Dak Prescott has faced his share of criticism in his eight seasons as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, but in the past five games, no quarterback in the NFL is playing better.
He has completed 127 of 180 passes for 1,602 yards with 17 touchdowns and two interceptions for a 124.8 passer rating in that stretch, and the Cowboys have won four of the five games.
Prescott’s name has entered the MVP conversation for the first time since his rookie season of 2016.
He was asked Monday whether that means anything to him.
“No, I mean, it means I’m playing well. Simple as that. Not really,” Prescott said, via Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “I’m about one goal, and it’s a big team goal, and I know if my name’s in there that means we’re playing well. So, that’s great. But at the end of the day, we’re just trying to build. I mean being eight years into this thing, it’s about building and building and making sure we’re getting better and better each and every week and getting hot right when we need to be.”
The MVP award has become a quarterback award with the quarterbacks from the top AFC team and the top NFC team vying for it at the end of the year. The process of voting changed last year, with five players getting votes on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis rather than voters writing only one player on their ballot.
Still, the Cowboys likely will have to win the NFC East at minimum for Prescott to have a shot to win it over Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
The Cowboys still have a chance to do that despite currently being two games behind the Eagles.
Dallas plays the Seahawks on Thursday, with Philadephia playing the 49ers on Sunday. If the Cowboys win and the Eagles lose, their showdown in Arlington in Week 14, where the Cowboys have won 13 in a row, will be for the division lead.
Prescott, who had a league-leading 15 interceptions last season, has 23 touchdowns and six interceptions this season. His 107.4 passer rating is far and away the best of his career.
“It gives credit to everything around this team, the organization, the coaches, people just handling their business, being prepared,” Prescott said. “Our process has been amazing throughout this season, just when the game plan comes in, how early it gets in, and the process we go through after that to be ready to call a game. The play caller’s purpose is clear and precise on everything. Just really, the challenge is just staying true to that process, not getting ahead, not getting overwhelmed, understanding that what I say to myself is I haven’t done shit, you know what I mean.
“Regular-season numbers are great, but getting wins, that’s what’s most important. At the end of the day, we’re trying to stack and keep growing this team to get better each and every week.”