Eagles Win - But 'We're Dangerous,' Cowboys Say, for 1 Main Reason
The Dallas Cowboys were in a hole at halftime against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving but managed a 28-20 win that saw them improve to 8-3.
What was the key?
"A lot of guys playing for each other,'' said tight end Dalton Schultz as Dallas overcame a 13-7 intermission deficit thanks to costly penalties and a disjointed offensive display. "The execution coming out in the second half was just at an all-time high and that's selfless football."
That 8-3 record is impressive. Unfortunately, it still isn't quite good enough in the NFC East, where the Philadelphia Eagles' win over Green Bay on Sunday keeps them in the lead at 10-1.
The Cowboys can avenge an early-season loss at Philly with the rematch on Christmas Eve at AT&T Stadium. And if they do ...
What will be the key? Maybe that aforementioned "selflessness.''
"Nobody cares who's really getting the credit,'' Schultz said, "and you've got a dangerous football team when that happens.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott has embodied just that with the emergence of Tony Pollard.
"We don't have the type of locker room to even get big-headed,'' said Elliott (a TD and 91 of Dallas' 168 rushing yards) this week, dismissing the idea of any positivity hangover from the 40-3 win at Minnesota while also acknowledging Dallas' "Super'' hopes. ''I think we've all got a lot to prove. We know what the bigger plan is, the bigger goal, and we're not even close to it yet.''
Same with "The QB Controversy That Wasn't'' when Cooper Rush filled in for Dak Prescott. Same with the shuffling of the O-line, where not a complaint has been heard.
Schultz is another piece of that puzzle. On the one hand, he's the $11 million franchise-tagged tight end who caught two TD passes in the win. On the other hand, when it was time for the young tight ends on the team to celebrate with the "Whack-a-Mole'' in the Salvation Army kettle, Schultz was just one of the moles ... er, guys.
There is glamour (and money) in scoring TDs. But Dallas is collecting wins by stressing its attitude.
"Honestly, I was just doing my job,'' Schultz said. "When my number is called, I treat it like every other play.''
Result? Dallas is "dangerous.''
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