Dak Prescott’s Stellar TNF Showing Pushes Cowboys QB’s MVP Case Further

Dak Prescott had already earned NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for November before Thursday night’s matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. But the Dallas Cowboys quarterback wrapped up the month with another standout performance for good measure.

The two-time Pro Bowler threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-35 win over the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. Dallas rallied from multiple 8-point deficits in the second half to improve to 9-3 on the season and win its 14th consecutive home game. And in the process, Prescott continued to rapidly climb the league’s MVP leaderboard.

Less than a month ago, the Cowboys QB had long-shot +6600 odds to earn the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, according to BetMGM. A career-best stretch of late boosted his chances to +800 at the sportsbook earlier this week before the Seahawks game—tied for fourth best among all players.

And his case is only getting better. As of Friday morning, Prescott has the second-best MVP odds (+380) at FanDuel sportsbook. He trails only Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (+190) but is ahead of contending QBs Patrick Mahomes (+470) and Lamar Jackson (+650).

Not bad company to be in. But the often criticized signal-caller insisted he doesn’t concern himself with the praise or critique he may be facing at any given moment.

“No difference to when they were hating me and calling for my position, honestly,” Prescott told reporters after the game about his recent recognition.

“I’m blessed, I’m super blessed, and I think about that each and every day that I wake up,” he went on. “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.”

Seattle led 35-27 with less than a minute gone in the fourth quarter in Arlington, Texas. A Dallas field goal minutes later cut into the deficit, then Prescott found tight end Jake Ferguson for a 12-yard, go-ahead score with just over four minutes remaining. The Cowboys tacked on a field goal in the final minutes to go ahead by 6. And linebacker Micah Parsons called game by pressuring Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith into an incompletion on Seattle’s final offensive play.

The Cowboys have won four games in a row and six of their last seven.

The Seahawks (now 6-6) were the first team Dallas beat in that stretch, with more than four wins going into the game. A soft schedule is about to get harder for the Cowboys, who just played their first of five consecutive games against teams .500 or above. Next on that list is a rematch with the Eagles (10-1). Philly got the best of Dallas, 28-23, in their first meeting of the season, on November 5.

“I told the team after the game we need games like this,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said after the Seahawks defeat. “To get to where you want to go, you have to win these kind of games.”

Prescott has thrown 20 touchdowns (compared with two interceptions) and 1,901 yards (316.8 per game) while completing over 70 percent of his passes in his last six contests. As of Friday morning, the former fourth-round pick leads the league in passing touchdowns (26) and adjusted QBR (75.5) while ranking second in completion percentage (70.1 percent) and passer rating (108.3) and third in passing yards (3,234).

A showdown with Hurts and the Eagles marks the next opportunity to continue the best streak of performances in his professional career—and perhaps make up more ground in the MVP race.

“Dak’s having one of the greatest seasons I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Parsons said after 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.

“This is the type of quarterback that’s gonna win us the Super Bowl.”