It will be a while before we know if 2021 is a special season for the Cowboys. But if that is how we ultimately remember it, Week 6 will be a memorable stop along the way. Dallas had to overcome early turnovers and a huge defensive gaffe late to force overtime and sneak out of New England with a 35-29 victory over the Patriots.
Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for a 35-yard touchdown to win in the extra period. The Patriots took the ball to start overtime but were forced to punt, then Dallas drove it 80 yards to put the game away.
The final play was the capper for huge days for both Prescott and Lamb. Dak threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns while CeeDee finished with 149 yards and two scores on nine catches.
Big plays were the story of this one. The Cowboys were dominating in yardage and time-of-possession throughout but had an interception and fumble in the endzone during the first half. The unfinished drives, plus a blown 4th-down conversion that gave New England a short field, helped the Patriots take a 14-10 lead into halftime.
The Cowboys cleaned it up in the second half and appeared to have put them game away when Trevon Diggs got a pick-six, his second of the year and seventh INT overall, on a late New England drive. But after a failed 2-point attempt and kick off, blown coverage by Diggs and Damontae Kazee allowed Mac Jones to hit Kendrick Bourne for a 75-yard toiuchdown.
The Pats converted their own 2-pointer to go up by three, and Dallas then drove it enough to set up Greg Zuerlein from 49 yards out. The veteran kicker, who’d missed one earlier in the 4th from 51 yards, connected to tie the game with only 20 seconds left.
There will be many moments and mistakes to dissect in the coming days. But the Cowboys went on the road and did what they had to against arguably the best coach in NFL history and one of the best defenses so far in 2021. It was a gutsy, dirty win and one that showed the mettle of this team.
The victory was huge for Dallas as they were NFC East’s only winner in Week 6. The Eagles fell on Thursday night to Tampa Bay while Washington and New York each took home losses today to Kansas City and and the L.A. Rams.
The Cowboys will now take their five-game win streak into their bye and look to keep it going in two weeks against the Minnesota Vikings.
