After the New York Jets took down the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, Mike Greenberg went on his ESPN show, Get Up, and stated that Sam Darnold is a better quarterback than Dak Prescott. Considering that Greenberg is a known Jets fan, it is likely that he made the statement with some bias behind it.
With that being said, is Darnold truly a better quarterback than Prescott? Let's dive into both sides of the argument and decipher who is better at the position.
Darnold was drafted by the Jets with the third-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of USC. Since his arrival in New York, the former Trojan has started in just 15 games due to injuries and an illness earlier this season.
In those 15 games, Darnold has completed just 59.5 percent of his passes for 3,378 yards, 2o touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Among those numbers, 513 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception have come in his two starts this season.
Above all, Darnold owns a less-than-ideal 5-10 record as the starting signal-caller of the Jets. On the other hand, Prescott has been a proven winner for the Cowboys.
Prescott was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Mississipi State. Over the past four years, Prescott has been an absolute steal for Dallas considering he was a mid-round selection. There aren't many teams in the NFL who can find a franchise quarterback on day two or three of the draft.
From the moment that he stepped foot in Dallas, Prescott became a difference-maker in the offense. In his rookie season, the Cowboys quarterback threw for 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Most importantly, Prescott led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record in 2016 and won the NFC East. Unfortunately, the rookie quarterback was just three points away from defeating Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Then, over his past 38 starts, he has thrown for 3,031 yards, 55 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions. In addition, he holds a 22-16 record in that span of games and has a playoff win under his belt.
Therefore, it is way too early and naive to say that Darnold is better than Prescott right now. The Jets quarterback has a losing record, hasn't made the playoffs, and has shown that he has an issue with turnovers.
At the same time, Prescott has his flaws but he's been better than Darnold in just about every aspect of being a quarterback. Yes, Prescott was thrust into a better situation than Darnold. But that doesn't completely exonerate Darnold for the mistakes that he has made under center.
In a league that is moving towards being pass-oriented, there are constant comparisons between quarterbacks. Even though, usually the comparisons are arguable for both sides. However, for this one, it is a lopsided discussion in favor of Prescott.
Before we consider Darnold to be better than Prescott (or anyone), he needs more time to develop as a passer. With that being said, we won't know the complete outlook for Darnold's career for another two or more years. Until then, let's not try to force comparisons for the sake of getting attention.
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