For all the criticism Dak Prescott gets

[Yobwocs]

Haven't people realized by now that his worst year (his 2nd), he had one of the worst receiving units in the NFL? An aging Jason Witten, a washed out Dez Bryant, decent Terrence Williams, Cole Beasley, Brice Butler, and Noah Brown. One of the most weaksauce receiving units I can think of. That list of names has no flash at all.

It shouldn't be any surprise why his sophomore campaign was a failure. The majority of the criticism he gets is for his 2nd year (or that 16 game streak from Atlanta 2017 game 9 through Tennessee 2018 game 8). After the Cooper trade, he starts putting up highlights and has his team back in good looking shape. I'm just really shocked Cowboys fans don't seem to recognize what clearly dragged us down in '17.....

 

[America's Cowboy]

Plus an injured Oline who gave up sacks at will and would have gotten the previous QB put in the hospital. Luckily, Dak is young, built like a LB and miraculously was able to get past that 2017 sackful season without injury.

 

[America's Cowboy]

It shouldn't be any surprise why his sophomore campaign was a failure. The majority of the criticism he gets is for his 2nd year (or that 16 game streak from Atlanta 2017 game 9 through Tennessee 2018 game 8). After the Cooper trade, he starts putting up highlights and has his team back in good looking shape. I'm just really shocked Cowboys fans don't seem to recognize what clearly dragged us down in '17.....

We all know (in bold) who it is and why. It's the previous one's hardcore fan club. Still with feelings hurt.

 

[Proof]

Haven't people realized by now that his worst year (his 2nd), he had one of the worst receiving units in the NFL? An aging Jason Witten, a washed out Dez Bryant, decent Terrence Williams, Cole Beasley, Brice Butler, and Noah Brown. One of the most weaksauce receiving units I can think of. That list of names has no flash at all.

It shouldn't be any surprise why his sophomore campaign was a failure. The majority of the criticism he gets is for his 2nd year (or that 16 game streak from Atlanta 2017 game 9 through Tennessee 2018 game 8). After the Cooper trade, he starts putting up highlights and has his team back in good looking shape. I'm just really shocked Cowboys fans don't seem to recognize what clearly dragged us down in '17.....

It’s easy in retrospect to come to this conclusion, seems obvious, but Dak did himself no favors. I was firmly in his camp through the first 18 months of his career, but when things went off the raills even though the supporting cast contributed, he was doing some absolutely atrocious things. Hideous throws and mechanics, seemingly no pocket or situational awareness, just all around ugly play. When it bled over into the next season I was ready to close the book on him altogether despite knowing his circumstances weren’t ideal, but he righted the ship in a major way.

All that to say, I agree for the most part, but it takes a lot to look as bad as he did for a full year stretch, and waving it away and excusing it outright is a bit disingenuous

 

[America's Cowboy]

It’s easy in retrospect to come to this conclusion, seems obvious, but Dak did himself no favors. I was firmly in his camp through the first 18 months of his career, but when things went off the raills even though the supporting cast contributed, he was doing some absolutely atrocious things. Hideous throws and mechanics, seemingly no pocket or situational awareness, just all around ugly play. When it bled over into the next season I was ready to close the book on him altogether despite knowing his circumstances weren’t ideal, but he righted the ship in a major way.

All that to say, I agree for the most part, but it takes a lot to look as bad as he did for a full year stretch, and waving it away and excusing it outright is a bit disingenuous

No, it's not disingenuous. It's obvious why Dak lost his way: mechanics, timing, footwork. It was because of all the hard hits and QB sacks. Romo would not have made it through that stretch of such a porous Oline and terrible pass protection. It was barely Dak's 2nd year, plus surrounded with over-the-hill receivers, terrible play calling and coaches, plus no Zeke for 6 games. We're lucky Dak was able to get his composure back and mentally right the ship. Most young QBs wouldn't have. You should be grateful, not so unappreciative and condescending.

 

[Yobwocs]

It’s easy in retrospect to come to this conclusion, seems obvious, but Dak did himself no favors. I was firmly in his camp through the first 18 months of his career, but when things went off the raills even though the supporting cast contributed, he was doing some absolutely atrocious things. Hideous throws and mechanics, seemingly no pocket or situational awareness, just all around ugly play. When it bled over into the next season I was ready to close the book on him altogether despite knowing his circumstances weren’t ideal, but he righted the ship in a major way.

All that to say, I agree for the most part, but it takes a lot to look as bad as he did for a full year stretch, and waving it away and excusing it outright is a bit disingenuous

I don't excuse him; he definitely cost us a few games during that stretch, no doubt about it. But I think that's what happens with 1st or 2nd year QBs, they have inconsistencies. That pretty much applies to all of them. But he gets too much flack for one bad year. I know that there's a small sample size to evaluate him on, but seems like we need to give him at least the benefit of the doubt of one year.

I guess my overall point is that.... he clearly was way better after the Cooper trade. That was no coincidence. You need receivers in this league. You don't win without them. It was no coincidence he started to look way better with the addition of just one receiver.

 

[Nav22]

He’s 32-16 as a starter with pretty good numbers overall. Only clowns who know nothing about football could possibly “hate” on Dak.

32-16 despite a supporting cast that has been nothing special. Zeke and 9 games of Amari Cooper aside, he hasn’t had great weapons.

Our defense has been mostly average over the course of his 3 years. They were strong last year but our OL was mediocre last year. We still went 10-6 to win the division. When the OL was great, we went 13-3 and had the #1 seed in the NFC.

Luckily for the rest of us, the know-nothings don’t work in the front office. Dak’s getting paid and he’ll be our guy for years to come.

 

[Proof]

No, it's not disingenuous. It's obvious why Dak lost his way: mechanics, timing, footwork. It was because of all the hard hits and QB sacks. Romo would not have made it through that stretch of such a porous Oline and terrible pass protection. It was barely Dak's 2nd year, plus surrounded with over-the-hill receivers, terrible play calling and coaches, plus no Zeke for 6 games. We're lucky Dak was able to get his composure back and mentally right the ship. Most young QBs wouldn't have. You should be grateful, not so unappreciative and condescending.

No offense, you sound way too emotionally invested and like a clown.

 

[Proof]

I don't excuse him; he definitely cost us a few games during that stretch, no doubt about it. But I think that's what happens with 1st or 2nd year QBs, they have inconsistencies. That pretty much applies to all of them. But he gets too much flack for one bad year. I know that there's a small sample size to evaluate him on, but seems like we need to give him at least the benefit of the doubt of one year.

I guess my overall point is that.... he clearly was way better after the Cooper trade. That was no coincidence. You need receivers in this league. You don't win without them. It was no coincidence he started to look way better with the addition of just one receiver.

Yeah I agree with you. He definitely restored my confidence with the finish to the season, and his overall body of work. Just saying that given the really horrible stretch, and a small overall sample size I get why some still have reservations. He’s really an interesting case study.

 

[America's Cowboy]

No offense, you sound way too emotionally invested and like a clown.

You're the clown, Benedict Arnold. Dak is for real, and he's here to stay for many years. Are you going to pout and complain throughout those years to come, or are you going to be rational, informed, appreciative and supportive?

 

[Doomsay]

LOL, this thread.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

It’s easy in retrospect to come to this conclusion, seems obvious, but Dak did himself no favors. I was firmly in his camp through the first 18 months of his career, but when things went off the raills even though the supporting cast contributed, he was doing some absolutely atrocious things. Hideous throws and mechanics, seemingly no pocket or situational awareness, just all around ugly play. When it bled over into the next season I was ready to close the book on him altogether despite knowing his circumstances weren’t ideal, but he righted the ship in a major way.

All that to say, I agree for the most part, but it takes a lot to look as bad as he did for a full year stretch, and waving it away and excusing it outright is a bit disingenuous

So basically he struggled like every other young quarterback in this league? Like Wentz and Goff did even though he was more raw than both of them but has had just as much success If not more than both of them and those were top draft picks. He’s been better than Mariota and Winston who were also top picks in the draft.

 

[HungryLion]

Good points OP.

I don’t want to blame Dak’s poor stretch of play solely on the supporting cast. I do think Dak also went through a slump, irregardless of the supporting cast.

With that being said, it’s incredibly common for young QB’s to go through slumps. It’s why there is even a term for it “sophomore slump”. It’s a real thing. It’s why former pros and coaches even talk about them.

It just so happened with Dak that his sophomore slump didn’t start until halfway through his second season and it lasted into his 3rd season.

But Dak was slowly working his way out of it before Cooper arrived.

And while yes getting Cooper helped Dak a lot by providing him a real #1 receiver. Dak has also grown and improved in his game. Those saying he hasn’t boggles my mind because I think it’s pretty clear that he has grown as a QB. He still has things he needs to improve, namely his footwork. But he has improved a lot in many facets of his game.

I honestly don’t understand why some fans on this site expect young QB’s to not have flaws, play perfect, not go through tough stretches, etc. I also don’t understand why some fans don’t think QB’s keep improving beyond year 3. Because lots of QB’s in the nfl do.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Good points OP.

I don’t want to blame Dak’s poor stretch of play solely on the supporting cast. I do think Dak also went through a slump, irregardless of the supporting cast.

With that being said, it’s incredibly common for young QB’s to go through slumps. It’s why there is even a term for it “sophomore slump”. It’s a real thing. It’s why former pros and coaches even talk about them.

It just so happened with Dak that his sophomore slump didn’t start until halfway through his second season and it lasted into his 3rd season.

But Dak was slowly working his way out of it before Cooper arrived.

And while yes getting Cooper helped Dak a lot by providing him a real #1 receiver. Dak has also grown and improved in his game. Those saying he hasn’t boggles my mind because I think it’s pretty clear that he has grown as a QB. He still has things he needs to improve, namely his footwork. But he has improved a lot in many facets of his game.

I honestly don’t understand why some fans on this site expect young QB’s to not have flaws, play perfect, not go through tough stretches, etc. I also don’t understand why some fans don’t think QB’s keep improving beyond year 3. Because lots of QB’s in the nfl do.

It’s because these fans live in a bubble. If you ask them to watch other young quarterbacks play so they can get a jist of where a young quarterback is suppose to be in this league they will tell you “I don’t care what other quarterbacks do”.....they have no idea what progressions Dak has taken as a player and have no idea where he’s suppose to be because to them he’s not as good as a 34 year old Tony Romo.

 

[Gaede]

Dak looked totally different after the Cooper trade.

I suspect he will put up big TD #s if we can find a TE to threaten the middle of the field

 

[Proof]

So basically he struggled like every other young quarterback in this league? Like Wentz and Goff did even though he was more raw than both of them but has had just as much success If not more than both of them and those were top draft picks. He’s been better than Mariota and Winston who were also top picks in the draft.

I’m not sure your point or why it’s directed to me. Yes, he struggled like nearly every young qb. Attributing it solely to the cast is missing the forrest from the trees imo, and to do that then you open the door to attributing his success to the cast as well.

I think the timing factors in as well. If he started off rough and then put together the highs he’s had afterwards we are having an entirely different conversation. But because he started off hot and followed it by falling off a cliff, it was hard to reconcile.

 

[Hadenough]

It’s easy in retrospect to come to this conclusion, seems obvious, but Dak did himself no favors. I was firmly in his camp through the first 18 months of his career, but when things went off the raills even though the supporting cast contributed, he was doing some absolutely atrocious things. Hideous throws and mechanics, seemingly no pocket or situational awareness, just all around ugly play. When it bled over into the next season I was ready to close the book on him altogether despite knowing his circumstances weren’t ideal, but he righted the ship in a major way.

All that to say, I agree for the most part, but it takes a lot to look as bad as he did for a full year stretch, and waving it away and excusing it outright is a bit disingenuous

You hit on exactly what I see. Dak at times looks like an NFL QB but there are those times where he also has looked like he didn't belong in the league.

 

[aaev84]

Haven't people realized by now that his worst year (his 2nd), he had one of the worst receiving units in the NFL? An aging Jason Witten, a washed out Dez Bryant, decent Terrence Williams, Cole Beasley, Brice Butler, and Noah Brown. One of the most weaksauce receiving units I can think of. That list of names has no flash at all.

It shouldn't be any surprise why his sophomore campaign was a failure. The majority of the criticism he gets is for his 2nd year (or that 16 game streak from Atlanta 2017 game 9 through Tennessee 2018 game 8). After the Cooper trade, he starts putting up highlights and has his team back in good looking shape. I'm just really shocked Cowboys fans don't seem to recognize what clearly dragged us down in '17.....

Dak is just as responsible for that year. He got figured out and was pretty limited. This season will make things more conclusive. I still think a healthy Romo in '17 does considerably more with that team than Dak as he was top notch pre snap, much better passer, could go through his reads better, etc. Not trying to take away from Dak as he is young... but he was certainly questioned within reason for his limited mechanics as a QB. Things will be more conclusive this year. Hopefully Dak and the cowboys can do some really good things on offense. Build on the good from last year.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I’m not sure your point or why it’s directed to me. Yes, he struggled like nearly every young qb. Attributing it solely to the cast is missing the forrest from the trees imo, and to do that then you open the door to attributing his success to the cast as well.

I think the timing factors in as well. If he started off rough and then put together the highs he’s had afterwards we are having an entirely different conversation. But because he started off hot and followed it by falling off a cliff, it was hard to reconcile.

No I’m blaming him for his regression. And maybe this isn’t directed towards you but Dak’s success his rookie seasons accredited to Zeke and the offensive line for the most part. But for some reason his regression is all on him even though both have been either suspended or injured. I’m not gonna sit here and say Dak is a top 10 qb because I don’t know what he is yet. But he gets far too much criticism on this site simply for being a young quarterback.

 

[whynot]

So basically he struggled like every other young quarterback in this league? Like Wentz and Goff did even though he was more raw than both of them but has had just as much success If not more than both of them and those were top draft picks. He’s been better than Mariota and Winston who were also top picks in the draft.

Dude, I’m all for talking up our QB but it’s a bit of a stretch to say that he has had as much or even more success than Goff. Wentz I’ll give you, but only because he hasn’t finished a season.