Dak Prescott: Being Seen as MVP Front-Runner Means Cowboys Are Doing the Right Thing

Dak Prescott is more concerned with the Dallas Cowboys' recent success than he is about his MVP-caliber play.

"That this team, we're doing the right thing," Prescott explained when asked what being considered a front-runner for the award means to him (per Jon Machota of The Athletic). "We're winning games, first and foremost. What I play for is at the end of the year, we're one of the last teams and being the last team standing. Obviously, if my name is in those talks then we're putting ourselves in the right spot."

The Cowboys are currently on a five-game winning streak and own a record of 10-3, good enough for the top spot in the NFC East.

Prescott has been the driving force behind Dallas' high-powered offense. In 13 starts, he's thrown for 3,505 yards while tossing a league-leading 28 touchdown passes against just six interceptions. Despite running back Tony Pollard averaging a career-low 4.1 yards per carry, the Cowboys still own the NFL's highest-scoring offense due to the team's No. 2-ranked passing attack.

Prescott's 69.3 completion percentage and 107.5 passer raring this season are both career highs, while Dallas is on track to make its third consecutive playoff appearance. The former fourth-round pick knows that both he and the Cowboys will be judged based on their postseason performance, though.

Although the 30-year-old has led numerous playoff rosters and made multiple Pro Bowl appearances since he was named a starter as a rookie in 2016, the team's subpar performances in January have become a recurring issue. Despite making the postseason on four separate occasions since Prescott was drafted, the Cowboys have won just two games in the Wild Card round and have yet to make the NFC Championship game during his career.

This included the 2022-23 season, when Dallas fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. The team was only able to score 12 points in the contest, which led to offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and the front office making the "mutual decision" to part ways (via ESPN's Todd Archer).

While Prescott's team-oriented mindset is admirable, it would be an impressive individual accomplishment to be named the team's first MVP since Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith in 1993.