'Playoff Atmosphere!' Dallas Cowboys Overcome Adversity in Huge Win vs. Seattle Seahawks
Something had to give on Thursday Night Football this week.
Either the Dallas Cowboys were going to knock off a team with a winning record for the first time this season, or they were going to lose their 13-game home winning streak. After a heavily-penalized affair and a back-and-forth shootout, it was Dallas who emerged over the Seattle Seahawks 41-35 at AT&T Stadium, keeping its streak intact.
The Cowboys defense struggled for much of the night, and cornerback and reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Month DaRon Bland had a rough first half. He was tormented by Seattle wideout D.K. Metcalf, prompting defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to make a change in coverage in the second half.
Veteran Stephon Gilmore would now be tasked with covering Metcalf, and the Cowboys were able to get a few key stops after halftime, including an interception from the aforementioned Bland, his eighth of the season.
The positive story for Dallas, outside of those clutch stops, was once again the offense that has found a rhythm over the last month behind the play calling of head coach Mike McCarthy and an MVP-like performance from quarterback Dak Prescott.
Dak finished the night with 299 passing yards and three touchdowns, and he successfully piloted his unit to another high-scoring performance, even while being sacked four times for 24 yards.
It was another win for Dallas, its ninth of the season, but one could argue that the Cowboys desperately needed a game like the one they saw on Thursday. Not only had the Cowboys not beaten a team with a winning record thus far in the 2023 season, but they had not really been challenged in games and emerged victorious, save for a 20-17 road win in Los Angeles over the Chargers on Monday Night Football in Week 6.
Picking up a win over a team in the playoff hunt is one thing, but being able to win in the midst of adversity is another, and both of those marks could pay dividends for Dallas as it pushes towards the playoffs.
Wideout CeeDee Lamb (12 catches, 116 yards, one touchdown) said as much on the Prime Video postgame broadcast. He stated that the Cowboys knew they were in for a fight against the Geno Smith-led Seahawks, but that's what this point of the year is all about.
"Coming into the game, we knew it going to be a battle," Lamb said. "NFC, it's playoff implications, playoff-type atmosphere, and shoutout to the fans for coming out here. We got the job done."
Nov 30, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) and safety Quandre Diggs (6) during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
© Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys have a rough stretch on their schedule to conclude the regular season, including a Sunday night game against the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles next week, so the more battle tested this team becomes, the better.
And that's not even mentioning when they reach the actual playoffs. Those games are all-or-nothing and often come down to the wire like Thursday night's game did in Arlington.
Dallas has now shown the ability to win those games, putting to rest a narrative that they only "beat up" on bad teams. That experience will prove vital as winter approaches.
