Why the "Dak is elite" narrative is so flawed

[Ken]

Dak broke some franchise records in 2021. I'm not here to deny that. What I will deny, though, is the significance and relevance of those records.

QB stats in 2021 are very disproportionately inflated, even compared to ~15 years ago. Take a look at this:

In the 2005-2006 season

• 11 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. One threw for 30+TDs (C. Palmer).
• Not a single QB threw for over 4,500 yards. Only two QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

In the 2006-2007 season

• 10 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. One threw for 30+TDs (P. Manning).
• Not a single QB threw for over 4,500 yards. Only two QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

"Greatness" is relative to the the era of NFL that a QB plays. Style of play and pass-happy rules in 2021 makes the NFL a drastically different league than it was even 15 years ago.

In the 2021-2022 season

• 19 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. 9 threw for 30+TDs.
• 6 QBs threw for over 4,500 yards. 10 QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

And for those who will invariably try to "get me" by pointing out the 17 game schedule this year, more QBs threw for 30+ TDs in 2020 than 2021 and more QBs threw for over 4,000 yards in 2020 than 2021.

If he were teleported to 2005 and became the Cowboys starting QB, Dak would throw for 19 TDs and ~3,400 yards. That's just the reality. He'd be the equivalent of Kerry Collins or Gus Frerotte. A $40 million Gus Frerotte LOL!

People need to stop conflating gaudy passing stats to greatness. Greatness is much more nuanced than the # of passing TDs a guy has. Great players have "it" when the pressure is on. Dak doesn't.

Watch this video.. it summarizes what I'm saying very well

I mean i understand the changing of the times/rules/Mindset of the nfl, i really do.

But you are not dogging the qb for finishing 4th in TDs, 3rd in rating, and 7th in yards, 3rd in completion percentage.

Those are measured the same against all of the "OMGz ELITE" qbs in the league right now.

 

[KJJ]

I am a fan of the Dallas Cowboys. That's why I am here. Just because we have a bum QB doesn't make me any less of a Dallas Cowboys fan.

Ya'll easily confuse Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys and make it as if Dak is just as big as the team.

You need to be better about that. We all don't share that mindset.

You may be a fan but you certainly aren’t a knowledgeable fan if you think the QB we have is a bum. You make it sound like Dak is the sole reason the Cowboys didn’t advance in the playoffs. Any fan who puts this season all on Dak doesn’t have a clue. All I ever see you do is trash him. It’s constant! Nothing you post about him is constructive, it’s continuous bashing.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

I've been saying this for years.
It's so basic and obvious.

Numbers have been steadily rising for QBs almost every single year since the 90s
A 90 passer rating in 2005 is basically a 100+ rating in 2021.

Compare players to their peers in or around the same years.
How many times were they top 5 in a given season for example.

Well there were even articles of the NFL discussing how to raise the points per game in the league back when Romo was playing. So obviously, the trend is part of what the NFL planned to happen along with rules to protect the QB and Receivers. I think people purposefully ignore all those plus 17 game seasons for why records are being broken.

 

[5Stars]

I’m right there with you on that. Romo had that “it” factor to a certain degree, but we never got to see him make something out of it, so I can’t and won’t get mad at others when they say he wasn’t that good. Like Parcells said, you are what your record says you are.

And he said after three years you are what you are. Loved me some Parcells.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

You may be a fan but you certainly aren’t a knowledgeable fan if you think the QB we have is a bum. You make it sound like Dak is the sole reason the Cowboys didn’t advance in the playoffs. Any fan who puts this season all on Dak doesn’t have a clue. All I ever see you do is trash him. It’s constant! Nothing you post about him is constructive, it’s continuous bashing.

Are you upset that I'm talking about Dak in a Dak thread?

What else did you expect? If you don't like to see people talking about Dak then don't look at Dak threads.

 

[Aviano90]

Elite is one of the most overused and misused terms in sports right now. Dak is nowhere near elite.

 

[jwooten15]

I mean i understand the changing of the times/rules/Mindset of the nfl, i really do.

But you are not dogging the qb for finishing 4th in TDs, 3rd in rating, and 7th in yards, 3rd in completion percentage.

Those are measured the same against all of the "OMGz ELITE" qbs in the league right now.

You make a valid point, man. You really do. There are definitely multiple sides to this discussion! But I feel that a lot of posters here will exclusively use those stats to prop Dak up as if he’s done something noteworthy.

Stats don’t make you great. Winning makes you great. And more specifically, winning the big games and playing a large part in achieving those victories is what makes you great.

That’s something Dak has not done, as of yet. And a lot of guys, past and present, have put up less impressive stats than Dak does, but they achieve greatness through success. The people I have is people arguing that 38 TDs means he’s great.

 

[jwooten15]

Elite is one of the most overused and misused terms in sports right now. Dak is nowhere near elite.

Same with the term “generational talent”. I cringe every time I hear that stupid phrase now

 

[TwentyOne]

What Romo did 15 years ago is much more impressive than what Dak did this year.

And I believe both guys are losers.

And you are right.

 

[DFWJC]

Compare players to other players in the years they played.

I'm fine with using Romo as an example, but we can pick anyone.

He played 8 seasons where he started most of the games

I guess we can try passer rating among his peers each year

• 1 year 1st overall
• 4 of 8 years top 5 or better
• 8 of 8 years top 10 or better
• 0 years not in the top 10

Haven't done someone like Rodgers, but I'm guessing there is an awful lot of top 5s or higher....probably almost every year.

 

[KJJ]

Are you upset that I'm talking about Dak in a Dak thread?

What else did you expect? If you don't like to see people talking about Dak then don't look at Dak threads.

I take offense that you’re posting BS. You claimed Dak is a bum and that what Romo did in 2007 was much more impressive than what Dak did this season. That’s BS! Are you not clued up enough to know that? You might want to go back and review Romo’s 2007 season. Say what you will about Dak but be honest.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

I take offense that you’re posting BS. You claimed what Romo did in 2007 was much more impressive than what Dak did this season. That’s BS! Are you not clued up enough to know that? You might want to go back and review Romo’s 2007 season. Say what you will about Dak but be honest.

You take offense to it? hahaha

Stop being emotional. If you don't like it, ignore it.

 

[TwentyOne]

Dak broke some franchise records in 2021. I'm not here to deny that. What I will deny, though, is the significance and relevance of those records.

QB stats in 2021 are very disproportionately inflated, even compared to ~15 years ago. Take a look at this:

In the 2005-2006 season

• 11 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. One threw for 30+TDs (C. Palmer).
• Not a single QB threw for over 4,500 yards. Only two QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

In the 2006-2007 season

• 10 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. One threw for 30+TDs (P. Manning).
• Not a single QB threw for over 4,500 yards. Only two QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

"Greatness" is relative to the the era of NFL that a QB plays. Style of play and pass-happy rules in 2021 makes the NFL a drastically different league than it was even 15 years ago.

In the 2021-2022 season

• 19 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. 9 threw for 30+TDs.
• 6 QBs threw for over 4,500 yards. 10 QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

And for those who will invariably try to "get me" by pointing out the 17 game schedule this year, more QBs threw for 30+ TDs in 2020 than 2021 and more QBs threw for over 4,000 yards in 2020 than 2021.

If he were teleported to 2005 and became the Cowboys starting QB, Dak would throw for 19 TDs and ~3,400 yards. That's just the reality. He'd be the equivalent of Kerry Collins or Gus Frerotte. A $40 million Gus Frerotte LOL!

People need to stop conflating gaudy passing stats to greatness. Greatness is much more nuanced than the # of passing TDs a guy has. Great players have "it" when the pressure is on. Dak doesn't.

Watch this video.. it summarizes what I'm saying very well

No need in trying to prove something about Dak anymore.
People have enough material to make their own opinion about him.

Those fanboys who still claim that he is a good QB will not change their minds even with arguments.

 

[Cowpolk]

You may be a fan but you certainly aren’t a knowledgeable fan if you think the QB we have is a bum. You make it sound like Dak is the sole reason the Cowboys didn’t advance in the playoffs. Any fan who puts this season all on Dak doesn’t have a clue. All I ever see you do is trash him. It’s constant! Nothing you post about him is constructive, it’s continuous bashing.

He is all knowing and speaks for all of us And is an Egirls fan. I can tell by the way he types

 

[Ranching]

Dak broke some franchise records in 2021. I'm not here to deny that. What I will deny, though, is the significance and relevance of those records.

QB stats in 2021 are very disproportionately inflated, even compared to ~15 years ago. Take a look at this:

In the 2005-2006 season

• 11 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. One threw for 30+TDs (C. Palmer).
• Not a single QB threw for over 4,500 yards. Only two QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

In the 2006-2007 season

• 10 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. One threw for 30+TDs (P. Manning).
• Not a single QB threw for over 4,500 yards. Only two QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

"Greatness" is relative to the the era of NFL that a QB plays. Style of play and pass-happy rules in 2021 makes the NFL a drastically different league than it was even 15 years ago.

In the 2021-2022 season

• 19 QBs passed for more than 20 TDs. 9 threw for 30+TDs.
• 6 QBs threw for over 4,500 yards. 10 QBs threw for over 4,000 yards.

And for those who will invariably try to "get me" by pointing out the 17 game schedule this year, more QBs threw for 30+ TDs in 2020 than 2021 and more QBs threw for over 4,000 yards in 2020 than 2021.

If he were teleported to 2005 and became the Cowboys starting QB, Dak would throw for 19 TDs and ~3,400 yards. That's just the reality. He'd be the equivalent of Kerry Collins or Gus Frerotte. A $40 million Gus Frerotte LOL!

People need to stop conflating gaudy passing stats to greatness. Greatness is much more nuanced than the # of passing TDs a guy has. Great players have "it" when the pressure is on. Dak doesn't.

Watch this video.. it summarizes what I'm saying very well

The same goes for all the other modern QBs.....so, what's the issue?

 

[KJJ]

You take offense to it? hahaha

Stop being emotional. If you don't like it, ignore it.

You’re the one being emotional you can’t stop bashing Dak. Lol Hard to ignore the crap you’re posting. If I see BS being spewed I call posters on it.

 

[KJJ]

Are you upset that I'm talking about Dak in a Dak thread?

I’ve seen you bashing him in a number of non Dak threads. Care to deny it? You just look for every opportunity to trash him because you have an agenda.

 

[Cowpolk]

You’re the one being emotional you can’t stop bashing Dak. Lol Hard to ignore the crap you’re posting. If I see BS being spewed I call posters on it.

He thinks I'm a Dak fan

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

You’re the one being emotional you can’t stop bashing Dak. Lol Hard to ignore the crap you’re posting. If I see BS being spewed I call posters on it.

Good for you.

You're such a hero lol

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

I’ve seen you bashing him in a number of non Dak threads. Care to deny it? You just look for every opportunity to trash him because you have an agenda.

Wahhhhh

If it bothers you then good.