Dak Prescott silencing the critics?
doubledragon
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He's been playing lights out, the MVP talk has started up.
Cowboys' Dak Prescott silences critics with MVP performance: 'I have the pen, I have the paper and I'm the one writing'
On the same day he was recognized as the NFC Offensive Player of the Month, Dak Prescott made his latest pitch for a more-esteemed honor at year's end.
Faced with two different eight-point deficits in the second half -- the first time the Cowboys have trailed in any capacity through six home games this year -- Prescott threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns to help will Dallas to a 41-35 shootout victory over Seattle.
It was yet another performance worthy of a Most Valuable Player in an endless string of such statements, one that's putting the oft-maligned quarterback front and center in the race for the league's highest honor.
"No difference to when they were hating me and calling for my position, honestly," Prescott told reporters when asked how it feels to have recently silenced critics and earned high praise. "I'm blessed, I'm super blessed, and I think about that each and every day that I wake up, I'm grateful for that opportunity to do that, and I go and attack the day.
"I understand nobody's opinion defines me, that's the great part about life and that's the great opportunity that we all have, that people can say whatever they want, but you know I have the pen, I have the paper and I'm the one writing. So, because I'm playing as well as I am now doesn't mean I'm going to stop, doesn't mean I'm going to listen to them now."
Prescott's performance was the exclamation point on a stellar November in which he's thrown for 1,597 yards, 16 touchdowns and just a single interception on 131-of-190 passing (68.9%).
Thursday was his sixth straight multi-touchdown game, a stretch that has included 20 TD throws -- tops in Cowboys history since 1970 over a six-game spread -- and he also came just one yard shy of his fifth 300-yard passing performance during that span.
And unlike most of Dallas' previous eight wins (and all five home victories), the Cowboys needed every bit of Prescott magic to overcome Seattle.
The Cowboys entered the game with a plus-145 point differential at home, having yet to trail a game for even a second at AT&T Stadium. They held an 0-2 record against teams with a winning record, though, and an 0-3 mark when allowing over 20 points.
Thus, the cards seemed stacked against Prescott and Co. when the Seahawks, who entered the night 6-5, scored on the second quarter's final play from scrimmage to take a 21-20 lead into halftime -- doubly so when Seattle double-dipped with another TD to open the third frame.
But Prescott responded by leading a 12-play, 75-yard drive to the end zone, and when the Seahawks opened up another eight-point lead two possessions later, Prescott struck back with three consecutive fourth-quarter scoring drives.
On the middle of those, a TD drive to take a three-point lead sandwiched in between field goals, Prescott accounted for 43 of his team's 59 yards, going 4 of 5 for 35 yards and picking up 8 yards on a run. He capped it off with a throw to the front corner of the end zone for tight end Jake Ferguson, then hit Brandin Cooks on the ensuing two-point conversion.
"Hell of a fourth quarter, hell of a fourth quarter, for sure, for sure," Prescott said. "So that was awesome, it really was, but at the end of the day you know it goes back as I said into my preparation and to what I've put into this thing, and yeah, I'm as comfortable as I've been, but as I've talked about before, that comes with growth, that comes with experience, as much as it comes with all the other guys around me."
His fourth quarter provided enough cushion for a dangerous Cowboys defense that had been surprisingly exposed all night to hold on. The unit forced a turnover on downs in each of Seattle's final three possessions, with every stop coming within 4 yards of the 50-yard line.
It was Micah Parsons' final pressure on Geno Smith, the linebacker's seventh of the game, that forced a throwaway to put the nail in the coffin, but Dallas' defensive MVP made sure to give the team's foremost leader for league MVP his props.
"Dak's having one of the greatest seasons I've seen since I've been here," Parsons said in a scrum following the game. "It's truly amazing to see the growth and where he's at. I think right now he's playing at the highest level in the NFL. Just from my standpoint what I'm seeing: Staying in the pocket, breaking sacks, making the right reads. He's just playing terrific."
Just how terrific, in Parsons' view of things?
"This is the type of quarterback that's gonna win us the Super Bowl," he said.
Comments
Most Valuable Pretender - i would agree with that.
Join us Steve, join the Dak side, before it's too late.
Say what you will about Dak, but he can ball.
You see what's happening? I've been following the Cowboys for a few years now, and I'm no longer just a FAKE Cowboys fan, I've become a REAL Cowboys fan.
Join us, join us before it's too late!
I must admit, Dak has flown under my radar this season. He has an impressive stat line for sure. Perhaps this is his year for MVP
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I'm just not exactly sure why he is getting credit? Credit for beating the Giants twice, Washington and the Pats? Carolina? Barely beating the Chargers?
He put up numbers against Seattle last night because the Defense decided not to play
They played only 2 good teams this year against the Eagles and the 49'ers and lost both of them lol
Any QB would have great stats with their schedule.
Dallas will get booted out of the Playoffs again, that you can count on
And for the record I've always liked Dallas and still do but I'm not getting fooled by them
Tell ya what, you sold me.
If the Cowboys don't make it to the playoffs, or get eliminated in the first playoff game, then Dak is my most valuable player. 😆
Dak is really spinning it right now, but i'm not sold. we've been through this dog and pony show many times before with him and the Cowboys. they came within an eyelash of losing at home last night to a team that simply isn't as good as they are. had Seattle pulled the upset off, the narrative would be much different about DC and DC's QB this morning. but to Dak's credit, he bailed his sorry defense out.
if Dak continues to play at a high level the next 4 games and Dallas subsequently wins them all, I'll officially view him in a different light. but that is a very sizeable if. go look at their schedule.
my formal prediction is that they'll eat two of those games, slide into the playoffs as a wild card, win a game or two, then have to go play a heavyweight on the road and it'll all be all over.
We got a tough few games coming up, Philly, Buffalo, Miami, and Detroit, that is brutal. We'll see what we're really made of down the stretch.
Jerry Jones has already made vacation plans for right after the regular season is over.
I think he's going to Portugal to maybe buy the country.
Join us Steve, join us before it's too late!
Thank you for the invite, but I'd rather walk for miles on hot coals and broken glass.
And another thing, Tommy DeVito is a hero!