Cowboys QB Dalton Joins Tom Brady As NFL Award Nominee

NFL Award Nominees Include Dallas Cowboys QB Andy Dalton as The 'Air Player of the Week' - In Competition With Tom Brady

FRISCO - We talk and write a lot about Andy Dalton as being an "elite bus driver.'' It's not an insult; it's a compliment.

But this week? He's more than that. And the compliment is inarguable.

Dalton, the Dallas Cowboys QB pressed into service because of the out-for-the-season injury to starter Dak Prescott, is among the nominees for Week 16’s FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week. He joins Tom Brady and Brandon Allen as the quarterbacks who are this week’s nominees.

• Tampa Bay Bucs quarterback Tom Brady, of course, you are quite familiar with. He completed 22 of 27 attempts (81.5 percent) for 348 yards and 4 touchdowns for a 158.3 rating in Week 16.
• Then there is quarterback Andy Dalton, who completed 22 of 30 attempts (73.3 percent) for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns for a 134.7 rating in Week 16 - all accomplished in a stay-alive playoff-hopes win over Philly.
• And finally there is Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Brandon Allen, who the casual fan likely does not know. He's subbing for rookie star Joe Burrow, who is out for the year, and he completed 29 of 37 attempts (78.4 percent) for 371 yards and 2 touchdowns for a 126.5 rating in Week 16 in a win over the Houston Texans.

Dalton will help lead the Cowboys into a Week 17 NFC East showdown next Sunday at noon at the New York Giants. 

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With a Dallas win, combined with a Washington loss to the Eagles, Dalton's Cowboys win another honor: A berth in the NFL Playoffs.

Teammate Ezekiel Elliott is a believer - not only in his team, but in Dalton.

Said Elliott: “He goes out there with confidence. He goes out there and leads us. He gets us all in the right spots, and he’s just been doing a great job of spreading it around. I mean, he’s a great leader. He’s definitely been a big reason that we are able to win these last three games.”