Does Andy Dalton Deserve More Cowboys Credit?

Here's A Theory: Down Dak Prescott, The Dallas Cowboys' Rebound Means QB Andy Dalton Deserves More Credit For Team Success

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys went from having a lousy 3-9 record and competing for a top draft pick to being contenders for the 2020 NFL Playoffs. 

How?

A lot of that success has to do with backup quarterback Andy Dalton, who threw for 377 passing yards in Dallas Cowboys' most recent 37-17 win against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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"He's our leader,'' said Ezekiel Elliott, in a powerful statement.

"Powerful'' because a) Zeke himself is also a team leader and because b) the unimpeachable Cowboys team leader is the erstwhile QB starter in Dallas, Dak Prescott.

The former Bengals quarterback returned to his home state hoping to be a solid backup quarterback to Prescott (see Andy's visit with Fish, above), only to be thrown into the fire in Week 5 after Prescott suffered a devastating injury. Dalton inherited a 1-3 team, a beaten-into-mediocrity offensive line, a historically weak defense ... and yet still has the Cowboys are within one win of a potential home playoff game.

For the season, Dalton has thrown for an impressive-enough 1,926 yards on 187 of 286 passes with 14 touchdowns .

The NFC East now boils down to a three-team race, with the Washington Football Team at the head controlling its own destiny. If the Cowboys win against the New York Giants in Week 17 and Washington loses to the Eagles, the Cowboys will win the NFC East.

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Following the big win on Sunday, Dalton - who is playing on a one-year deal and can help not only his team but also himself here - affirmed his confidence for the coming week.

“That’s the thing,'' he said. "We just keep fighting … At the end of the year, you want to be playing your best football. We feel like we’re doing that right now. We’ve got to handle our business next week and get a little help from Philly.''

The Cowboys will look to sneak into the playoffs - or, heck, barrel into the playoffs, given that they are seeking a fourth straight win - with an away matchup against the New York Giants on Sunday at 12:00 P.M CST.

We’ll see how this whole thing shakes out,'' Dalton said. "We’ve been playing really well. We just have to keep it going, keep the momentum, and hopefully this thing will turn in our favor.”

And if it does? There's a good chance the under-appreciated Dalton will be a major factor in doing the turning.