Over the next seven weeks, QB Dak Prescott is Cowboys' 'most important player'
One insider believes the Dallas Cowboys' Super Bowl aspirations hinge on quarterback Dak Prescott.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler named the two-time Pro Bowler as the league's most important player for the next seven weeks.
"[Prescott] has been quieting doubt this season — or he should be — and is playing as well as just about any passer in the league," wrote Fowler. "The NFC feels wide open, so earning the No. 1 seed and a playoff bye is plausible for Dallas (though it will need Philadelphia to stumble). It needs Prescott's elite play to get there."
Dallas (7-3) is fifth in the NFC, and the New York Times simulator notes it has a three percent chance of earning the conference's No. 1 seed. Per Tankathon, it has the league's second-most-difficult remaining schedule.
The Cowboys need Prescott to maintain his hot hand to overcome the long odds. This season, he's completed 70.1 percent of his passes for 2,604 yards, 19 TDs and a 73.9 QBR, second in the NFL. Pro Football Focus recently gave him an 89.4 grade, the highest among QBs.
On Tuesday, the 30-year-old indicated he's never felt better.
"The way that I feel, the confidence I have in this group, myself [being] in the zone, I guess you could call it," Prescott said, per the team website. "Whatever it is — the coaches, the chemistry of this team, yeah, by far the best I've ever felt. It's not just me, it's a lot of things around me."
If Prescott thrives over the next seven weeks and leads Dallas on a deep playoff run, he will prove he's a premier signal-caller. The Cowboys may also reward him with a contract extension. He has two years remaining on a four-year, $160M deal, which includes an out ($61.9M in dead cap) in 2024.
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