Brett Favre says Dak Prescott is "Tom Brady-esque"
Dak Prescott is showing a Tom Brady-like ability to find open receivers, according to Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
Favre, a three-time NFL MVP during his time with the Green Bay Packers in the 1990s, believes Dallas Cowboys quarterback Prescott has taken his skill set to the next level by showing he does not have to force the ball to his best pass-catchers.
Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady is renowned for spreading targets around his running backs and receiver corps and keeping opposition defenses guessing as to where his next pass is going.
That trait is something that legendary gunslinger Favre has noticed in Prescott as the 28-year-old has led the Cowboys to a 2-1 start, hitting nine different pass-catchers and completing 86 of his 111 attempts, the highest completion percentage in the NFL through three weeks.
#Cowboys Dak Prescott leads the league with 77.5 completion %
That is also the second best completion % in NFL history through the first 3 games of a season.
What did Brett Favre say when he compared Dak Prescott to Tom Brady?
Favre, who is fourth on the list of all-time NFL career passing yards, praised Prescott's decision-making ability and identified how the Cowboys QB is targeting receivers that get themselves open rather than relying on his top pass-catchers to make contested plays.
Amari Cooper leads the team in receptions with 19, ahead of CeeDee Lamb with 18; while tight end Dalton Schultz has 14, fellow TE Blake Jarwin and running back Tony Pollard have eight, Cedric Wilson Jr. and Ezekiel Elliot have seven, Michael Gallup has four and third-string tight end Noah Brown has a single catch.
"I think it's, in some respects, Tom Brady-esque, where Tom just uses what's available, who's open, who's the best decision on that particular play, I throw it to them," Favre explained during an interview with the NFL Blitz show on SiriusXM.
"If it's Wes Welker, if it's Julian Edelman, if it's Mike Evans, whoever it is – a guy maybe you never heard of. That's the beauty of how Dak is playing right now."
Is Dak Prescott taking his game to the next level?
Quarterbacks with less prescence in the pocket are often more beholden to the playcall, particularly with pass-rushers bearing down on them, and end up firing the ball to their first read or quickly progressing to their checkdown throw.
Tom Brady has made a career out of his ice-cold poise while under pressure in the pocket, and his masterful ability to process how the play is unfolding before hitting the most open receiver with timing and accuracy.
Even after a 12-month absence while recovering from multiple surgeries, Dak Prescott appears to be completely in control while watching the play develop from the pocket. The difference between Prescott and Brady is that the Cowboys QB has the size and athleticism to scramble, throw on the move, tuck the ball and run, make defenders miss, and even break tackles.
What an insane throw by Dak Prescott. Special stuff. https://t.co/YHwqagivYL
Brett Favre has a point: Dak Prescott is playing in a Tom Brady-esque manner with his arm. But the scary thing about Dak Prescott is that his skillset extends even further.