MMQB - Just How Good Is Dak Prescott? We Don’t Know Yet

[jchap]

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Dak is barely an above average passer, but his instincts, mobility and leadership make him a great QB.

 

[Risen Star]

He's a marginal talent who has managed games with better players around him.

I said two things about Prescott before the draft.

1) He's a one read athlete not capable of being a true NFL QB. I was wrong on that and said so many times. He's actually a cerebral player who wants to out think you.

2) His skill set is mediocre at best. Run of the mill. I've seen nothing since to think I'm not correct.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Dak is barely an above average passer, but his instincts, mobility and leadership make him a great QB.

Last year's 67.8 competion % is pretty sure more than above average.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

Can we name a QB that established his greatness by succeeding in spite of being set up to fail? Who is this unicorn that sets the standard for Dak? Maybe Romo circa 2008-12? Is that the guy we need to see Dak be before we call him a great QB? Guess I'd rather continue seeing something other than a great QB leading an otherwise well-developed offence to 13-3 than go back to seeing a great QB compensating for the weaknesses around him enough to make a 3-13 team 8-8 or slightly better.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

He's a marginal talent who has managed games with better players around him.

I said two things about Prescott before the draft.

1) He's a one read athlete not capable of being a true NFL QB. I was wrong on that and said so many times. He's actually a cerebral player who wants to out think you.

2) His skill set is mediocre at best. Run of the mill. I've seen nothing since to think I'm not correct.

Fair to say that your observations could also have been made of Joe Montana?

 

[stilltheguru88]

Andy Benoit wrote that article, he watches alot of film. At any rate, I found the part about what Janoris Jenkins said about Dez far more interesting than the Prescott stuff.

Jenkins talked all that and with a few better Dak throws he got torched. Whatever

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Can we name a QB that established his greatness by succeeding in spite of being set up to fail? Who is this unicorn that sets the standard for Dak? Maybe Romo circa 2008-12? Is that the guy we need to see Dak be before we call him a great QB? Guess I'd rather continue seeing something other than a great QB leading an otherwise well-developed offence to 13-3 than go back to seeing a great QB compensating for the weaknesses around him enough to make a 3-13 team 8-8 or slightly better.

And whenever people talk about Zeke, do they mention he has the best run blocking OL, that is a big part of his success? Of course with Dak, it's always what's around him that he benifits from.

 

[Risen Star]

Fair to say that your observations could also have been made of Joe Montana?

No. Joe Montana had suspect arm strength. His mechanics were stellar. Prescott has a mediocre arm with mediocre mechanics. It's why he's so off the mark at times. His footwork is an issue.

 

[Teague31]

By this article Joe Montana is vastly overrated. I mean he had the greatest receiver of all time. A completely stupid article and premise. That's 3 minutes of my life I'll never get back

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

No. Joe Montana had suspect arm strength. His mechanics were stellar. Prescott has a mediocre arm with mediocre mechanics. It's why he's so off the mark at times. His footwork is an issue.

I can't speak to his footwork. Just don't know enough about QBing.

The arm strength is an obvious similarity. So is their cerebral bent. But the things that really defined Montana -- his leadership, poise and calmness under pressure -- often get attributed to Dak too (we've seen them, in fact). Could be that you don't recognize such "soft" skills. I actually think they can elevate a QB to greatness even if he has some mechanical issues to work out over time.

 

[DFWJC]

He's better than Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel, anyway.

On a related note, how good was Tony Romo? I guess we'll just never know.

All true.

My guess is that if Romo played with this young team on the rise for multiple years, Dallas wins at least one Super Bowl and probably more.. multiple chances anf teams usually do it.
We got a small glimpse of almost apples and apples in 2014, sans Sean Lee, etc.

Dak too, btw. With the team--especiaaly if the D keeps improving--the Cowboys will eventually win it all.

 

[guag]

 

[BigD5]

Let me see if I've got this right. 2014 we go 12-4 with Romo who everybody said sucked. Then we had two journeymen play QB in 2015 and we barely won 4 games to go 4-12. Last season Dak goes 13-2 and is 1-0 so far this season. And he did it without Dez for what 4 games or so? Also went TO Green Bay and TO Pittsburgh and won both. Had 4 or 5 come from behind wins.

But yea we still don't know if Dak is any good..

 

[Risen Star]

I can't speak to his footwork. Just don't know enough about QBing.

The arm strength is an obvious similarity. So is their cerebral bent. But the things that really defined Montana -- his leadership, poise and calmness under pressure -- often get attributed to Dak too (we've seen them, in fact). Could be that you don't recognize such "soft" skills. I actually think they can elevate a QB to greatness even if he has some mechanical issues to work out over time.

Or it could be you're a Cowboys fan laughably comparing Prescott to Montana.

Joe Montana could throw a 5 yard slant to a wide open receiver in the end zone.

 

[Dale]

The only element I disagree with is the notion that he has yet to play without a No. 1 receiver. He made his breakthrough with Dez sidelined, throwing to a receiving crew of Williams, Butler and Beasley. He's far from a guy whose life has been made easy just because of a No. 1 threat outside.

 

[Dundalis]

No. Joe Montana had suspect arm strength. His mechanics were stellar. Prescott has a mediocre arm with mediocre mechanics. It's why he's so off the mark at times. His footwork is an issue.

It's a good thing footwork is something that can improve exponentially with practice and experience and it's also a good thing Dak doesn't have to end up as good as Montana to be an elite franchise QB who could lead us to Superbowls and be a ridiculous steal of a 4th round pick.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I love how these writers mocked our lack of talent and incessantly claimed that without Romo we would be lucky to win 5 games. Then they just aren't sure how good of a QB Dak is and claim that he 'came into the league with a perfect situation.'

It takes a special talent to contradict yourself that much and do it with a straight face.





YR

 

[Aven8]

All true.

My guess is that if Romo played with this young team on the rise for multiple years, Dallas wins at least one Super Bowl and probably more.. multiple chances anf teams usually do it.
We got a small glimpse of almost apples and apples in 2014, sans Sean Lee, etc.

Dak too, btw. With the team--especiaaly if the D keeps improving--the Cowboys will eventually win it all.

Romo had that team in 2006 when he dropped the snap, and again in 2007. But it wasn't meant to be. And not to quote JG, but the NFL is hard. Only one champion every year and the rest a bunch of losers.

 

[percyhoward]

He's far from a guy whose life has been made easy just because of a No. 1 threat outside.

If you look at Dak's 15+ yard targets, you'll see that most of the success has been with guys other than Dez.

2016
Bryant 36 tgt 15 rec 400 yd 4 td 1 int 108.5
others 42 tgt 22 rec 567 yd 5 td 0 int 137.4

And if you look around at other teams with an elite WR the last few years, you'll see that this isn't the norm.

Lions 2011-13
Johnson 103.0
others 82.5

Broncos 2012-14
Thomas 112.5
others 101.8

Giants 2014-16
Beckham 100.3
others 70.5

Falcons 2014-16
Jones 102.4
others 81.6

Steelers 2014-16
Brown 106.3
others 93.3