Heading into Sunday’s late night matinee with the Washington Football Team, the Dallas Cowboys had already clinched the NFC East. However, most wouldn’t have known that with the way Dallas played in their 56-14 victory. With only playoff seeding to play for, Dallas made an emphatic claim to be the best team in the NFC.
Here are three takeaways from the Cowboys Sunday Night Football victory.
Dak is Back
Many have been critical in recent weeks of the performance of one Dak Prescott. He, along with the rest of the offense, had been sort of in neutral recently. That is until this game. Dak and the rest of the offense exploded, mainly in the first half which saw Dallas post 42 points against Washington.
This game marks the first time since October that Prescott has thrown for three touchdowns in a game. His 322 yards on 27-of-35 passing was the most yards thrown by a quarterback in the first half of a game this season. Prescott also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw touchdowns to a running back (Elliott), a wide receiver (Cooper), a tight end (Schultz), and an offensive lineman (Steele), in the same game.
A bounce back has been needed from Prescott in a big way, and now just seemed like the perfect time for it to happen. Every single player in the Cowboys offense had their chance to show off tonight, and Dak’s play is the biggest reason why. Dallas will need this version of the offense next week in a very big way, more on that one later.
This Defense Can Win This Team a Championship
This defense is legit, folks. Another statement performance from a Dallas defense that, simply put, has turned into one of the best all around units in the league this season. Trevon Diggs recorded another interception tonight, tying him with Everson Walls for the franchise record for most interceptions in a season with 11. Micah Parsons is now two sacks away from breaking Jevon Kearse’s record for most sacks in a rookie season, he is sitting at 13. Demarcus Lawrence recorded a pick six for this defense as well.
What makes this defense so special is the talent that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has at his disposal. With the combination of Randy Gregory, Lawrence, and Parsons, Quinn has the ability to mix and match, moving these three all over the defensive line. It speaks to the versatility of not just these three, but every last player on this defense. They have been asked to fill multiple roles this year, namely Parsons, and it is working admirably.
A special mention goes to rookie 2nd round pick Kelvin Joseph. With no Jourdan Lewis for this game, Joseph was thrown in there and performed quite well for a prospect that many touted as “raw” when he came out of Kentucky this past year. While Joseph didn’t make any huge plays, he was as solid as they come for Dallas. He had a quiet game, which by cornerback standards is a great thing to go by.
The old adage goes “offense wins games, defense wins championships”. With the way this defense has played this year, and specifically down the stretch run, Dallas may very well boast the best defense in the NFC playoff picture.
The Biggest Test Awaits
The Cowboys upcoming matchup with Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals is the biggest game of their season by a sizable amount. Win, and not only does Dallas keep ground in the race for the NFC’s top seed but they gain all sorts of credibility as a legit Super Bowl contender. Lose the game, and Dallas may have to face even more questions about are they a contender or a pretender.
Murray has been sacked 25 times in 12 games this season, roughly two sacks allowed by the Cardinals. Dallas has to be mindful of Murray’s scrambling abilities, which will be a factor here. The Cardinals are just as desperate to get back on track after three losses in a row, with many also asking questions about their legitimacy as contenders.
4:25 pm EST next Sunday will be the biggest game of the year for Dallas, with so much at stake. Dallas needs to do everything in their power this week to build on a great team win versus Washington, and get right back to it in an effort to stop one of the budding young superstars in the game today.
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