The Dallas Cowboys moved the football well at times against the Indianapolis Colts, and held the lead for most of the afternoon. But turnovers, penalties and another explosive defensive breakdown allowed the Colts to remain within striking distance. Resilience, though, remained the key word of the day. Dallas got the win they needed, defeating Indianapolis 27-23, it just wasn’t pretty.
Winner: CeeDee Lamb
The fourth-quarter fumble was costly, but it shouldn’t erase what was otherwise a massive game from CeeDee Lamb.
Lamb had ten catches for 195 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 19 yards per reception.
His biggest moment came just before halftime when he beat the Indianapolis secondary for a 44-yard touchdown, giving Dallas a 17-7 lead. He also produced a 48-yard reception in the fourth quarter before losing the football, which gave Indianapolis a lifeline. That’s the blemish on an otherwise dominant performance.
With George Pickens unavailable, Indianapolis knew Lamb would be the focal point of the Cowboys passing game, it didn’t matter. Dallas needed its number one receiver to carry an increased workload, and Lamb did exactly that.
Winner: Cowboys running game
After being completely ineffective against Arizona, Dallas found considerably more success on the ground this week. Tyler Goodson and Javonte Williams combined for 180 rushing yards on 33 attempts.
Goodson really took his opportunity and ran with it. He produced 77 rushing yards on only 12 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. That’s particularly impressive considering he entered the game with only 86 rushing yards for the entire season. Williams who went over 100 yards on the ground and scored the game-winning touchdown.
That’s important because Dallas cannot keep putting everything on Prescott every week. A functioning running game allowed the Cowboys to control possession for more than 35 minutes and keep the Indianapolis offense on the sideline.
Winner: Dak Prescott
This was the type of finish franchise quarterbacks are judged on. Dallas found itself trailing 23-20 with 1:41 remaining after Indianapolis kicked a 50-yard field goal. The Cowboys needed a touchdown, and there was no room left for another mistake, Prescott responded.
The defining play came almost immediately. Facing a Colts defense trying to protect the sideline and prevent the explosive play, Prescott launched a huge pass down the right side to Ryan Flournoy for 46 yards, taking Dallas all the way to the Indianapolis 19. A few plays later the Cowboys were inside the six-yard line and Prescott finished the job, leading Dallas to the touchdown that won the game.
Prescott finished with more than 330 passing yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions, overcoming an early strip-sack and the ridiculous number of penalties Dallas committed around him.
Dallas had watched a 20-10 advantage disappear. Indianapolis had taken the lead with less than two minutes remaining. The Cowboys needed their quarterback to go and win the game, Prescott didn’t panic.
After all the mistakes, penalties and missed opportunities, Prescott delivered when Dallas had one final chance.
Winner: Quinnen Williams
This is why Dallas brought Quinnen Williams to town. The Cowboys suffered a potentially devastating turnover when CeeDee Lamb lost the football deep in Indianapolis territory. The Colts took possession trailing only 20-17 with plenty of time remaining and suddenly had all the momentum.
Williams took it straight back. With 9:55 remaining, Jonathan Taylor took the handoff up the middle and Williams knocked the football loose. Shemar James recovered it, immediately handing possession back to Dallas. It was an enormous play.
Indianapolis had already benefited from two Dallas turnovers and was threatening to turn another one into points. Williams made sure it didn’t happen.
The Cowboys have needed their highly paid defensive stars to produce game-changing moments rather than simply solid performances. Williams led the team in tackles (7), had three TFLs and one QB hit along with causing the fumble.
Winner: Caleb Downs
Caleb Downs saved his biggest contribution for the biggest moment. Downs had already affected the game earlier, including a 10-yard sack of Daniel Jones in the second quarter that helped force an Indianapolis punt, then came the finish.
Dallas had just taken a 27-23 lead, but Indianapolis still had more than a minute to answer. The Colts reached desperation mode, needing a touchdown to steal the game.
With 41 seconds remaining, Jones threw over the middle and Downs stepped in front of it at the Indianapolis 36 for the interception and that was game over.
For a rookie safety, those are the plays that build a reputation. Downs contributed throughout the afternoon and then, with Indianapolis having one final opportunity to break Dallas’ hearts, he made sure there would be no repeat of the Arizona collapse. That’s about as good a way as possible to finish a defensive performance.
Loser: Cowboys penalties
This has gone beyond frustrating. Dallas reached 14 penalties for 153 yards, that is an outrageous amount of free yardage to give an opponent on the road.
The fourth quarter was particularly ugly. DaRon Bland was called for a 40-yard defensive pass interference, Dee Winters followed with an unnecessary-roughness penalty, and Dallas was then hit with another unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty after recovering Taylor’s fumble. The Cowboys repeatedly did the difficult part and then handed Indianapolis opportunity.
Dallas has talked about discipline all season. Fourteen penalties suggests the message still isn’t getting through.
Loser: Finishing drives
Dallas moved the football considerably better than Indianapolis, controlled possession and spent long stretches dictating the game.
Yet the Cowboys only produced 27 points. That’s because too many promising possessions ended with Brandon Aubrey rather than touchdowns. Dallas opened the game by reaching the Indianapolis 26 before settling for a 45-yard field goal, then later had another drive stall inside the Colts’ 10 before Aubrey kicked from 28 yards.
In a game where Dallas accumulated well over 450 yards and dominated time of possession by over ten minutes more than Indianapolis, there should have been much more separation on the scoreboard.
The turnovers and penalties deserve plenty of blame, but Dallas also needed to become much more ruthless when it got into the scoring zone. Keeping an opponent hanging around is exactly how games like this become uncomfortable.
Loser: Explosive pass defense
Dallas continues to have a habit of playing good defense for several snaps and then surrendering one enormous play. Indianapolis’ third-quarter touchdown was the perfect example.
Daniel Jones found Ashton Dulin for a 55-yard touchdown, instantly turning a 20-10 Dallas lead into a three-point game.
The Cowboys did a respectable job controlling Jonathan Taylor and forcing Indianapolis to work for much of its offense. But one coverage breakdown can erase an entire series of good defensive snaps. It’s the same explosive-play problem Dallas has been fighting all season.
