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Dak Prescott may have been one of the finest players moving into 2022 if not for his season-ending injury in 2020. He was on track for 6,000+ throwing yards in fewer than five full games that year. Instead, two ankle surgeries later, Prescott returned to near-elite throwing form last year, but he still lacks the “wow” season that fans seek for in a consistently high-performing quarterback. Will he finally have that big season now? Let's look at some Dak Prescott predictions for the 2022 NFL season.
One good news for Cowboys fans is that Prescott claims he's in the “greatest form of my life” following a healthy offseason. He recently told the media that he hired a full-time personal trainer this offseason. We're hoping his performance will hold up to what he has proclaimed about his health.
Prescott wants to lead the Cowboys back to the playoffs and be considered among the best QBs in the game today. Can he succeed? Here are three bold predictions for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's 2022 NFL season.
Dak Prescott makes his views on Tom Brady clear ahead of Cowboys' prime time clash against Buccaneers to kickstart 2022 NFL campaign https://t.co/pqC5JtTicc
— Sportskeeda Pro Football (@SKProFootball) September 5, 2022
3. Prescott passes for 4,200 yards and 30 TDs
Sure, Dak Prescott has lost Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson Jr., as well as Michael Gallup and James Washington. He still has a better supporting cast than most quarterbacks, though. Don't forget that the Cowboys are still headlined by the rising CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz, as well as promising newcomer Jalbert Tolbert.
Last season, Prescott's backfield also had the 10th most targets in the NFL. With a recurrence of 2021's passing stats, he should exceed expectations. Having this in mind, don't be surprised if he passes for 4,200+ yards for only the third time in his career. It also shouldn't come as a shock for him to record 30+ touchdowns (mostly passing) this coming season.
2. Prescott finishes among the top ten QBs — statistically
Whatever your feel about the Dallas Cowboys going into the 2022 regular season, you should be happy about Prescott. At 29, he is coming off probably the greatest season of his career. Recall that he threw for a career-high 37 touchdown passes and had a 104.2 Quarterback Rating. That's his highest rating since his rookie season.
Dak Prescott reinforced his case to be named among the greatest quarterbacks in the NFL after establishing himself in a big way coming off such a catastrophic string of injuries. And while many believe Prescott is one of the league's finest at his position, that perception isn't shared by everybody when compared to other quarterbacks in the league.
He has the talent, but can he produce and win like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and most recently, Matthew Stafford? Maybe not, but does that mean he's in the same tier as say, Derek Carr or Russell Wilson?
Admittedly, it's reasonable to wonder how the Cowboys' offseason acquisitions may affect Prescott's on-field performance. Still, placing him alongside or even beneath the likes of Carr and Wilson seems wrong. Take note that Prescott outperformed both in practically every meaningful statistic. That includes completion percentage, touchdown passes, and quarterback rating in 2021.
One might even argue that, while they both had excellent seasons last year, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert should rate below Prescott, at least statistically speaking. Prescott is just too good and too productive to not be among the top ten QBs. Not it's time to get the wins to go along with those numbers.
1. Prescott leads Dallas atop NFC East again
The Cowboys, who won the division last year, are favorites to repeat because of their skill on both sides of the ball. Even with left tackle Tyron Smith out with a hamstring injury, Dallas should remain a solid pick to win the NFC East.
Keep in mind that the team's improvement from 6-10 to 12-5 last season was due to the return of quarterback Dak Prescott. He missed 11 games in 2020. Still, the youthful defense that took off under first-year coach Dan Quinn was also significant.
Last year, the former Falcons head coach had Dallas playing fast and wreaking havoc. In fact, they had an NFL-high 34 takeaways. The pass rush was led by Defensive Player of the Year contender Micah Parsons. They generated opportunities for the secondary. That in turn, featured Trevon Diggs, who should rule again in 2022.
Of course, a lengthy playoff run will necessitate improved postseason performance from none other than Prescott. His team led the NFL in scoring with 31.2 points per game, but he struggled down the stretch in 2021. This included a terrible effort in the Cowboys' 23-17 home wild-card defeat to the 49ers. Remember that Prescott is now 1-3 in postseason games, and that record will be a hot topic in January. If Dak Prescott can lead the Cowboys not just into the postseason but past a couple of rounds, then there would no longer be any questions about his elite status in the NFL. He's the sheriff in town, and he better let them know.
