"I don't think Dak Prescott has yet shown himself to be that" - NFL analyst says Cowboys star is not a top-tier QB
There has been much debate recently about where Dak Prescott ranks among NFL quarterbacks and whether or not he belongs in the elite tier. NFL analyst Dan Graziano recently appeared on an episode of Get Up to share his thoughts on the topic in a debate with the rest of the panel.
Here's what he said:
"Is this guy the reason you won the game? Everything else went wrong, but you won because of him? Aaron Rodgers is a guy like that. Tom Brady is a guy like that. Josh Allen has shown to be a guy like that. Joe Burrow still wins the game. There are a handful, just a couple of guys. And I don't think Dak Prescott has yet shown himself to be that."
The debate about what class Dak Prescott belongs to among quarterbacks was sparked by a recent Tweet by NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky. He has grouped all of the quarterbacks in the NFL into different labels. The first was "quarterbacks you win games because of."
QB’s you win games because of in the NFL right now
Josh Allen
Joe Burrow
Lamar Jackson
Patrick Mahomes
Derek Carr
Justin Herbert
Deshaun Watson
Russel Wilson
Aaron Rodgers
Tom Brady
Matthew Stafford
Orlovsky left the quarterback off the first list and instead included him on the second one, which is "quarterbacks you win games 'with.' "
QBs you win games “with” in the NFL
Mac Jones
Tua
Baker Mayfield
Ryan Tannehill
Matt Ryan
Dak Prescott
Kirk Cousins
Jameis Winston
Kyler Murray
Jimmy G
Everyone else is win in spite of/unknown because of age
Top-class quarterbacks are identified as the ones who can win a game regardless of the circumstances around them. If the game plan isn't working and everything else breaks down around them, they can still find a way to get it done off of pure talent and will power. Orlovsky and Graziano don't believe Prescott is that type of quarterback.
Two other NFL analysts on the panel, Dominique Foxworth and Louis Riddick, each disagreed with leaving Prescott out of the elite tier. Riddick also pointed out that many around the NFL, including Orlovsky, picked Prescott as the NFL MVP favorite earlier in the 2021 season, contradicting his point that he isn't a top quarterback.
Orlovsky also believes the 28-year-old is one of the quarterbacks under the most pressure ahead of the 2022 NFL season. He believes the Dallas Cowboys have given him everything he needs to make a successful Super Bowl run, but he ultimately hasn't gotten it done, particularly in the NFL Playoffs.
Dak Prescott's struggles in the NFL Playoffs
The quarterback has been excellent in the regular season during his career with the Dallas Cowboys. He has never had a losing season, while accumulating an impressive 53-32 record. He has completed 66.6 percent of his career passes, including 143 touchdowns and 50 interceptions with a 98.7 passer rating.
The quarterback's production has significantly dropped off in his four postseason games, where he has posted just a 1-3 record with six touchdowns and three interceptions. His completion percentage drops to 61 and his passer rating falls to 87.9. If he wants to change the narrative that he may not be an elite quarterback, a successful postseason run would go a long way in doing so.
The Cowboys come into the 2022 NFL season with real optimism. They are expected to win the NFC East by finishing above the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants.
After some poor playoff performances in recent years, most critics expect their campaign to end early in the post-season. With the talent they have on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys could go all the way. If they want to silence their critics, it seems they may have to.
It will be interesting to see how they get on when the season kicks off later this year.