DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The NFL MVP race is heating up, and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is squarely in the mix through the first six weeks of the season.
With Prescott leading the charge, the Cowboys are 5-1 and hold a three-game lead over the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East.
Prescott’s terrific performance this past Sunday against the New England Patriots, where he threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to receiver CeeDee Lamb in overtime, has the Cowboys building momentum as they hit their bye week.
Prescott's three touchdowns on Sunday gave him 16 on the season, which is tied for third in the NFL with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. He is also second in completion percentage (73.1%), fifth in passing yards (1,813) and fourth in QB rating (115.0). Additionally, according to Cowboys PR, Prescott recorded his ninth career 400-yard passing game in Week 6, which is the most in franchise history, and tied Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers for eighth in NFL history.
The former Mississippi St. product appears to be playing the best football of his career despite suffering a gruesome ankle injury last season, forcing him to undergo multiple surgeries. His command of the offense has been on full display, as Dallas has the No. 1 scoring unit in the NFL this season, averaging 34.2 points per game.
But where does Prescott stand in the MVP hunt?
There’s no doubt that he's the leading candidate for NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, and his play through six games shows that he is worthy of that distinction.
And as for his MVP candidacy, his stats are on par, if not better than his fellow competitors. They include Kyler Murray, the quarterback of the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been the all-everything offense for a Baltimore team that has been ravaged by injuries, ageless Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Buffalo's Josh Allen, and Stafford.
If you're a gambling man or woman, Prescott is now tied with Murray for the best odds to win NFL MVP at +400, according to BetMGM. Allen (+450), Brady (+900), and Stafford (+1000) round out the top 5.
But what will separate Prescott from the rest of the bunch? Winning. And the Cowboys should do a lot of that the rest of the way with matchups against the WFT (twice), the Falcons, Giants and Eagles still to come.
And the more you win, the closer you get to, dare I say it, Super Bowl contention.
Under Prescott's leadership, the experts are starting to believe the Cowboys are legitimate championship contenders. And with upcoming games against the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Murray, Prescott will have the opportunity to solidify his MVP candidacy in front of a national audience.
And should the Cowboys win double-digit games, and solidify a top-two seed in the NFC, it will be very hard to deny Prescott from winning his first NFL MVP.
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The only caveat to add here is the fact that Prescott is currently nursing a strained right calf muscle, which he suffered on the final play of the Cowboys walk-off win Sunday in Foxborough.
The Cowboys have expressed optimism that their star quarterback will be available for their Halloween night matchup in Minnesota. And if he wants to keep pace in the MVP conversation, he'll need to be on the field.
