Sport DFW
FanSided

None of the Dallas Cowboys Deserve to Win NFL MVP

By Reid Hanson

Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands the ball off to running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands the ball off to running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Armed with the best record in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have multiple players in the NFL MVP race. Too bad none of them deserve it…

The 13-2 Dallas Cowboys have two viable candidates currently in the race for NFL MVP. And why shouldn’t they? Owners of the best record in the NFL, the Cowboys locked down the NFC’s #1 seed last week with two games still left to play. It only seems right the best team in the NFL gets the award that typically goes to the best player in the NFL, right?

Not exactly.

Current ESPN polls show the Dallas Cowboys have two candidates firmly entrenched in the race: quarterback Dak Prescott (currently in eighth place) and running back Ezekiel Elliott (currently in fourth place). The rookie duo known by yours truly as “The 214” (Zeke #21 + Dak #4 = Dallas Area Code: 214) have breathed life into a franchise that was 4-12 only a season ago.

Dak Prescott, a late fourth round pick, has established himself as a Pro Bowler and quite possibly the best young QB in the NFL. As the fourth overall pick in the draft, Ezekiel Elliott came to the Cowboys with enormous expectations. Yet he’s somehow managed to not only live up to them, but he’s exceeded them.

Related Story: Preseason Prediction: Zeke Will Be the NFL Rushing Champ

They are undeniably great players and appear to be two of the best rookies EVER in the NFL. But in ESPN’s most recent MVP poll, both Dallas Cowboys are moving down despite the team itself trending so positively. So what gives?

The problem is the 2016 Dallas Cowboys are too damn good.

More from Dallas Cowboys

Tom Brady in New England is essentially carrying his team on his back with the loss of Rob Gronkowski. His offensive line and running game are underrated, but Tommy is carrying this squad.

With the 20th ranked defense and the 20th ranked running game, Aaron Rodgers is doing the same up in Green Bay. Atlanta is loaded on offense but their defense is near the bottom of the league, so of course Matt Ryan is in the conversation for MVP.

The Dallas Cowboys are different than all of these other playoff teams in one major way – The whole team is good.

How Good Are the Dallas Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys have the #4 offense in the NFL and their offensive line is widely regarded as the absolute best. Dallas has the #12 defense in the NFL. They are #6 in turnover differential. They’re even 12th in sacks after starting the season so slowly. The Dallas Cowboys are winning because top-to-bottom, they are the best team in the NFL.

Even their back-ups are good. The defense has found success by leaning on an eight-man rotation on the defensive line. With Tony Romo and Mark Sanchez backing up at QB, and Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris backing up at RB, they are arguably the deepest in the league here as well.

That’s why the Dallas Cowboys simply don’t deserve to have to have the NFL MVP, even if Dak and Zeke are better than their MVP competition.

Now, whether all of this translates into postseason success remains to be seen. One top QB at the very apex of his game (ahhhemm Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers) is hard to beat in the postseason. As is another complete team like the Seattle Seahawks who also have postseason experience.

The well-rounded cast of characters that the Dallas Cowboys boast certainly doesn’t do Dak and Zeke any favors in the MVP race. And it’s also very likely the two players are poaching support from each other since the Cowboys are the only team on ESPN’s list that has two players in the voting.

Next: How Randy Gregory can be BIG in the Playoffs

This is what you call “a good problem”. The Dallas Cowboys don’t deserve to have the NFL MVP because they are too good of a TEAM to make any one individual that valuable.

Home/Dallas Cowboys