Dallas Cowboys' 'Brilliant' QB Dak Prescott to Win MVP Over 49ers' Brock Purdy, Predicts NFL.com
At this time last year, any mention of the NFL's Most Valuable Player award and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the same breath would've garnered a reaction that made you think it was taboo.
How times have changed in just a year. Prescott is enjoying the best stretch of play in his career, helping the Cowboys win seven of their last eight games.
Along with that, he is the current betting favorite to win the MVP award. But gamblers aren't the only ones starting to believe in the 'MVPrescott' campaign; even respected analysts are, too.
"Dak has been simply brilliant over the past eight games, during which Dallas has gone 7-1, with the lone loss being a five-point defeat at Philly," NFL.com's Adam Schein writes. "As an Associated Press voter, I actually have some real skin in this game. Right now, I have Prescott ahead of Brock Purdy, with both of them comfortably clear of the rest of the field.
"Nobody has been more valuable and excellent so far this year than Dak -- and I believe he'll close out the regular season in style, thus locking up MVP honors."
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
Clutchpoints
As Schein points out, since the Week 5 blowout loss to the Purdy-led San Francisco 49ers, Prescott's numbers have been impressive. In the eight games after the deflating loss, Prescott has completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 2,444 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
However, even the basic stats that everyone looks for when talking about the MVP conversation don't tell the whole story. Add in the advanced analytics and Prescott's case to be the league's "Most Valuable Player" evolves.
Since the Week 5 loss, Prescott ranks second in expected points added per play (EPA/play) at .281, second in success rate at 54.2 percent, and his completion percentage above expected sit at 3.7 percent, making it fifth-best among all quarterbacks. However, from Week 6 on, Prescott leads the league in all those categories besides CPOE, where he ranks third.
Following Sunday's 33-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, which has the Cowboys now tied for first place in the NFC East, and a tough upcoming stretch of games versus the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Washington Commanders, Prescott will have more chances to solidify his candidacy against some of the league's top teams.
“Dak,'' said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones,"is a player who is qualified in every way to have a Super Bowl in his career.''
And this year, maybe an MVP as well.
