By Marvin Moore October 3, 2023
A tale of two quarterbacks is the main storyline for this week’s showdown, pitting two of the NFL’s top teams. When the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers clash Sunday night in primetime time, all eyes will be on Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott. And for good reason.
Both quarterbacks turned in subpar outings when the 49ers edged the Cowboys in last year’s divisional playoffs, but a pair of costly interceptions from Prescott sealed the Cowboys’ fate. It’s a smart bet that whoever makes the big throws in Week 5 will lead their team to victory.
Purdy is the darling of the national media and is 11-0 in games he has started and finished. But in the only two outings in which he has faced an elite defense, he led one touchdown drive against the Cowboys and was knocked out of the game a week later by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mr. Irrelevant, the nickname given to the last pick of the annual NFL Draft, Purdy has eclipsed 300 passing yards in just one of 10 regular season starts. Despite playing against the league’s 26th, 7th, 15th, and 24th-ranked pass defenses this season, Purdy has just five scoring passes in 112 throws. He’s a game manager masquerading as a franchise quarterback.
Two years ago, New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was the media’s golden boy. Bill Belichick is already regretting taking Jones with the 15th pick in the 2021 draft, which is also true of the football experts who selected Zach Wilson and Trey Lance with the second and third selections that same year. Ouch!
Don’t get me wrong. The jury is still out on Purdy, unlike Jones and Wilson. But franchise-caliber quarterbacks do not drive the bus in “big” games. No matter how good Kyle Shanahan is at scheming plays to exploit opposing defenses, Purdy will have to beat elite teams like the Cowboys, Eagles, and Bills with his arm to earn more than biased national media accolades.
Purdy did not beat Dallas last season. Prescott was the reason San Francisco advanced to the NFC Championship Game. And he is the reason Jerry Jones traded for a talented but unproved Trey Lance. It’s no secret a large majority of fans in Big D have lost faith in the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
Prescott has a 64-37 record with the Cowboys and is 28-7 against NFC East foes, the Eagles, Giants, and Commanders. But Dallas is just 2-4 in the playoffs with the former fourth-rounder under center. His pitiful outing against the 49ers in last year’s postseason was the last straw for many Dallas fanatics.
Prescott played an awful game last January at Levi’s Stadium. He played like a rookie with little poise and confidence. His first interception gave the 49ers the ball at the Cowboys 21-yard line. His second interception deep in the red zone cost Dallas a touchdown. The Cowboys defense played good enough to win the game. But their quarterback did not.
The beleaguered signal-caller led the NFL with 15 picks last year despite missing five games with an injured thumb. He has thrown double-digit interceptions in four of the six seasons in which he has
played 12 or more games. Prescott is undefeated in two outings opposite San Francisco during the regular season. But it’s a different story in the playoffs.
The Cowboys have lost one-score playoff games in back-to-back seasons against the 49ers. And for a franchise with Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, winning in the postseason is all that matters. Tony Romo couldn’t do it. And only a minority of Dallas fans think Prescott can do it.
Like Jones, Purdy is not a good athlete and has limited arm strength. Those attributes usually catch up with NFL quarterbacks sooner or later. Just ask Belichick and the Patriots. But Purdy will have a chance to prove the naysayers wrong this season.
Unlike Purdy, Prescott must prove himself to his teammates and the Dallas fan base. Another bad primetime outing against the 49ers will bring a torrent of criticism on Monday morning. It will also dash the Cowboys’ Super Bowl aspirations.
All eyes will be on Purdy and Prescott Sunday night. And for good reason.
