It's Cowboys-Eagles, Not 'Dak Vs. Wentz'
By Mike Fisher
Follow The Fan: Facebook | Twitter
FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) — Cowboys coach Jason Garrett refuses to play in-public games of "what if,'' swats away such questions by saying, "We don't deal in hypotheticals,'' and when pushed, answers with a firm smile, "We don't live in that world.''
But "that world'' is coming to Jerryworld.
Football purists know that Sunday's night's game between Dallas and the visiting Eagles is about countless storylines beyond "Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott vs. Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz.'' But brace yourself: The two 5-1 teams, vying for control of the NFC East, are in this enviable position for reasons beyond first-rounder Wentz (who the Cowboys liked in the draft) and fourth-round Prescott (who the Cowboys love now). But this is the first time the NFL has seen such a pair of successful (record-wise) rookie QBs in the modern age.
So the parlor game is a natural one: Who would you rather have? Would Dallas undo its Dak get if the higher-rated Wentz had somehow fallen into the Cowboys' draft-day lap? Who is better?
"I really don't measure myself to anybody," said Prescott with his characteristically precocious wisdom. "Not any other rookie, not Peyton Manning, not Tom (Brady), not Tony (Romo). Not any of those. It's all about how I can become better each and every day. ... I'm not into the whole 'comparing myself to somebody else' thing. That's where you get lost."
Prescott is anything but "lost,'' his seven-touchdown/one-interception start helping ease the pain of the absence of Romo, who is just this week appearing on the practice field for the first time all regular season. Same with Wentz and his eight touchdowns and three interceptions, all of which is a surprise because the Eagles' original plan included keeping him protected deep on their depth chart.
Wentz said the pair became friendly at the Senior Bowl, where the Cowboys staff coached him but also got to know Prescott a bit. But just as there is no reason for do-overs — Philly wouldn't change a thing and why would Dallas bother? — there's no room for friendliness here this week.
"This,'' Prescott said, "is the Cowboys vs. the Eagles."
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)