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Cowboys Suffer Penalties, Get Turnovers, Stay in Control of #1 Seed

By Ben Davila

Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4), running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) and wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) in the huddle in the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4), running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) and wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) in the huddle in the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Despite their seemingly sparkling 11-2 record, the Dallas Cowboys entered last night’s game riddled with new doubt. How would they respond?

Early returns weren’t positive. A strong opening drive derailed with a penalty. Kicker Dan Bailey missed a long shot 56-yard field goal. Granted good field position, the Buccaneers responded with a drive of their own that culminated with a field goal and early 3-0 lead. The problems plaguing the Cowboys in recent weeks continued in the opening stages the contest.

To their credit, Dallas did settle down. While the penalty bug continued on their second possession, they managed to tie the game, 3-3. The defense continued their strong play, and the offense found their early-season groove.

Almost in spite of themselves, the Cowboys surged to a 17-3 lead. Tampa pulled to 17-6 with a field goal, but Dallas got the ball back with all three timeouts and a chance to grab more points before the break.

One win in the final two weeks clinches home field advantage

Yet again, the Cowboys drove the field only to hurt themselves with a penalty. Another scoring chance came up short when Bailey pulled a 52-yard attempt wide left. Despite a 17-6 lead at the half, the nagging feeling remained that the lead should have been more.

The uneasy hunch continued on Tampa’s first possession of the second half. Quarterback Jameis Winston heaved a third-and-one prayer that was tipped by cornerback Brandon Carr into the waiting arms of Bucs receiver Adam Humphries in the Dallas end zone. 17-13. Game on. The trend of the Cowboys being their own worst enemy continued.

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As the third quarter wore on, Tampa Bay switched to an up-tempo, no-huddle attack. This allowed Winston to carve the Dallas defense and eventually wrest the lead away, 20-17.

If anything was certain, it was that there were two playoff contenders trading punches in a possible January NFC preview. The game evolved into a seesaw affair with the Cowboys taking a 23-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

For all the ebbs and flows, the stage was set for a dramatic finish. For all the troubles the Cowboys caused themselves, redemption was there for the taking.

Ultimately, redemption occurred. The defense pitched a fourth quarter shutout, powered by defensive end David Irving’s domination of the Tampa offensive line. The havoc he created allowed the Cowboys to control the line of scrimmage in the clutch. This cannot be overstated. While the offense kept shooting themselves in the foot with touchdown-killing penalties and momentum-destroying turnovers, the steadiness of the defense kept everything from getting out of hand.

So while it was no work of art, at the end of the day, the 26-20 win elevates the Cowboys to 12-2. One win in the final two weeks clinches home field advantage for a team that only seven scant days ago appeared to be suffering from a major crisis of confidence. It just goes to show that the fickle, week-to-week nature of the NFL can provide wild swings fortune that only the most realistic fans can absorb and process.

Next: Cowboys defense is ready for the playoffs

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We saw a team continue to come of age last night, Cowboy fans. They looked ragged at times, but they responded when it mattered most. For all the local media squawking of a potential quarterback controversy, Dak Prescott responded with a deadly accurate game against a red-hot defense. Without getting too far ahead, special things still appear to be in the cards for this bunch. Strap in. The rest of the voyage is going to be incredibly fun no matter what happens.

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