Picture that Dak Prescott, in the playoff game of the 2026 NFL season, led the Dallas Cowboys to a win, while the jumbotron showed the Cowboys might lose the game. What would be your feelings at that time? If you are a Cowboys fan and you think the Cowboys might repeat what they have been doing for the past 30 years? Well, these advanced statistics could change your mind even before the training camp starts in Oxnard, California on July 29.
Per Sharp Football Analysis’ Warren Sharp, Prescott ranks 10th in the rankings, which shows which NFL quarterbacks can come back when their team is on the losing side. The rankings were based on the 2025 season stats with a focus on EPA and dropbacks analysis.
In these rankings, Prescott finished 10th in the NFL with a +0.16 EPA per dropback when the Cowboys were trailing in the second half during the 2025 regular season. The ranking measures a quarterback’s efficiency on passing plays in comeback situations, rather than total comeback wins or game-winning drives.
A positive EPA indicates that each dropback increased the offense’s expected points, making Prescott one of the league’s more effective quarterbacks when playing from behind. While the metric does not guarantee comeback victories, it shows Prescott consistently generated positive offensive value and helped keep the Cowboys’ offense productive even in difficult second-half situations.
Dak Prescott shines in advanced metric measuring second-half comeback performance
I remember that game in 2025 when Prescott reminded everyone of his late-game pedigree during the regular season by delivering three fourth-quarter comeback wins and four fourth-quarter comebacks overall.
He began the year by rallying the Cowboys past the New York Giants in a 40-37 victory, completing 38 of 52 passes (73.1%) for 361 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while leading the game-winning drive in the closing minutes.
Two weeks later against the Green Bay Packers, Prescott erased another fourth-quarter deficit by completing 31 of 40 passes (77.5%) for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Although Dallas ultimately settled for a 40-40 tie, the performance still counts as a fourth-quarter comeback because Prescott led the Cowboys from behind to take the lead before Green Bay answered.
Prescott’s clutch stretch continued late in the season with back-to-back statement victories over two Super Bowl contenders. Against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11, he completed 23 of 36 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns, adding a rushing score while engineering a fourth-quarter comeback and game-winning drive in a 24-21 win.
And then, just four days later on Thanksgiving against the Kansas City Chiefs, Prescott followed it up by completing 27 of 39 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns, leading another late scoring march to secure a 31-28 victory. And his comeback speciality is not limited to the 2025 season. He has been doing it since 2016.
Overall, Dak Prescott has produced 19 fourth-quarter comebacks and 26 game-winning drives in the regular season through the 2025 campaign. He announced that ability almost immediately after entering the NFL.
As a rookie in 2016, he recorded five fourth-quarter comebacks, beginning with a 27-23 win over Washington in just his second career start. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards and accounted for the game-winning touchdown on the ground.
Later that season, he rallied Dallas past the Eagles in overtime, outdueled Ben Roethlisberger in a memorable 35-30 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers after throwing for 319 yards and two touchdowns, then helped the Cowboys erase late deficits against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His poise in pressure situations played a major role in Dallas finishing 13-3 during his debut season.
Two years later, this 32-year-old Cowboys QB delivered some of the most productive comeback performances of his career. He led fourth-quarter rallies against the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Eagles and Giants, but the standout came against Philadelphia.
And while facing a division rival, Prescott completed 42 of 54 passes for a career-high 455 yards and three touchdowns before leading the Cowboys to a 29-23 overtime victory. He closed the regular season with another statement, throwing for 387 yards and four touchdowns as Dallas erased a late deficit to beat the Giants 36-35, under the playcalling of Brian Schottenheimer.
Again, no comeback defines Prescott’s career more than the Cowboys’ improbable 40-39 win over the Falcons in 2020. Trailing by 15 points with less than five minutes remaining, Prescott refused to let the game slip away. He finished with 450 passing yards, three rushing touchdowns and orchestrated two late scoring drives before Dallas recovered a dramatic onside kick that set up the game-winning field goal.
Also in 2021, he threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns while leading Dallas back against the Patriots before wide receiver CeeDee Lamb ended the game with an overtime touchdown. In 2022, he answered a frustrating afternoon against the Texans by directing a composed 98-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes, then followed it with 347 passing yards and three touchdowns in a Christmas Eve comeback win over the Eagles.
During his outstanding 2023 season, he engineered late victories over both the Seahawks and Lions, while his latest fourth-quarter comeback came in 2024 against the Steelers, where he threw for 352 yards and led the decisive touchdown drive in a 20-17 road victory.
Those performances showcased Dak Prescott’s ability to stay composed under pressure, consistently moving the offense when the Dallas Cowboys needed points the most and reinforcing why he remains one of the NFL’s most dependable late-game quarterbacks.
If Dak Prescott does this magic in at least 12 out of 17 games, the Cowboys would definitely end the 30-year championship drought at least.