Why Cowboys QB Dak Prescott needs a deep playoff run

If Dak Prescott can't take the Cowboys deep into the playoffs, it's time to wonder if he ever will.

Dallas' brain trust has surrounded Prescott with the best talent in recent Cowboys history. The two-headed rushing attack of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard can wear down defenses. Linebacker Micah Parsons is one of the league's most disruptive forces.

But it's hard to argue against the notion that the Cowboys would be the favorites in the NFC if oddsmakers believed in Prescott.

No. 2 seed San Francisco is favored in the NFC, per Oddschecker, but the 49ers are led by rookie QB Brock Purdy, who has never faced playoff pressure. 

No. 1 seed Philadelphia is led by MVP candidate QB Jalen Hurts, but he's limited with a sprained throwing shoulder. The Eagles, who slumped in the season's final weeks, will go only as far as Hurts can carry them.

The Cowboys have already drubbed No. 3 seed Minnesota in the regular season and swept the season series with division rival New York, the No. 6 seed..

We shouldn't write off the seventh-seeded Seahawks and Geno Smith, but as TCU showed us Monday night, most Cinderella stories in sports don't end with a trophy.

On paper, Dallas' wild-card game Monday at Tampa Bay is a mismatch. The Bucs struggle to protect QB Tom Brady, and Parsons often makes good offensive lines look bad. It should be a long night for Tampa Bay's offense.

As much as Brady is likely to feel the heat, Prescott will be the only person under more pressure. Losing to this Buccaneers team would be the worst playoff loss of his career and lead to a long offseason of questions about his lackluster postseason record.

Prescott is 1-3 in the playoffs. His completion percentage in four playoff games (61 percent) is far off his regular-season mark (66.6 percent).

In The 33rd Team's evaluation of the top starting QBs in the playoffs, former NFL QB Matt Cassell ranked Prescott 10th, behind Purdy and Minnesota's Kirk Cousins, the QB he outdueled in a 40-3 blowout in Week 11.

Former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky ranked Prescott 12th in his rankings of top playoff QBs, ahead of only unproven rookies Purdy and Miami's Skylar Thompson (h/t ESPN).

It's clear Prescott's image on the field took a hit with his play in 2022. On 85 fewer passing attempts, he finished tied with Houston's lackluster Davis Mills for most interceptions (15).