Cowboys maintain offensive machine rolling in win over Seahawks

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys hosted the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Evening Soccer” to open the NFL’s Week 13.

Heading into the competition, quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb had the Cowboys’ offense buzzing, whereas cornerback DaRon Bland had develop into a pick-six machine. In the meantime, Seattle’s offense had been struggling, as quarterback Geno Smith and receiver DK Metcalf had related for one landing since Week 4.

On Thursday, each offenses had been churning in a back-and-forth affair that ended with the Cowboys beating the Seahawks 41-35, pushing Dallas to 9-3 and dropping Seattle to 6-6 on the season.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys knew reputations had been on the road Thursday.

Have been they front-runners, beating unhealthy groups badly, or had been they a crew able to making a playoff run?

The 41-35 win towards Seattle may not have answered the entire questions, however when it mattered most the Cowboys got here by, as they began their most troublesome stretch of the season with 5 video games towards groups with no dropping document.

A protection that was lit up for many of the recreation got here up with a fourth-down cease (DeMarcus Lawrence) with 7:04 remaining and Prescott went to work, finishing 4 of 5 passes for 35 yards, together with the ultimate go-ahead landing cross to Jake Ferguson from 12 yards out with 4:37 to play. Prescott additionally ran for 9 yards on the drive.

Prescott completed with three landing passes and no interceptions, throwing for 299 yards. And now it units up what the Cowboys had hoped for once they left Philadelphia on Nov. 5 with a 28-23 loss to the Eagles: an opportunity to make the NFC East a contest.

At 9-3 after their fourth straight win, the Cowboys nonetheless need assistance. They may use an Eagles loss to the Niners on Sunday, however when Philadelphia involves AT&T Stadium in 10 days, the Cowboys can nonetheless ship a message by beating their rival. A message that might be greater than beating the Seahawks.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Penalty fest. Penalties weren’t that that large of a deal for the Cowboys for lots of the season, however by three quarters Thursday, they had been flagged eight instances for 122 yards. The season excessive in yards earlier than Thursday was 107 (on 13 flags) in a Week 3 loss on the Arizona Cardinals. It wasn’t only a Cowboys factor. Clete Blakeman’s crew was simply as officious towards the Seahawks.

Troubling pattern: Sure, Bland made historical past together with his fifth pick-six of the season on Thanksgiving versus Washington, however he was focused extra by the Commanders than in another recreation. Thursday was a continuation. Within the first half, Seattle accomplished 6 of seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns when Bland was the closest defender, in line with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. His earlier excessive in that class this season was 120 yards — which got here final week towards Washington. Nonetheless, Bland got here up with a key third-quarter decide of Smith to stability all of it out, maybe.

Promising pattern: Possibly it is past a pattern at this level, however Prescott has thrown no less than two landing passes in six straight video games, matching a profession excessive. He did the identical in 2021. Tony Romo had two or extra in seven straight video games over the 2006-07 seasons and Don Meredith owns the crew mark with 12 straight video games over the 1965-66 seasons. Prescott entered Thursday with 18 landing passes in his previous six video games, probably the most he is had over a six-game span in his profession. — Todd Archer

Subsequent recreation: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 10)

Seattle Seahawks

With back-to-back Thursday evening video games turning their weekly schedule the other way up, Seahawks gamers and coaches could not maintain observe of what day it was main as much as their matchup with the Cowboys. However everybody was clear on one factor: They needed to have this one.

With two straight losses and a pair of powerful video games arising towards the 49ers and Eagles, this was maybe their greatest probability at avoiding a five-game skid that might put their playoff hopes in critical jeopardy.

The sense of urgency was there towards Dallas. So was the Seahawks’ offense, which obtained out of its rut due to an enormous evening from Smith and Metcalf. However the protection was not, and neither was the tip consequence.

The Seahawks are actually 6-6 and solely halfway by the hardest stretch of their schedule. They will give themselves an opportunity over the ultimate month of the common season if Smith and their offense operate like they did for many of the evening, going 9-of-14 on third down, 4-of-5 within the crimson zone and racking up 406 whole yards.

However the protection may need supplanted that unit as the largest concern after Prescott & Co. did no matter they wished en path to scores on eight of 9 possessions, excluding the ultimate two kneel-downs.

Troubling pattern: It isn’t a brand new pattern however a troubling one nonetheless — the Seahawks are nonetheless killing themselves with penalties. They’d been flagged 100 instances coming into Week 13, probably the most within the NFL, regardless that they’ve had their bye. They dedicated 9 extra for 127 yards towards Dallas, together with 5 on a Cowboys landing drive. The Seahawks have often been among the many league’s most penalized groups below coach Pete Carroll, which could possibly be thought of considerably of a tradeoff for the way aggressively he desires them to play. However this model is not adequate to beat that many errors.

Eye-popping NFL Subsequent Gen Stat: Metcalf hit a prime pace of twenty-two.23 mph on his 73-yard landing. That is the quickest max pace by a ball provider since Raheem Mostert hit 23.09 mph in Week 2 of the 2020 season. The Smith-to-Metcalf connection has been off this season — Metcalf entered Week 13 with a 53.1% catch price, which ranked 73rd amongst huge receivers — however they turned it on Thursday evening. Metcalf caught 6 of 8 targets for 134 yards and three touchdowns.

Promising pattern: The Seahawks lastly have a display recreation — and maybe a great one. That a part of their offense has been inexplicably absent for a very long time, relationship again to earlier coordinators and operating backs, however coordinator Shane Waldron has introduced it to life. They executed arguably their greatest display of the season when operating again Zach Charbonnet caught one within the third quarter and gained 39 yards, establishing Metcalf’s third landing catch two performs later. Charbonnet, beginning once more with Kenneth Walker III out due to his indirect pressure, carried 19 instances for 60 yards and his first profession landing. The Seahawks have additionally gotten receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba concerned within the display recreation, and they should proceed leaning on it to get the ball out of Smith’s palms rapidly and counter the sturdy pass-rush models they will face over the subsequent three weeks (San Francisco, Philadelphia, Tennessee).

Pivotal play: One of many Seahawks’ penalties may not have been their very own doing. Late within the first quarter, they lined up for a 37-yard area aim however had been flagged for delay of recreation. With the attempt pushed again, Jason Myers then missed huge proper from 42 yards out. Replays confirmed Pete Carroll screaming at officers for not resetting the play clock after re-spotting the ball. Myers, to no avail, gave the hand sign for a reset proper earlier than the clock ran out.

QB breakdown: Smith performed one among his greatest video games shortly, particularly given the powerful circumstances towards a wonderful Dallas cross rush and with not a lot of a operating recreation to lean on. He threw three landing passes to Metcalf — matching the variety of instances Seattle’s offense had discovered the tip zone over the earlier 4 video games — and added a dashing rating. Smith’s first TD was a laser over two defenders on a submit route on the opening drive, the kind of aggressive throw that confirmed confidence regardless of the whole lot that is gone mistaken in latest weeks. He picked on Bland repeatedly within the first half and had success doing so earlier than Bland picked him off within the third quarter. Smith completed 23-of-41 for 334 yards and have become the primary beginning quarterback to not take a sack towards the Cowboys this season, in line with ESPN Stats & Data, although he was pressured into an errant throw on a fourth-and-2 play to finish the sport. — Brady Henderson

Subsequent recreation: at San Francisco 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 10)