As the old saying goes, a win is a win. After needing overtime to beat the Giants on Sunday, the Cowboys know they need to be better going forward. But it also says something that they were able to get the win despite not being at their best. These five plays were instrumental in the Cowboys’ comeback.
Cam Skattebo drops fourth-down pass
The Cowboys finally reached the endzone right before halftime, but they still trailed 13-10 going into the break. Getting the ball first after halftime was a big deal, but any advantage was quickly tossed out when Dak Prescott threw a pick. The Giants were set up in great field position, but a run stuff on third down threatened to render the opportunity wasted.
Brian Daboll opted to go for it on fourth down, needing just three yards for the first down and 10 for the touchdown. Russell Wilson dropped back and had Cam Skattebo open in the flat for a first down, but Wilson needed to maneuver to his right in order to throw it. By the time he did, two defenders were already bearing down on Skattebo, and the rookie running back dropped the pass.
It was a huge moment that kept the Cowboys in it, ultimately rendering the interception meaningless and keeping it a one-score game. Without that fourth-down stop, Dallas may very well be sitting at 0-2 right now.
Jalen Tolbert’s clutch grab on fourth down
Jalen Tolbert has received a lot of (unwarranted) heat recently, and that unrest within the fan base ratcheted up during this game when Tolbert straight up dropped a would-be first down on third down late in the game. But he absolutely atoned for it later on.
Trailing 34-30 with just over two minutes left in the game, the Cowboys opted to go for it on fourth and three. After all, they really had no choice at this point. Prescott fired a strike over the middle to a diving Tolbert, who secured the catch for an 11-yard pickup and the first down.
A flag was also thrown for pass interference, so the Cowboys would’ve moved the chains either way, but Tolbert didn’t leave it in the zebras’ hands to keep the team’s chances of winning alive. He made a really difficult catch in one of the biggest moments of the game, proving yet again why Prescott trusts him in those moments.
Dak Prescott hits Jake Ferguson in the seam
Tolbert’s drive-extending catch led to the George Pickens touchdown, but it was quickly wiped out by another Giants score, and Dallas was back in a three-point hole with 25 seconds left. Prescott’s first pass got batted down at the line and shaved six seconds off the clock, making the Cowboys’ win probability dangerously slim.
But on second down, Prescott found Jake Ferguson up the seam, and he lasered it in there for a massive 18-yard gain. Just like that, the Cowboys were right on the cusp of field goal range for Brandon Aubrey, and a quick run from Javonte Williams added a little cushion for the kick.
There are few things Prescott loves more than firing a dart to a tight end in the seam, and he hit a big one here. Without that play, the Cowboys are looking at third down from their own 33 with just 14 seconds remaining. But Ferguson’s big catch made overtime even possible.
Kenneth Murray blows up the screen
Once we got overtime, both offenses suddenly went cold. The Cowboys and Giants had not punted since the second quarter, and then we immediately saw three consecutive punts. After the Cowboys’ second punt, the Giants just needed a field goal to win the game.
The first play of the drive quickly turned disastrous, though. A screen play to Devin Singletary was immediately sniffed out by Kenneth Murray, who blew it up for a loss of four yards. Had he missed the tackle, Singletary had plenty of room to run and several blockers.
As it stands, Murray’s tackle for a loss put the Giants behind the chains, and that’s when Wilson attempted another deep shot. This time, it was picked off by Donovan Wilson, which set in motion the game-winning plays.
The Dak Prescott scramble
Speaking of game-winning plays, how about that quarterback? Prescott had played unevenly for most of the game, missing throws or just being too antsy in the pocket. But once the fourth quarter started – and as it went into overtime – he was lights out, completing 16 of his 21 passes for 184 yards.
The biggest plays, though, came on the final drive of overtime. One big pass to Pickens got things moving, and the Cowboys were just on the cusp of field goal range. Then, as Prescott dropped back again, he got pressure in his face. Not only did he expertly avoid what would’ve been a devastating sack, but Prescott took off and ran for 14 yards, turning a stretch of a field goal into a layup for Aubrey.
The Cowboys as a whole, like Prescott, were not perfect in this game. Far from it, with plenty of room for improvement. But Prescott and others stepped up and made big plays in big moments, which is often the mark of a good team. And on Sunday, it’s what led to the victory.
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