Cowboys $240 Million QB Dak Prescott Receives Shocking Week 1 Grade
The first week of the NFL regular season was an absolute movie for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott — one that began with “Spitgate” and ended with a thrilling, 24-20 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
In between all of that, Prescott played his position just about as well as anyone in the NFL.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski made Prescott one of just 6 quarterbacks to receive an “A” grade or higher in Week 1 — and the only one who earned the grade despite a loss.
The Cowboys very well could have come out with the win if not for a trio of uncharacteristic drops from NFL All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in the second half.
Prescott, who missed 9 games in 2024 with a hamstring injury, finished 21-of-34 passing for 188 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions but was also brilliant in the pocket against one of the NFL’s top defense and didn’t take a single sack.
“All of the hullabaloo aside … quarterback Dak Prescott played as well as anyone could have expected in the Dallas Cowboys’ season opener,” Sobleski wrote on September 9. “However, his teammates didn’t help as much as they should have. CeeDee Lamb is one of the league’s best wide receivers. But three official drops, not including a fourth where he could have made a diving grab, all but sealed Dallas’ defeat at the hands of the rival Eagles … Prescott just needs to keep playing the same way he did in Week 1 and good things should start to happen for the Cowboys.”
https://x.com/PFF/status/1963964586895503551
Preseason Overshadowed By Parsons Soap Opera
Prescott and every other player on the Cowboys roster faded into the background during the preseason thanks to the epic soap opera drama between former edge rusher Micah Parsons and owner Jerry Jones.
There may have been an unseen benefit for Prescott. Were the Parsons drama not to have played out like it did, there’s a world in which the entire preseason’s top storyline would have been how Prescott, the NFL’s highest paid player at $60 million per year, has continued to fail to bring his team to the next level.
By the time Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers on August 28, the regular season was all but upon us and all Prescott had left to do was play.
Not Considered NFL Top 10 Quarterback
If you want to know the esteem in which Prescott was held in the eyes of NFL executives, coaches and scouts headed into 2025, just take one look at ESPN’s annual preseason position rankings.
Prescott, who was NFL Most Valuable Player runner-up and an NFL All-Pro in 2023, wasn’t just completely left out of the Top 10. He was also left off one of the 2 honorable mention slots and relegated to the “others receiving votes” category.
Within his own division, Prescott is no longer even looked at as elite. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 — the same award Prescott won in 2016.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts capped his year by being named Super Bowl MVP after a 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Top Defensive Rookie Comes from the Browns
Cleveland’s defense was outstanding in Week 1, and they certainly played well enough to win. They allowed just 141 total yards to the Bengals, and it was one of the most dominant performances of the weekend. But turnovers by the offense ultimately cost the Browns the win.
While losses always hurt, fans of the Browns should be encouraged by their defense and several young players. That includes Carson Schwesinger, who already looks like one of the league’s best linebackers. In fact, you can make a case that he was clearly the league’s best rookie in Week 1.
Schwesinger is already a star for the Browns
When the Browns traded back from No. 2 to No. 5, the idea was that they needed to improve the depth of the roster and add several more quality players. And it’s hard to argue with that approach, especially after the way Schwesinger performed in Week 1.
The idea is that Mason Graham and Schwesinger, together, will be better in the long run for the Browns than just Travis Hunter, and the hope is that the 2026 first-round pick acquired from Jacksonville will give them another chance at a high-end starter. And through just one game, it’s hard to say that Andrew Berry and the front office were wrong. They found two impact players who should be staples of the defense moving forward.
Schwesinger was especially impressive against the Bengals, as he led the team in tackles and was all over the field. In a recent article by Lauren Gray of Pro Football Focus, she wrote about the top rookies in the NFL during Week 1. And the top defender, according to their grades, was none other than Schwesinger. Here is a snippet of what they had to say about the second-round pick from UCLA:
"Schwesinger graded out as the fifth-best linebacker in Week 1, making impact plays at every defensive phase. He stopped Chase Brown for a five-yard loss late in the fourth quarter, one of his three tackles across 20 run-defense snaps. He recorded a quarterback hit on four designed pass rushes. He also made a coverage stop, again against Brown, late in the third quarter, limiting a screen play to a one-yard gain."
Lauren Gray, Pro Football Focus
With Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah out for the year with a neck injury, the Browns have desperately needed to find a linebacker who can replace him in the starting lineup. And while it’s just one game, it sure looks like they’ve found an adequate replacement. If “JOK” can ever make it back onto the field, the Browns could have one of the league’s most dynamic linebacker pairings. But even if he doesn’t, the unit is in good shape because of their second-round pick.
Keep an eye on Schwesinger again this week as the Browns are set to play the Ravens. The former UCLA star will be put to the test against arguably the league’s most difficult offense to defend. If he can shine again in that game, it’ll be time to really get excited about his future and where he ranks among the top linebackers in the league already.
