I Just Don't See A Huge Gap Between Dak and Rush

[CowboyoWales]

Neither QB is mobile at this point.

Dak has a stronger arm.

Rush is faster on his reads and has a quicker release.

Both QBs shouldn't be on the roster next year, but we are stuck with a 60 million dollar QB who was outperformed by an 8 year backup.

Anyone with a smidgeon of football knowledge knows that the dak signing was one of the worst signings in NFL history.

....has a contract ever been regretted two months after signing and 6 months before it actually kicks in.
Jerry and Dak, indelibly linked.

 

[kskboys]

Here is the difference I see.
Rush throws a very catchable ball. He has nice touch when needed. Dak has never had any touch. Took him 2 years to try and learn how to throw a fade to Dez in the endzone. Also the shuffling of the Oline has really been a positive upgrade. Just look at the run game now the Martin is out and Guyton is sharing time. Rush seems to have better protection in pass coverage now. You think Jerrah would learn watching the Deshaun Watson debacle.

No, Rush gets rid of the ball much quicker. Makes the protection look better, but there's no difference except that they have to hold their blocks longer w/ Dak.

 

[CowboyoWales]

No, Rush gets rid of the ball much quicker. Makes the protection look better, but there's no difference except that they have to hold their blocks longer w/ Dak.

A suppose (with no evidence) it's that Rush has more faith in his receivers and can read the Defense.
Doesn't Dak's uncertainty against two high safeties, when one will come down, kill his ability between the hashes.....and is why he needs the running game.
It would be interesting to see how many times Rush actually uses his second (or even third) option and how it compares to Dak's release times on similar plays?

 

[Blitzen]

I am confident in saying that most NFL GMs and Scouts would see a bigger difference in why Dak is a starter and Cooper is a backup.

I am confident that those differences only come up when playing teams not in the top 5-6 overall (especially those with high end defenses). The top teams will still beat this squad with Dak or Cooper as the QB.

Journalists are locking into the new narrative that the team looks much improved for next season. They continue to ignore what all the fans should recognize. This squad cannot win against the top squads that they will need to get through to achieve their ultimate goal. They are not peers with Detroit or Philadelphia if they are both healthy and in a game both teams are motivated to win.

I think an interesting question to ask is if this recent success from Cooper will result in a much higher AAV contract for him. Like somewhere between $5-10 million per season?

 

[JoeKing]

That’s true. I was not arguing that the team could or would cut him. The OP was stating he did not see some titanic difference in the two-in my opinion related to wins and losses.

In another post you speculate that the 12-5 teams could never make the playoffs with Cooper as the QB. They never tried, so we will never know. I speculate that the team likely makes the playoffs with Cooper every one of those seasons-perhaps with a worse regular season record. Green Bay made it last year at 9-8. The individuals that disagree see huge value in piling up points against bottom feeder squads, or are pretty butt hurt that Dak does not get more respect for his accomplishments on this board.

You are debating what cannot be proven true or false. Just an opinion. I offer no rebuttal other than I respect your opinion.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Overall, Dak is certainly a better thrower than Cooper. That said, his tendencies have made it harder for everyone around him which in turn makes it harder for him. Dak was leading the NFL in tight window throws. Cooper just throws to wide open guys. Its not a coincidence. Its the same group of receivers.
...
Get it out quick.

Good point about guys looking open with Rush.

Rush doesn't put much on the ball, but he finds the open receiver, gets the ball out quicker, and hits guys on the move.

With Dak it's so many stick routes, so many receivers catching balls while they're standing somewhere. And a real big problem, so many balls that let the *next* guy in the zone close on the play. That's where Dak gets into trouble - not the guy covering the receiver, but the covering the space the receiver is running into, and closing on the catch.

Being slow makes it harder on everyone: QB, receivers, and oline.

When Kitna coached Dak that one offseason, the mantra was "Let 'er rip!" And when Dak did that, he had that incredible start to the season. Probably a mix of Dak's play and the defenses we played against. But that really showed what had been missing in Dak's game, and what's missing when he's not playing well too.

A tick fast or a tick slow isn't the most obvious thing, but it makes a huge difference.

 

[Blitzen]

You are debating what cannot be proven true or false. Just an opinion. I offer no rebuttal other than I respect your opinion.

I know. You were stating your speculation. I offered my own. The facts support my opinion. The team has won many games with him as QB. The bottom feeders succumb to this squad with him as QB though he does not ever post stats like Prescott against them.

 

[buybuydandavis]

exactly. Give me Cooper Rush and that all important 58 million to spend on other guys.

What I wanted to see that season with Dalton and at QB in general.

QBs are overpriced. Go cheap, particularly with young guys who can also run. Treat QBs more like RBs. Spend your money on the rest of the team until you have a contender while churning QBs until you hit ona cheap one. Actually spend more picks and roster spots on QBs to give yourself more of a chance to hit on one, but don't spend a ton of salary on one at least until the rest of the team contends.

 

[Stash]

…Between Dak without use of his legs and Rush. Dak still might be better but they don’t seem that different.

Rush started awful, but he also has game snaps equivalent to a rookie in the NFL, and he has improved every week. He throws some dirt balls and frustratingly behind players on routes, but so does Dak. He makes some stupid throws but so does Dak.

It’s only my eyeball opinion. Curious what others think

There’s definitely not enough of a difference to justify the cost.

But you can say about every player in the league based on the contract the Joneses mistakenly gave Prescott.

 

[SuspectCorner]

Call me the next time Rush has a season like several that Dak has had. Or maybe when Rush enters the MVP conversation at any point during a season. These comparisons just don’t hold even a little water. It’s still the same thing we always see around here, QBs being blamed for losses and given credit for the wins. I don’t remember this type of thing when Aikman’s team won a game with only FGs or when his team lost without Irvin and Smith.

It’s one thing to want a different QB. It’s one thing for hatred for Dak to go all the way back to “poor Romo” as it does with a few posters, but anyone who tries to seriously compare Dak with Rush is out of his/her mind. Before posting such ideas, some fans should try asking anyone who knows anything about football. Ask a HS coach, a college coach, a sports reporter, write letters. Maybe try writing mailbag. I’m betting you won’t even get a serious response, more like laughter.

The issue is NOT ‘Dak hate.’

The REAL issue is Dak vs. Cooper Rush AND $60M to spend at other positions of need - the obvious answer being the source of much Dak-directed resentment.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Call me the next time Rush has a season like several that Dak has had. Or maybe when Rush enters the MVP conversation at any point during a season. These comparisons just don’t hold even a little water. It’s still the same thing we always see around here, QBs being blamed for losses and given credit for the wins. I don’t remember this type of thing when Aikman’s team won a game with only FGs or when his team lost without Irvin and Smith.

It’s one thing to want a different QB. It’s one thing for hatred for Dak to go all the way back to “poor Romo” as it does with a few posters, but anyone who tries to seriously compare Dak with Rush is out of his/her mind. Before posting such ideas, some fans should try asking anyone who knows anything about football. Ask a HS coach, a college coach, a sports reporter, write letters. Maybe try writing mailbag. I’m betting you won’t even get a serious response, more like laughter.

Comment is filled with illogical statement. How quickly some people jump to :"DAK hate" when they simply disagree.

One thing that stands out is "QB's being blamed for losses and given credit for wins". This isn't something alleged "dak haters" just dreamed up. It's been a thing since...forever. Who's the first person you think of from Miami Dolphins not winning a super bowl? Sammie Smith? Of course not. Dan Marino? Yep.

Nobody hated on Aikman eh? Of course they did. you "don't remember". "more like laughter"?

And the whole "you know nothing about football like I do". Hilarious. As if you have a silver trophy?

Quite a coincidence the team is playing better now, eh? Beating a VERY good playoff team. Like Dak often didn't.

Coop may or may not be as good as Dak. If the results are seemingly the same...what difference does it make? 60 million differences?

Should we fight to the death about it? Even being insultingly uncivilized about it isn't a good thing. Can't we at least be polite and not insult people, Chuck?

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

A suppose (with no evidence) it's that Rush has more faith in his receivers and can read the Defense.
Doesn't Dak's uncertainty against two high safeties, when one will come down, kill his ability between the hashes.....and is why he needs the running game.
It would be interesting to see how many times Rush actually uses his second (or even third) option and how it compares to Dak's release times on similar plays?

The decision making and release time was noted by Collinsworth.

 

[Steve007]

MVP runner-up in 2023.

You can think he's washed based on this season if you want. I disagree.

He didn't play well this year but he also had to deal with an abysmal defense and no run game.

I have no doubt that Dak will bounce back in the 2025 regular season. It's 100% fair to doubt his ability to play well in the playoffs.

LOL, Mvp runner up? It's funny some people bring up something that doesn't matter. 2nd place isn't a win.

Always excuess, They still have injuries and Dak isn't missed. The Cowboys actually look better.

It's obvious he is washed. He is older and the injuries don't get better with age. You can believe what you want, but the results will be seen.
Dak is going into his 10th year and he is injury prone.

 

[Doomsday]

Definitely not a 58 million dollar gap there.

Still yet to hear which of those early games Rush was going to be this great difference in. Maybe the Atlanta game, but really people aren't paying attention to the team as a whole and just hating on Dak because it is easy.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Still yet to hear which of those early games Rush was going to be this great difference in. Maybe the Atlanta game, but really people aren't paying attention to the team as a whole and just hating on Dak because it is easy.

Someone said "Rush is going to be this great difference" or did you just make that up?

 

[Surfguy]

It's a difference of about 5 degrees. Use your pencil to fill/shade in the area representing the angle after using your protractor to mark the angle points and your ruler to draw lines between the three points of the angle. That shaded area represents the actual differences pool.

Now, create a bar graph below that. Use a ruler to mark one really low rectangle and one really high rectangle. Next, use the ruler to draw the four sides for each rectangle. Use your pencil to fill/shade in the rectangles. That high rectangle is Dak's pay for next season. That low rectangle is Coop's pay.

 

[nightrain]

Dak is clearly a better QB than Rush, but how about a Baker Mayfield or Geno Smith? You can win with those guys, pay half the price, and lose nothing as far as productivity.

 

[KingCorcoran]

The issue is NOT ‘Dak hate.’

The REAL issue is Dak vs. Cooper Rush AND $60M to spend at other positions of need - the obvious answer being the source of much Dak-directed resentment.

Isn’t “The REAL issue” what do you want Jerry Jones to do about “Dak vs. Cooper Rush” now? What steps, as the Dallas Cowboys Owner/General Manager, should Jerry take? The contract with Dak Prescott is a real thing. The team has to honor it. Any movement away from Dak can only be what is stipulated in the contract and at a cost, financially, already stipulated in the contract.

Do you have a suggestion? All the “gush for Rush” doesn’t change the reality the Cowboys must deal with. Any ideas?

 

[McKDaddy]

Call me the next time Rush has a season like several that Dak has had.

According to a lot of experts on this board though, Rush (nor any non Dak human) was likely to win even one game in his absence.

Yet, over multiple years he has far exceeded that. Actually beating some solid competition along the way.

Knowing this, you really don't think he could have gotten us as good a record or padded his stats against the bottom feeders in those years? With the team playing unified like they seem to do when he is in perhaps even a playoff win?

If Rush had been given the same opportunities as Dak, I don't see how anyone can deny that he might very well have.

 

[ICP]

It's all in the results, I don't think as many of us would be complaining if we were paying Mahomes the kind of money we are paying Dak. Although if Mahomes were a Cowboy he might suck as well.