Cowboys Top 10 Takes: Lucky to Survive Lions in Sluggish Dak Prescott Return
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Thanks to two controversial non-reviews and five - f-i-v-e! - second-half turnovers by the Detroit Lions, the Dallas Cowboys survived a lackluster return by quarterback Dak Prescott to escape an upset in a 24-6 win.
10. Disappointing Dak - No, the Cowboys don't have a quarterback controversy. But, yes, they could have won this weird game against a woeful opponent with Cooper Rush. Prescott finished 19 of 25 for 207 yards and a touchdown, but anyone who watched saw that he was rusty in both decision-making and passing accuracy. He twice threw into triple-coverage and was fortunate to have at least one interception.
9. Better Late Than Never - It took until almost Halloween, but Prescott finally led a touchdown drive this season. On Dallas' 14th possession with their starting quarterback, Ezekiel Elliott found the end zone. With Prescott, the Cowboys went 0 of 9 on drives against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 and 0 of 5 in the first half against Detroit.
9. Home Cookin' - This was the Cowboys' first win at AT&T Stadium started by Prescott since Dec. 26, 2021. They broke a three-game losing streak at home with Dak, including last season's Wild Card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
8. Five Alive - When you win the turnover battle in the NFL, you usually win. When you get five takeaways - in a single half - it's almost impossible to lose. Dallas' late takeaways were by Trevon Diggs, Anthony Barr, Jourdan Lewis, Sam Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence.
7. Waste of Space - KaVontae Turpin darted left, right and then up the field, using his sprinter's speed for a 52-yard burst - the longest punt return in the NFL this season. And it led to ... nothing. Despite field position at Detroit's 41, the Cowboys went three-and-out and punted.
6. Not Perfect, But Better - In last week's loss in Philly, the Cowboys had 10 penalties and three turnovers. Against Detroit, only seven and one. A lot of teams would've beaten Dallas Sunday. But not the lousy Lions.
5. Downtrodden Detroit - Through four games the Lions were the NFL's highest-scoring team. Against the Seahawks on Oct. 2, they scored 45 points. But in the last two games they have failed to score a single touchdown. Now 1-5, the Lions have lost their last two by a combined 53-6.
4. Double Division Champs? - To get back in the race for the NFC East, the Cowboys must win the … NFC North? Though you likely don’t yet have your Halloween costume pinned down, the wonkiest of scheduling quirks has them not playing an opponent outside the North until you’re carving your Thanksgiving turkey. Lions-Bears-Bye-Packers-Vikings-Thanksgiving. Considering the way the Philadelphia Eagles are playing and the mediocrity of the North (a combined 11-12), it needs to be a clean 4-0 sweep. Dream scenario: In 2022 the Cowboys could win two division titles. Off to a good start.
3. Dallas ... Dessert? - Watch enough NFL and you'll hear a peculiar name for an offensive audible. But in the second first quarter we could swear we heard Prescott come to the line and - in changing the play - yell "red donuts!" No idea. But, honestly, sounds delicious.
2. Review Reversal - The Cowboys were slogging their way through a 6-3 deficit early in the third quarter and the Lions were at midfield when this game turned on a questionable non-reversed non-review. Diggs made a diving interception of a deep pass at Dallas' 15. Though he bobbled the ball going to the ground - and though all turnovers are supposedly automatically reviewed - the play was never looked at. Incompletion, meet interception. Seven plays later Elliott plowed in from the 1 and Dallas had life.
1. Review Reversal II - If you didn't think the Cowboys could get any more fortunate, they can. And they did. After Lions' tight end Brock Wright took a screen to the goal line, Cowboys' linebacker Micah Parsons hustled and tackled him before the end zone in a 10-6 game. Though replays showed Wright's knee down at the half-yard line and the blurried ball at - or maybe on - the goal line, officials marked the ball at the 1. Why Lions coach Dan Campbell didn't challenge is beyond us all. But on the next snap, Detroit running back Jamaal Williams lost the first fumble of his seven-year, 730-carry career, recovered by Barr inside the 1. The Diggs bobbled pick. The Wright almost-touchdown. Dallas benefitted from two controversial plays that provided a 14-point swing in a four-point game. Totally understandable why Campbell slammed his headset after Williams' fumble.
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