Dak Prescott once again finds himself in elite company

Social media is a strange place most of the time, but the strangeness gets taken up a notch when it comes to Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.

There are two types of people online. Those who strongly support him, and those who do anything and everything to tear him down.

Despite all of the good things Prescott has done in his career, he is only graded on his failures. Some failures are team efforts, but Dak takes the brunt of those as well.

NFL Gameday shared an interesting stat recently that will throw the Dak resisters into an unmitigated fury.

If you are not a fan of Dak Prescott, turn away. You aren’t going to like this graphic.

Graphic credit @NFLGameday

Prescott has led the Cowboys’ offense to heights only accomplished by two quarterbacks already in the NFL Hall of Fame, and another two who are locks for it.

Today we will be comparing Dak’s achievement with the other four quarterbacks on this list based on their supporting cast.

First, let’s look at Dak’s numbers in the current three year span.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott 2020-22

Points per game average: 31.3
Offensive Coordinator: Kellen Moore
Key Contributors: Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Noah Brown, Dalton Schultz

Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense have had quite a run since Dak was drafted in 2016.

It really got kicked into gear midway through the 2018 season after trading for Amari Cooper.

Cowboys’ brass recognized that the offense lacked weapons for Prescott after starting the season 3-4 headed into the bye week.

Dallas went 7-2 after the trade for Cooper. Dak won the first playoff game of his career at home versus Seattle before losing in the Divisional round at the Rams.

Prescott only started five games in the 2020 season before heading to injured reserve after suffering a compound fracture on his ankle versus the New York Giants.

Prior to that unfortunate scramble, Dak was in the early MVP conversation.

In the four full games to start the season, the Cowboys averaged 31.5 points per game behind Prescott.

He surpassed the 450 yard mark in three consecutive games, and had a total of 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

The 2021 season was arguably the best season of Dak’s career, even though it ended with a Wildcard loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Armed with weapons Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Dalton Schultz as pass catchers, Prescott was impressive.

He threw for 4,449 yards at a 68.8% completion rate with a 37:10 touchdown to interception ratio.

In 2022, Prescott faced much adversity. A loss to Tampa Bay in the opener had injury added to insult in the form of a broken finger that sidelined him for five games.

Upon his return, it appeared the finger injury affected him greatly. He finished the 2022 season with a whopping 15 interceptions in just 12 games played.

Despite the uncharacteristic turnover problem, Prescott and Cowboys sent Tom Brady into retirement by jumping out to a 31-0 lead in the Wildcard round.

The Boogeymen by the Bay again squashed the Cowboys’ hopes of a sixth Lombardi Trophy by ousting Dallas in Levi’s Stadium in the Divisional round.

Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense had an incredible three year stretch, but only have one Wildcard win to show for it.

Saints QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees 2018-20

Points per game average: 32.5
Offensive Coordinator: Sean Payton/Pete Carmichael
Key Contributors: Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Jared Cook

Drew Brees is an absolute lock for the NFL Hall of Fame.

With four 5,000 yard passing seasons and 571 touchdown passes, Brees was lighting up defenses his entire career.

His last three years in the league could be the best three seasons of his storied career.

The Texas native set personal records for completion percentage (74.4) and QB Rating (116.3) in this three year span.

Led by weapons Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas in 2018, Brees got closer to the Super Bowl as any other season since his 2009 championship run.

Unfortunately, officiating kept him from securing a berth in the big game.

An absolutely egregious no-call on a defensive pass interference by the Rams’ defense sent Brees and the Saints back into the Superdome locker room with their heads hanging.

Injuries limited Brees to only 23 games played in 2019 and 2020. However, the offense still soared with him under center.

Led by Michael Thomas’ single season NFL record 149 receptions, the Saints cruised to a 13-3 record, but once again suffered a loss that was out of Brees’ hands.

As a sports fan, you must be familiar with the Minneapolis Miracle.

The Saints defense only needed to stop a desperation drive by QB Case Keenum and the Vikings to move on to the Divisional round.

Stefon Diggs ran a corner route and Keenum hit him right in the numbers.

Saints rookie safety Marcus Williams whiffed on the tackle, and the rest is history.

Brees and New Orleans cruised to another NFC South division win in 2020, but were ousted by another legend quarterbacking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tom Brady sent Brees into retirement with yet another crushing playoff loss in the Divisional round.

The three year run for Brees and the Saints’ offense resulted in two playoff wins, and three gut-wrenching losses.

Denver, USA – JANUARY 19: Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots AFC Championship at Sports Authority Field. The Denver Broncos defeat the New England Patriots. Peyton Manning celebrates after the win. (Photo by Anthony J. Causi)

Peyton Manning 2012-14

Points per game average: 32.7
Offensive Coordinator: Mike McCoy, Adam Gase
Key Contributors: Willis McGahee, Knowshon Moreno, Montee Ball, CJ Anderson, Ronnie Hillman, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Brandon Stokley, Wes Welker, Emmanuel Sanders, Jacob Tamme, Julius Thomas

Personally, I think Peyton Manning is the best quarterback to ever play the game.

He may not have the team accolades to match up with other quarterbacks, but he essentially served as his own offensive coordinator for the majority of his seasons.

Manning showed he had more than enough left in the tank after the neck injury that prompted the Indianapolis Colts to release him after 13 seasons.

John Elway and the Denver Broncos were happy to scoop him up, and it paid immediate dividends.

The 2012 season and Manning era in Denver started off slow, with losses in three of the first five games.

Manning and the offense kicked it into gear after that, winning 11 straight games to finish the regular season.

Their season ended in the Divisional round to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.

Don’t fault Manning, who led the Broncos offense to 35 points.

The 2012 season proved to be a warmup for the record-setting 2013 campaign.

The addition of Wes Welker to an already potent stable of weapons pushed the Broncos to the upper echelon of the NFL.

Welker created a deadly trio of wide receivers that also included Eric Decker and the late Demaryius Thomas to go along with upstart tight end Julius Thomas.

Manning set NFL records (since eclipsed) for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55) to lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl was a disaster, however. The historic offense was held to only eight points by one of the better defenses in NFL history.

Following the Super Bowl defeat, the Broncos returned to the playoffs, only to be upset by Andrew Luck and the Colts.

The historic three year run resulted in two playoff wins and an embarrassing loss in the Super Bowl.

Patriots QB Tom Brady

Tom Brady 2010-12

Points per game average: 33.1
Offensive Coordinator: Bill Belichick, Bill O’Brien, Josh McDaniels
Key Contributors: Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, Stevan Ridley, Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Brandon Lloyd, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez

Tom Brady’s GOAT status is often credited to incredible defenses and coaching around him his entire career.

The Patriots’ three year stretch as one of the league’s top offenses disputes that narrative.

Looking at the key contributors for that span of time, no players jump out as game-changers besides Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker.

In 2010, Brady led New England to a league best 14-2 record, but was upset in the Divisional round by the AFC East rival Jets.

Fueled by that disappointment, Brady returned in 2011 with a then career high 5,235 yards passing to lead the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl.

The 2011 season featured a trio of Welker and young tight ends Gronkowski and the late Aaron Hernandez. They caught 122, 90, and 79 passes respectively.

For the second time in his career, Brady lost a Super Bowl he was favored to win at the hands of Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

Returning at 35 years old for the 2012 season, Brady nearly eclipsed 5,000 yards passing for the second year in a row, finishing with a 12-4 record.

The Super Bowl would again evade him, as the Patriots’ offense stalled in the Divisional round with a 24-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Brady’s historical three year run resulted in three playoff wins and a Super Bowl loss.

Rams QB Kurt Warner

Kurt Warner 1999-01

Points per game average: 33.2
Offensive Coordinator: Mike Martz, Bobby Jackson
Key Contributors: Marshall Faulk, Trung Canidate, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim

Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz and unlikely hero Kurt Warner are the authors of the famed Greatest Show on Turf.

In an absolutely incredible three year offensive run, Warner and the Rams had one of the most exciting offenses in NFL history.

Thrust into the starting role after a preseason injury to starting QB Trent Green in 1999, Warner made the most of his opportunity.

His improbable rise from grocery store employee to starting quarterback in the NFL ended with an MVP season and Super Bowl win.

No offense was faster or more elusive than the Rams, featuring RB Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.

Warner missed five games in 2000 with injury, but the offense was even more electric than the previous season.

He threw for the most yards per game (312.7) and yards per completion (14.7) in his career.

Heartbreak ensued when the offense was shut down in a 10-7 Divisional round loss to the Saints.

Looking to bounce back from a 2000 season that was cut short, the 2001 Rams team was special.

Warner set career highs in almost every passing metric on his way to his second MVP season in three years.

The Rams reached the Super Bowl after a 14-2 record, only to be upset by the next great quarterback to see an NFL field, Tom Brady.

Warner’s record-setting three year run ended with five playoff wins, a Super Bowl win, and a Super Bowl loss.

Of this list, the only quarterback to actually win a Super Bowl in their three year top offensive window was Kurt Warner.

Maybe having the highest scoring offense isn’t the recipe for the ultimate success.

I’ll let you debate that. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy seeing Dak Prescott take the Cowboys’ offense to new and exciting heights.