We witnessed the season’s best Thursday night football game a few days ago.
The Cowboys won the game over Seattle 41-35, which kept Dallas on the heels of the Eagles for the NFC East.
With no punts from either team, opponents with a winning record are now averaging over 35 points against the Cowboys this season.
Next four games
The next four games for the Cowboys are against teams with winning records.
The Bills are .500, but they have an offense on the same level as the others.
The defense looks lost in coverage when they don’t get pressure, and one thing they need help with is when teams run motion.
Seattle’s playoff hopes hung on this game, so they played more aggressively, but they did whatever they wanted to on offense.
The Cowboys are going to see the best of the best when it comes to the postseason.
If they give up 35 points a game to teams that will play in January, that is a reason to be concerned.
Right now, Dak Prescott is playing the best football of his career, and probably better than anyone in football since the loss to the 49ers.
Yet, this offense was not made to carry them, and it has at times.
We have to keep it fair and give them credit for getting the stops when they needed them.
Late in the fourth quarter, they stopped the Seahawks offense on three straight drives that turned them over on downs, allowing the offense to score a touchdown and a field goal to end the game.
Time will tell
As noted, we will find out what this team is made of over these next four games, two at home and two on the road.
They had a good start by beating Seattle on Thursday, but if they can go 3-1 over these next four games against the Eagles, Bills, Dolphins, and Lions, folks will start thinking they have a real chance to win it all.
I have yet to give up on the defense, but to say they are elite still will not work.
They are struggling with teams that have winning records and those that can push the ball down the field.
They still have a penalty problem that will cost them in the big games.
The toughness and confidence are something I still see from them even when struggling, which is a good thing.
DaRon Bland was getting lit up all game and could still come away with an interception.
Jourdan Lewis made a big play late.
DeMarcus Lawerence and Micah Parsons made the two biggest plays of the night when they needed them.
I trust Dan Quinn to put them in the right spots to be better, but you can’t give up 35 points to playoff teams and force no punts if you want to win a Super Bowl.
We are lucky that Prescott is playing the best ball of his life, or this game and others may get ugly in a hurry.