Cowboys pass biggest test of the season: WK9 Quick Takes

The Dallas Cowboys beat one of the best teams in the NFL on Sunday moving to 5-3 and keeping division hopes alive with a 28-17 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Dallas Cowboys topped the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon 28-17. The game wasn’t just a measuring stick, but it was a must-win if the Cowboys wanted to keep pace with the 8-1 NFC East leading Philadelphia Eagles.

How good are the Chiefs? They are the team responsible for the Eagles’ lone loss of the season. The Cowboys found a way to limit the Chiefs’ big play offense despite allowing an embarrassing 57-yard garbage play with time expired in the first half.

The most significant development, though, may be bad news for Dallas as Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams both left the game to injury. Combine that with the likely loss of Ezekiel Elliott next week, and Dallas may be offensively crippled going forward.

Dink Kearney Quick Takes

Finally, the critics can be quiet because the Dallas Cowboys beat a team with a winning record by beating the Kansas City Chiefs in convincing fashion. The Cowboy beat the Chiefs 28-17 in a game where the defense stepped up big when it mattered the most.

Rookie Taco Charlton stepped  up and recorded his first sack of his young career. Jeff Heath picked off Alex Smith on 4th and 8th in the fourth quarter, probably the key play of the game. Heath’s interception snapped Smith’s streak of consecutive passes without an interception, dating back to last season.

Kareem Hunt was a nonfactor as the Cowboys held the dynamic back down. The only gaffe for the Cowboys defense was giving up a 57-yard touchdown reception to ultra-talented Tyreek Hill with a few seconds left on the clock before halftime. The Chiefs caught the Cowboys defense playing for a Hail Mary and Smith hit Hill underneath for the an unacceptable touchdown. It appeared the Orlando Scandrick was going to tackle Hill, but Scandricks’s poor effort resulted in an unwarranted touchdown.

If not for that touchdown, the Cowboys blow out the Chiefs 28-10. Also, the Cowboys defense kept the best tight end in the NFL, Travis Kelce, in check, most of the game.

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The Dallas offense scored 28 points for the fifth consecutive game — this offense is unstoppable. Pick your poison and defenses lose badly. The offensive line is gelling and getting even better each and every week.

Zeke rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries and is the heartbeat of this offense. Dak Prescott threw for 249 yards, two touchdowns, and ran for another. Dak is the real deal, as he proved it by getting the ball to Terrance Williams on nine receptions for 141 receiving yards. It shows you that Dak can spread the ball around to several receivers, instead of concentrating on one primary receiver like Dez Bryant.

Cole Beasely got in on the action and scored two touchdowns. Cole is one of the best slot receivers in the game.  Besides Zeke’s on-again-off again suspension, the Cowboys will have to worry about Williams and Bryant’s lower legs injuries. It didn’t look too serious, but you never know. Let’s hope those injuries are minor.

Next: Looking at the running game without Zeke

Although the Cowboys will miss Zeke’s services if he’s suspended, the Cowboys offense is built for success with its offensive line and other running backs. Now lets get ready for those dirty birds, known as the Atlanta Falcons.