Admit it, if you’re an old geezer like me your heart skipped a beat when the Cowboys took the home field in their blue jerseys.
Those jerseys used to be the kiss of death for Dallas. So it was a bit of a surprise to see the team wearing them at home on Sunday.
Usually bad things happened when the Cowboys played in them.
My colleague Shane Taylor tried to jinx Brandon Aubrey by pointing out his perfect kicking record last week.
In conjunction with the cursed blue jerseys, I figured that record was toast.
But Aubrey came through like a trooper. For the most part, so did the rest of the team.
If the end result will be the kind of beatdown we saw them lay on the Rams, I say wear them the rest of the year.
In the meantime, the Cowboys and the Eagles are starting to leave their NFC East rivals, the Commanders and Giants, in the NFC East’s dust.
DALLAS COWBOYS
That was probably the best all-around performance by the Cowboys (5-2) in a long time.
Both sides of the ball were working well. Even the special teams kicked in.
DaRon Bland’s third Pick-Six of the season was the highlight. Micah Parsons constantly tormented Matthew Stafford.
The defense controlled the Rams’ run game for the most part.
Cooper Kupp was a non-factor. In fact, most of the Rams’ wide receivers were kept in check.
The Cowboys also got a blocked punt from Sam Williams for a safety.
Following the safety, KaVontae Turpin nearly returned the ensuing free kick for a score, settling for a 63-yard return instead.
Turpin later had an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown called back by a penalty.
The Cowboys’ offense was also efficient – racking up four touchdowns and two field goals. Dak Prescott was a solid 25-of-31 for 304 yards.
The only blemish on Prescott’s day was an interception that was not his fault.
A Rams’ defender tipped the pass at the line then Peyton Hendershot tipped it again. Then it fell into Jordan Fuller’s hands for the interception.
The win sets up a visit in Philadelphia with the Eagles this Sunday.
A Dallas win would draw the Cowboys to within a half-game of first in the division.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Eagles (7-1) escaped with yet another narrow win over the Washington Commanders.
Philadelphia may just be the worst 7-1 team in NFL history. But to their credit they are finding ways to win games they have no business winning.
The polish came off the “Brotherly Shove” play on Sunday too.
Washington may have found the way to stop that play, forcing a Jalen Hurts fumble at the same time.
The Eagles did add a wrinkle to the play, running an option out of the formation later in the game.
It’s another thing for opposing defenses to worry about. Until the NFL finally puts an end to this rugby play during the offseason.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
The Commanders are 3-5 but could just as easily be 5-3 if they could have closed out the Eagles in their two losses.
Washington had the lead at halftime on Sunday but couldn’t hold it.
The Commanders head north to play the Patriots in New England. They’ll likely be rooting for a Dallas victory just to remain within shouting distance of the Eagles.
NEW YORK GIANTS
The Giants may have found the ugliest way to lose a football game on Sunday.
It was definitely one of the ugliest games in NFL history at least.
In a game that featured 24 punts against 23 total points scored, the Giants lost the battle of New York to the Jets, 13-10.
They may have lost their back-up quarterback, Tyrod Taylor. too. Taylor was taken out of the game by a rib injury that sent him to the hospital.
Still, down to their third-string quarterback, the Giants led 10-7 with less than a minute to go.
They lined up for a field goal, missed it, then let the Jets somehow get into field goal range with no time outs.
The Jets kicked the game-tying field goal and then won it with a field goal in overtime.
Ugly. The last-place Giants (2-6) head for Las Vegas to play the Raiders on Sunday.