Decoding McCarthy, Wk 14 – NFL MVP Season?

After a big victory over Philly, the Cowboys have put themselves in a great position.

The Dallas Cowboys offense is on a tremendous roll and this homestand has done nothing to slow it down. They are clicking on all cylinders in a way that we have seldom seen. After another fireworks show from the offense where they scored 33, rolled up 394 yard, seldom were stopped, and still did not look like they played their best vs the Philadelphia Eagles demonstrates what we are dealing with right now.

We are seeing an offense that is good at everything they do.

Now, I know people get nervous when we talk about high accolades as it pertains to the Cowboys and their offense. I can already see the responses where we are told to wait until the playoffs and “get back to you” on whether this will translate into a trophy. But, here are the latest numbers that are up to date:

They rank at the very top or darn close in nearly everything. They are above league average in everything. They are making this thing look easy and the NFL is not an easy league – just ask almost everyone.

To be this good on offense, you have to have a marrying of solid scheme and excellent personnel. We are beginning to think they have finally struck this balance well. Through 13 games, they appear to have hit a stride we have seldom seen.

The quickest way to explain this would be the obvious: they are getting an MVP-caliber year from their QB1. Dak Prescott has leveled up. There is simply no denying it (although I am sure the confirmation of priors will lead us to familiar territories).

I am happy to raise my hand to take accountability for my strongly-worded paragraph in the Morning After their crushing defeat at San Francisco in Week 5:

At quarterback, the Cowboys needed their most important player to be part of the solution. For the third meeting in less than 21 months, Dak seemed a bigger part of the problem than the solution. Incidentally, 21 months ago, Brock Purdy was busy trying to get drafted and the Senior Bowl had decided that he wasn’t quite good enough to warrant an invitation. This sport is incredible. My belief after last year’s playoff game is the same as it is this morning – I would slam the brakes on any talk of a contract extension at this point and ponder the wisdom of a Prescott-era off ramp based on what we see in the remainder of this season.

Now, a few people have asked me to update them on how I feel about Prescott and where I am on this “off ramp” business, so that is a good place to start right now.

But, let’s not forget the last few words of that early-October phrasing:

“based on what we see in the remainder of this season.”

That right there was always my view and not some premise of launching him into the sun or throwing him to waivers. I have believed in this QB long before Mike McCarthy was hired, so I had no plans on bouncing after two consecutive 12-win seasons (soon to be three). But, we needed to see a response. A big one. And you may be holding out until January, but I am happy to report that since the Chargers game in Week 6 (the day of Game 2 of the ALCS in Houston, by the way), the Cowboys QB has been fantastic every week.

Below the blue line is his response. It is has been incredible and a real credit to his maturation process.

It is a sign that we have reached the point of his career where his mind has been educated about what defenses are trying to do against him and he has the answers to the test. We remember Tony Romo arriving here in 2014, but almost instantly having his body betray him. His intersection was about one season of peak mind and body. It is possible Dak, who just turned 30, could have many more seasons here. That is the most exciting part about what we are seeing right now.