Dak Prescott's MVP Case Isn’t Dead-And Neither Are the Cowboys' Playoff Hopes
As Week 15 kicks off, Dak Prescott leads the NFL in passing yards-a stat that would typically have MVP buzz swirling around a quarterback. But with the Dallas Cowboys sitting at 6-6-1, hovering just above .500, that early-season MVP chatter has cooled off considerably.
Cooled off? Sure.
But dead? Not quite.
The Cowboys are still in the playoff hunt, albeit hanging on by a thread. The math is simple, if not exactly favorable: Dallas needs to win out over the final four games and hope the division-leading Eagles extend their current three-game skid with at least two more losses. It's a tightrope walk, but not impossible.
Prescott, for his part, isn’t pretending he doesn’t know what’s going on in Philly.
“I’m going to root against them regardless,” he said with a grin when asked about the Eagles.
That’s the competitor in him. But beyond the NFC East race, there’s another storyline worth watching: Could Prescott still play his way back into the MVP conversation?
It’s a long shot, but not out of the question.
The Numbers Tell a Story
Prescott has quietly put together one of his most efficient seasons to date. He’s currently sporting the league’s best QBR at 73.4-better than MVP frontrunners Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford, who are both leading No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences. That’s not just a footnote; it’s a statement.
What’s helped Prescott stand out is how effectively he’s spread the ball around. He’s built strong connections with both George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, creating a dynamic passing attack that’s been tough to contain when Dallas is clicking.
That stretch after the Cowboys acquired defensive tackle Quinnen Williams-when they rattled off three straight wins, including prime-time victories over the Raiders and Chiefs-was peak Prescott. He looked poised, in control, and every bit the leader of a team ready to make noise.
The Prime-Time Problem
But then came the letdown.
A prime-time loss to the Lions snapped that winning streak and dealt a serious blow to Dallas’ playoff odds, which now sit at just 10% according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. That kind of stumble, especially under the bright lights, doesn’t help an MVP campaign.
As much as voters try to look at the full body of work, those nationally televised games matter. They’re pressure cookers, and they shape perception-fair or not.
Prescott knows this better than most. Being the quarterback of "America’s Team" means your highs are amplified and your lows are dissected. But it also means there’s always another opportunity to rewrite the story.
Another Shot in Prime Time
That next opportunity comes Sunday night, with the Minnesota Vikings coming to town for a nationally televised showdown. Dallas is favored by seven, and it’s the kind of stage Prescott has thrived on before.
If he delivers another big performance-and if the Cowboys can string together wins down the stretch-Prescott’s MVP case could start gaining traction again. It’s not just about stats anymore; it’s about narrative. And nothing builds a better narrative than a quarterback leading a late-season surge, dragging his team into the postseason, and doing it all with the spotlight squarely on him.
Eyes on the Prize
Let’s be clear: Prescott’s focus isn’t on winning an MVP trophy. It’s on winning games. But in this final month of the season, those two goals might just go hand in hand.
If Dak keeps dealing, and Dallas keeps winning, the conversation could shift quickly. Because while the MVP race may have cooled, it’s far from settled-and Prescott isn’t out of it just yet.