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The Dallas Cowboys' game day begins like any other: Jason Garrett's Jury Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones already have an affinity for Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley .
By day's end, the Cowboys earned a decisive 27-20 victory over the rival Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Fields to provide a flicker of hope, not only for Garrett's Continued employment beyond this year for the rest of the regular season.
Dallas Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and broad receiver Amari Cooper, provides hope in both the short and long terms.
The trio showed exactly why during Sunday's performance.
"We did not hang our heads down," Prescott told reporters Last week's loss to the Tennessee Titans. "We got our heads up." We looked at each other, locked up arms and kept moving forward.
They did, because the offense went back to what it does best: leaning on Ezekiel Elliott.
Elliott is an absolute workhorse. Though, the gracefulness seen in his game shows he's not just a ground-and-pound option.
Elliott is a first playmaker. His hurdle will be the subject of many a discussion, yet it's just one facet of the bell cow's repertoire.
On the ground, the 23-year-old with 19 times for 151 yards and a score. He sliced through the Eagles' talented defensive front and kept the Cowboys ahead of the chains. It's often been argued that Elliott's production is due, in part, to play behind one of the league's most gifted front fives. That's no longer the case.
At one point, replacement players filled all three of the interior spots. Joe Looney continues to start in Travis Frederick's absence. Xavier Su'a-Filo took over after the rookie Connor Williams required knee surgery this week, according to ESPN.com's Todd Archer. At right guard, a big scare occurred when Zack Martin's legs were rolled up by right tackle La'el Collins. The four-time Pro Bowl honored hobbled off the field and the locker room before an eventual return.
Yet, Elliott was not slowed. This is a testament to his ability and an indictment of the Eagles defensive front. But the NFL Next Gen Stats noted:
Next Gen Stats @NextGenStats
No running back has been more effective against 8+ defenders in the box than Ezekiel Elliott since 2016.
@EzekielElliott and the @dallascowboys will face an Eagles defense allowing 2.6 YPC against runs when stacking 8+ defenders in the box this season.
#DALvsPHI #DallasCowboys https://t.co/iTtmXaN1Dq
Table of Contents Sunday marked the fifth time Elliott's rushed for 150-plus yards, which paces the league in that span, per ESPN Stats & Info. Dallas 'lead back already has four hundred-yard games, and his 831 rushing yards rank second overall behind the Los Angeles Rams' Todd Gurley.
The running back is also one of Dallas' best options in the passing game. Elliott caught six passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. He's now amassed 140 or more scrimmage yards in every contest versus the Eagles, according to NFL Research.
At one point, an argument could have been made that Elliott was the Cowboys' best offensive weapon in both phases of the game. But that's no longer the case.
Dallas' much-ballyhooed trade of a first-round pick for Cooper has already paid dividends. The team's newly minted WR1 led his squad Sunday with 75 receiving yards. In fact, Cooper has been the team's leading receiver in his first two contests since the trade.
On the surface, 133 receiving yards over the last two weeks are not all that exciting. Its use and, yes, reliability within the passing game creates a ripple effect throughout the entire unit. Defenses must account for Cooper now at all times. Coverages will rotate in his direction, and his presence on the field
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Obviously, the Cowboys are never going to be seen as an explosive aerial attack with their current crop of wide receivers. But Cooper provided the threat they were sorely lacking throughout the season's first half. The attention Cooper asks for chunk plays for an offense that had become too much attached to methodically working its way downfield. Four different receivers had receptions of over 20 yards against the Eagles' depleted secondary.
How successful Cooper, Elliott and the supporting cast are ultimately dependent on the scheme's triggerman. Prescott must feed all of them.
The quarterback's play tends to border on lackluster and promising. His latest performance in the latter category.
Prescott is far from a finished product, but it does present a unique skill set if properly used. At times, the play-calling from offensive coordinator Scott Linehan could (and should) be questioned, because Prescott is not a true pocket passer. Yes, he can not win from the pocket, but he's not yet enough in that area of his game. Instead, his use should vary. Provide the young signal-caller with run-pass options. Get him out on the edge. Let's get some athleticism over there. That's not always the case.
However, there are many strong throws throughout the contest. He completed 72.2 percent of his passes for 270 yards and a touchdown. He ran for one more score. This is what everyone comes to expect after such a promising rookie campaign. It's been far too sporadic.
Of course, there are still questionable plays Prescott continues to make. For example, he tends to leave the pocket far longer than he should, which often results in a sack.
These flashes are still bright enough to make the Cowboys an intriguing team despite their 4-5 record. The Washington Redskins owns a two-game lead in the division, but they soon vanquished the AFC South-leading Houston Texans and the Cowboys the following week. Two contests against the Eagles will not be easy, either.
Dallas' next opponent, meanwhile, is the Atlanta Falcons, who are coming off a surprising loss to the Cleveland Browns. If the Cowboys can close the gap entering Week 13, they will have a tough three-game stretch against the New Orleans Saints, Eagles and Indianapolis Colts before finishing with two weak opponents in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Giants.
Despite all the early-season disappointment, the division is still there for the taking. Everything swirling around the organization can take a backseat to its most redeeming quality: an offensive core rife with young, enticing talent. That extends to a homegrown defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, cornerback Byron Jones and rookie standout Leighton Vander Esch.
Big D often stands for drama. It will surely be again with another loss. Right now, the Cowboys' potential is obvious, though, and it starts with its three offensive stars.
"When you're feeling low and you're seeing the Grim Reaper and then do you have a special feeling," Jerry Jones said, per the Dallas Morning News' Jon Machota. "It is a lift."
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.
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