QBR, first in completion percentage and fourth in yards per attempt. His 17 passing touchdowns are just two behind league leaders Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa. He threw fewer interceptions than Allen, Tagovailoa, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, while totaling the seventh-most passing yards in the league.
Of the many criticisms Prescott has received throughout his career, one is that he only plays well with clean pockets. Any time Tyron Smith is out or the Cowboys offensive line isn’t functioning as a Tier 1 unit, his efficiency as a passer drops significantly. But, according to Pro Football Focus data, the quarterback who has performed best under pressure this season is Prescott. If you don’t want to believe the data, watch this 37-yard pass he completed to Brandin Cooks while he was being drilled right in the chest by Dexter Lawrence.
The Cowboys still have eight games left, but they’ve already faced their toughest defensive competition. They beat the New York Jets And New England Patriots both by more than 20 points.
There is no avoiding the crimson stain on the Cowboys’ record from this 42-10 loss to the 49ers. However, looking at their performance since this assault, I tend to believe that their performance was more of a sign of a bad day at the office than an indicator of things to come.
Prescott is playing some of the best football of his career and over the last three weeks, no quarterback has been better. He uses his legs to buy time and extend drives, placing the ball in the right spots and leading the Cowboys to massive point totals.
If he continues this type of play for the rest of the season, he should win the league MVP award.