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Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper upset the Washington Redskins defense as the Dallas Cowboys, who were in full recovery, took their third consecutive victory to be in first place at NFC East. Here's what we learned from Cowboys' 31-23 victory on Thanksgiving Day:
1. This game brought to light the big game. At first, it was the nature of the back and forth big games that made it interesting, Trey Quinn preparing the table for his own reception with a long kick return. clearance. Another long run put Washington in a position to add more points when he lost several scores. And of course, there was the explosion in the second half of Amari Cooper, first on a 40-yard touchdown reception created by a well-managed road, then on a shot from 91 yards in which two defenders were lost and overwhelmed. Alabama star Ha Ha Clinton-Dix heads to the end zone It was a pleasant surprise from two teams that did not really win with the big game for much of the season.
2. Cooper is a huge addition to this Cowboys team, which has changed almost completely since it arrived at the trading deadline. His inclusion has allowed Dallas to spread the offense further, which has resulted in increased use of 11 people (more about it here), more space for Ezekiel Elliott and more places for Prescott. Cooper's previously mentioned big-game pair was the clear difference Thursday, but its impact goes beyond the big game. Cowboys have a better appearance day and night in terms of production and capabilities. Look no further than the Prescott game as proof.
3. This match has been touted as a decisive game in the hustle and bustle of the NFC East, and it looks even more like a fork on the road for two teams. What was a close match quickly became a rash and the Redskins' reputation as a menacing opponent disappeared. Without Alex Smith, Washington becomes a team that needs to take a fast lead and make it to the ground with Adrian Peterson, otherwise she runs the risk of placing the ball in the hands of Colt McCoy. Pro Tip: You do not want to do that. We still have more than a month of football, but it certainly looked like the swan song, Washington's first place.
Dallas, meanwhile, rolls. I will not venture to say that I made them run in the playoffs, but they seem to be the big favorite to win the division at this point, none of the other three members can say as much to advance to the playoffs. trot. The Cowboys, however, gallop and seem to become more and more comfortable with their identity each week.
4. This has been a recurring theme for the Redskins in recent years and seems even bigger this year: injuries have decimated this team. The front lock has dropped significantly, with no more linemen, and the loss of Smith is the most obvious. We do not know exactly where this game will end up on the list of priorities, but it's the first one that really shows how much staffing losses have left this team weak in many areas.
The Redskins may be competitive with Colt McCoy at quarterback, but they have a steep climb to win several games. It was no more evident than when McCoy launched an interception at 4:30 in the fourth quarter, a pass behind his intended receiver and a handful of Cowboy defensemen. It resulted in an interception and sent a frustrated McCoy to the sideline, seemingly wondering how such a pass could deviate from the intended target. Among other examples, coach Jay Gruden mentioned McCoy's lack of time with starters who preceded Thursday, saying the quarterback had not had a single representative with the group in training. There is therefore room for improvement. But we also know McCoy's cap, a long-time backup for a reason.
5. One of the dominant themes of the recent Cowboys run (since Troy Aikman has railed from the organization) has been a suffocating defense that has improved dramatically over the last month. Dallas' surprising win over the Philadelphia Eagles drew a lot of attention. It was just enough to defeat the Atlanta Falcons and caused many problems in Washington. The Cowboys' opportunistic defense intercepted McCoy three times, scoring a touchdown on one of the possessions that later buried the Redskins. Prescott's hasty score gave Dallas a 31-13 lead and the way to do it (scramble and evade many contenders) was demoralizing for the Redskins. The forced turnovers also frustrated McCoy, leaving him as the last quarter to be baffled by the Dallas defense.
If they continue to play this side of the ball, it seems that the best remains to come for the Cowboys, who seem ready to win at least three of their last five games and who could make that match with a similar effort against the Colts of Indianapolis at the 15th week.
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