NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Dak Prescott had a hand in all three touchdowns and made big throws en route to the winning field goal as the Dallas Cowboys erased a 21-point deficit to beat the defending champion and NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The star quarterback knew where to start as he tried to explain the improbable rebound that kept Dallas (5-5-1) in the playoff conversation a week before a Thanksgiving meeting Thursday with Kansas City (6-5), last season’s other Super Bowl team.
“Defense, defense, defense, defense,” Prescott said after breaking Tony Romo’s club record for passing yards in a 24-21 victory over the Eagles on Sunday. “We wouldn’t have won this game without the opportunities they gave us time and time again.”
Imagine Prescott saying that a month ago after the Cowboys allowed a middle-of-the-pack Denver offense to score six touchdowns in a span of seven full possessions during the Broncos’ 44-22 win and finished that week dead last at 32nd in passing defense and 31st in scoring defense and total defense.
Of course, something significant has changed since then. The Cowboys used one of two first-round picks acquired in the trade that sent star running back Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers a week before the season to obtain standout defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets at the trade deadline.
Dallas is 2-0 under Williams, starting with last week’s 33-16 win over Las Vegas in which the Cowboys posted season-highs by allowing just 236 yards and holding the Raiders to a 25% third-down conversion rate. Dallas still has the worst third down defense in the league.
The Cowboys followed that up and shut out the Eagles for the final 41 minutes.
“We’re moving forward and everything is going well,” Williams said. “I can’t go out and do everything on my own. Nobody can. I just think we’re all putting our heads together and executing as one.”
Odighizuwa had the sack of Jalen Hurts on third down that gave the Cowboys a chance to drive in Brandon Aubrey’s game-ending field goal after Prescott and Co. failed to take advantage of two Eagles fumbles in the fourth quarter. The fifth-year player who was drafted by the Cowboys will say he has more room to move with Williams.
“The offense has been going all year,” Odighizuwa said. “So we know that just making some stops, giving them the ball back, giving them as many opportunities as they can to score, they’re going to get the job done. To be able to do that and have a complementary win like this, especially a comeback like that, I feel like it speaks to our style of play and our character. We’re going to fight, claw, claw, every play, until it’s over.”
What is working?
The connection between Prescott and George Pickens is something to behold after the receiver was added in an offseason trade with Pittsburgh. Pickens’ spectacular leaping catch for 43 yards set up Prescott’s tying 8-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Eagles. Pickens has tied his career-high of nine receptions three times and already has a career-high 67 receptions this season. His 1,054 receiving yards are 86 shy of his career high, and he’s on pace to reach over 1,700.
What needs help?
Pickens’ teammate CeeDee Lamb needs a confidence boost after drops plagued him against the Eagles, just as they did in the NFL season opener, a 24-20 Philadelphia victory that could have been a win for Dallas had Lamb held on to any of the three crucial drops. Lamb had a big catch on the drive that brought the Cowboys within a touchdown, but drops look bad when Pickens keeps making crazy catches.
Supply
TE Brevyn Spann-Ford stumbled coming out of a break on a route in the end zone with Prescott watching him the entire time, hoping he wouldn’t fall. Spann-Ford stayed on his feet and finished with his first career touchdown on a 4-yard reception.
Stock down
Receiver and kick returner KaVontae Turpin lost a fumble after receiving a pass out of the backfield and was penalized when he half-called a fair catch on a punt and ran anyway. The penalty cost Dallas field position on the final drive, but the Cowboys overcame.
While Turpin ranks fourth among qualifying kickoff returners a year after being named All-Pro, he is nowhere to be found on the list of punt returners. Without value in those areas, ball security could threaten the diminutive Turpin’s job security.
Injuries
The biggest concern was that Williams would stay down after one play and say after the game that Saquon Barkley was shot in the ribs while rushing the passer. However, Williams returned. … LT Tyler Guyton injured his ankle and was replaced by Nate Thomas for nearly half the game.
Key number
34,378: Prescott’s career passing yards after surpassing Romo’s previous record of 34,183. The next big number is TD passes. Prescott would have to average two touchdowns per game the rest of this season to surpass Romo’s mark of 247. He is 236.
Next steps
The first winning streak of the season gives Dallas a chance against the Chiefs to get over .500 for the first time. The Cowboys are 0-3 when playing for a winning record this season.
Want great stories delivered straight to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports accountAnd follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter every day!
