Decoding McCarthy, Wk 12 - The Best Dak Ever?

Is Mike McCarthy bringing out the best of yet another QB he coaches? It sure looks like it.

It certainly continues to amaze and entertain to see Dak Prescott playing at the top of his game. I don’t mean to get carried away, but the numbers are difficult to argue with. As I have said in the past, this is what Mike McCarthy has done:

What do Aaron Brooks, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and now Dak Prescott have in common? Mike McCarthy drastically improved their play when he started working with them. In fact, you could argue that he has never NOT brought out the best in a starting-caliber QB. I am sorry if this goes against the narratives you have been fed, but the numbers tell the true story.

Here is what we are seeing about Dak Prescott since his offensive line returned and the Cowboys started making their offensive changes:

Dak before Week 6 (5 games): 5 TDs/4 INTs, 65.6 QBR (8th), 6.6 YPA (24th)

Dak since Week 6 (6 games): 18 TDs/2 INTs, 80.9 QBR (1st), 8.9 YPA (2nd)

I would argue that deserves a “wow,” don’t you?

Here is a screenshot of the ESPN.com game log and gee whiz:

Now, if you read #SturmStack every week, you know I have been logging the many changes to the offense. One, in particular, that jumps out is the “outside the tackle box” of Dak’s actions and getting his game on the move. The numbers for the season are certainly based on using it in moderation, but what if you got him moving 6-to-8 times a game instead of 2 or 3? Would that improve his game?

Well, again, it is barely approaching 15% of his throws, but look at the rating, the YPA, and the completion rates:

He is a “move player” and when you can employ all of his talents, it is a great thing. I figured since some of you are big nerds like me, you might want to see the 3 TD’s that Next Gen Stats suggested were “out of tackle box” TD passes from Dak this season.