Why is Dak Prescott not in the NFL MVP conversation again?

With a 12-5 record, the Dallas Cowboys have cruised into the postseason as NFC East champions, knocking off last season's Super Bowl-appearing Philadelphia Eagles. The ring itself has evaded the Cowboys, but pretty much every season, the NFL's money-making machine manages to stay relevant and in the conversation when the calendar flips to the new year.

Dak Prescott has become a magnet for criticism, discussion, and microanalysis since taking over as the Cowboys starting quarterback in the post-Tony Romo era, and given Romo's greatness did not preclude him from such discussions, it's not a bad thing that Prescott is put under a microscope. As the saying goes, facing pressure means you did something to earn that pressure in the first place.

Yet because Prescott's own fanbase often seems to be the most critical of him, it seems easy for the national spotlight to underestimate his qualities as a franchise quarterback, as much as his salary and status as "the guy" in Dallas have been open to being picked apart. The numbers consistently portray Prescott as a top ten quarterback in the NFL, and the 2023 season has been no different.

When looking at the Cowboys' performance as a team, juxtaposed with that of other contenders with touted quarterbacks, it's fair to wonder why Prescott isn't seen as an even bigger MVP candidate than he is this season.

Dak Prescott deserves attention in NFL MVP competition

Prescott is second in the league behind Brock Purdy in QB Rating, even though Purdy gets to work with an arguably stronger MVP candidate than himself in Christian McCaffrey. Yes, Prescott does get helped by Brandin Cooks and CeeDee Lamb, but there's a difference between being supported by an elite running back in terms of what it opens up offensively.

There are other impressive numbers for Prescott to tout. The Cowboys signal-caller is fourth in passing yards per game and leads the league with 36 passing touchdowns despite throwing just nine interceptions. He has a higher volume of positive plays with an interception percentage a full point below Purdy's, for the sake of comparison.

There are other great MVP candidates, make no mistake about it. Even just looking at the quarterback position, CJ Stroud has an excellent argument because of the way he has carried the Houston Texans, who would be hapless without the league's leading passer in terms of yardage per game. Lamar Jackson has the fourth-best QB Rating and 821 yards on the ground as the leading man for the only 13-win team in the NFL regular season.

Arguing Prescott vs. Jackson vs. Stroud is difficult, especially since Stroud's situation is so unique. Jackson may even have a leg-up because of the Ravens team success, yet Prescott has an in-between argument in the sense that like Stroud, he is elevating the Cowboys greatly but that like Jackson, he's quarterbacking a team to greatness.

The point isn't that Prescott is definitively a better MVP candidate than those two, though his passing numbers across the board are statistically superior. No, the larger point is that Prescott needs to be in the discussion - and not just at the periphery of the discussion but at the center of it.

After leading the league in interceptions last season, Prescott is back to posting a QB rating well over 100 with the 'Boys reaching 12 wins again. Better yet, he is leading the league in touchdowns, putting points on the board while showing a cool head in difficult situations to lead the Cowboys to important, narrow wins in the battle to win the division.

Prescott is legitimately one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He is consistent from game to game, he delivers in clutch moments, and he can make plays with his arm when his team needs him to come through down the field or in a tight window on third down. Far from relying on the stars around him, Prescott has been key to helping Lamb, for example, fulfill his potential as a future Cowboys icon. Coming up with a case against Prescott for MVP is exceedingly difficult, and if he were to fall short of this award, it would be more about arguments FOR Jackson (or even Stroud or a non-QB) rather than arguments AGAINST the Cowboys star.