When the 2016 Nfl Season started, most Dallas Cowboys fans saw doom and gloom when Tony Romo fell to injury and rookie Dak Prescott was thrown into the starting lineup. By the end of the season, Romo retired after Prescott led the Cowboys to the best record in the NFC and a playoff berth. Now, as Prescott starts his second season as the Dallas starting quarterback, he has a chance to do something that no other NFL quarterback has ever accomplished.
Dak's chance at a rare record
When rookie quarterbacks play right off the bat, there is a learning curve.
In his rookie season, Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman threw nine touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Peyton Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history threw 28 interceptions and 26 touchdowns in his rookie campaign.
In his first season in the NFL, Dak Prescott threw 23 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback threw 459 passes in his rookie season. After throwing 39 attempted passes in the opening game of the 2017 NFL season, he is only two pass attempts away from 500. If he throws those next two passes without tossing a pick, he will become the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for less than five interceptions in their first 500 passes.
Dak Prescott is a special quarterback
“I think he is a good decision-maker. He values the football,” Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett told ESPN. “He understands the importance of it.”
When the 2016 NFL season started, a lot of conversation went into the NFC East rivals Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams started rookie quarterbacks with one huge difference.
Carson Wentz was one of the top players taken overall in the 2016 NFL Draft and Dak Prescott was taken later as a backup.
By the end of the season, the Dallas Cowboys won 13 games and Dak Prescott was called one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Carson Wentz and his Eagles missed the playoffs. Wentz was not bad in his rookie season.
He threw 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, which are better numbers than Troy Aikman in his rookie season. He threw two touchdowns and one interception in the opening game this year.
However, when it comes to setting the bar, Dak Prescott has really raised the level of play in the NFL right now. He wasn't as accurate in his opening game this season with the Dallas Cowboys but they still won and he still didn't throw any interceptions. That is what the Cowboys need from their new leader and he is delivering the goods.
