The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 24-22 and advance to the NFC Divisional Game for the 27th time in franchise history. This game marked the Cowboys’ 33rd postseason appearance and their 62nd playoff game-both the most in NFL history. This Dallas team continues to defy the odds and push through. Tonight they played a full 60 minutes and never gave up: a mirror image of what America’s Team has done the second half of the season from being a team that was 3-5 and discarded, to being a team that is 11-6 and moving forward in playoffs.
It was a defensive battle early on for both teams, with the Cowboys leading at the half 10-6. Dallas’s defense did an incredible job shutting down the Seahawk’s running game that was ranked No.1 in the league. Their star rusher Chris Carson was held to 13 carries for 20 yards. The defensive front did a great job clogging up holes at the line of scrimmage, giving Carson nowhere to go off the handoff.
Dallas’ offense had a resurgence in the fourth quarter, led by Dak Prescott who has the most game-winning drives of any NFL quarterback in his first three seasons. Tonight he continued the trend. Early in the fourth, Prescott scrambled for 10 yards and lunged for the touchdown, but the call was reversed, setting Ezekiel Elliott up for a one-yard TD rush from the goal line on the following play. Prescott’s ability as a run threat continued with 2:08 left in the game, when he scrambled on third and fourteen to bring the offense to the goal line and on the next play, he capitalized with a one-yard TD rush on a QB sneak.
Following the game Jason Garrett remarked, “ Dak is a rare guy…Someway we knew he was going to figure this out for us. He was outstanding. “
The Cowboys team and coaching staff both have the upmost belief in Prescott to pull out a victory in the fourth quarter and tonight he proved why. He thrives under pressure late in the game and becomes a threat on his feet, once he breaks the pocket. Sound familiar? Cowboys’ legend and Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach was also known by his nicknames ‘Roger Dodger’ and ‘Captain Comeback.’ The Cowboys have another dodger and comeback king on their hands in Prescott. Against the Cowboys’ next opponent in the playoffs, they have to utilize Dak’s strength as a mobile QB with design runs. In those situations, he is dangerous.
Prescott finished the game 22 of 33 attempts for 226 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper both had big games as well, with Zeke leading in rushing with 137 yards on 26 carries, and Cooper in receiving with seven receptions for 106 yards. One of the biggest impacts and momentum shifters on the offensive side of the ball actually came from special teams. Tavon Austin totaled 73 punt return yards, which were the third-most in Cowboys’ postseason single-game history. One return was taken back due to a holding penalty and before the next opponent in playoffs, the Cowboys have to work on minimizing costly penalties. That should have been a TD for Dallas and would have been a shift in momentum, but was given up.
