Cowboys' Mike McCarthy talks 'unique' situation Dak Prescott faces

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy suggested during a recent appearance on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Radio that Dak Prescott is currently the NFL's most scrutinized quarterback. 

"But what he endures mentally and emotionally compared to the other 31 [NFL starting quarterbacks] is unique," McCarthy said about Prescott, as shared by Kevin Manahan of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "Speaking on experience of being around great quarterbacks [Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, etc.], I’ve never seen a quarterback under a microscope like he is. Just his consistency, his personality and work ethic, and how he handles all that, and navigates all that, and he goes out and performs every week, I think it’s special what he has to endure." 

McCarthy's comments interestingly came after former NFL quarterback and current Auburn Sports Network analyst Jason Campbell told Jason Reid of Andscape last week that playing the sport's most important position for "America’s Team" can be difficult because "Dallas is talked about all the time on every [sports] media outlet." 

More recently, star pass-rusher Micah Parsons made it known after the Cowboys ' 20-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers this past Monday that he does not "condone the bashing of Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys" when analysts seemingly take it easy on teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I think the intensity of the microscope on Dak, I’ve never seen anything like it," McCarthy continued. "For him to be as consistent, his attitude is very much the same every day as far as how he attacks the preparation part of it, you have to be unique to deal with that. And this is year eight for him, so he’s been dealing with this a long time here. The intensity is nothing like I’ve ever seen." 

According to ESPN stats, Prescott enters Week 7 ranked seventh in the NFL among qualified players with a 63.3 adjusted QBR on the season. He threw six touchdown passes and four interceptions across the campaign's first six games and is enjoying the bye before the 4-2 Cowboys host the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 29. 

The 3-3 Rams welcome the 3-2 Pittsburgh Steelers to SoFi Stadium this Sunday.