Dallas Cowboys come through with an unprecedented win

The Dallas Cowboys achieved an incredible milestone in an improbable win.

I wasn’t prepared to sit down and extol the Dallas Cowboys today. Frankly, I’ve been consumed with the actual championship contender in this here burg that plays their games on a sheet of ice. But after what happened yesterday, the Cowboys forced their way onto the agenda, and it surely warrants an attempt to try to unpack what occurred in an unreal come-from-behind 40-39 win.

Not only did Dallas spot the Atlanta Falcons a 20-0 first quarter lead. And not only did they trail 29-10 at halftime. But in digging that hole, they fumbled four times–losing three–in a first quarter where they looked completely unready to play. To be sure, the Cowboys realistically had no business winning yesterday.

Insert any standard cliche here, but that’s why you have to play the full sixty minutes. You see, beside the fumbles, the turnovers on downs, the failed fake punts, the peculiar decision to go for two when they didn’t absolutely have to, the Cowboys still figured out a way to come out on top. Was it aided by a brain dead Falcons’ hands team on the pivotal onside kick? Sure. No question.

But as woeful as the coaching looked early on, you have to give the Cowboys credit for the way they kept coming. There’s something to be said for not panicking and keeping your composure when the circumstances suggest otherwise. I can’t sit here and bash them for the first half and not allow for a huge measure of latitude in the redemptive second half.

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The fun part? Here’s where your jaw should drop if you don’t know this already. Per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, “According to the Elias Sports Bureau research, since 1933–when team turnovers were first tracked–teams that scored 39 or more points and had no turnovers in a game were a combined 440-0. Until [yesterday].” Yes, you read that right. The Cowboys won the only game under those conditions in eighty-seven years! I’m not sure that that’s something to be particularly proud of, considering everything they had to overcome to get there, but it’s still incredibly unique and noteworthy. The lone victory in that scenario inexplicably now belongs to the Dallas Cowboys

So does this mean anything for them and their long-term chances this year? Who knows? You don’t typically give up thirty-nine points and win, and they have to travel to Seattle next week and play Russell Wilson. Granted, the Dallas defense had to defend a short field on several occasions in the first quarter, so the jury’s still out on what their true potential is. All I know is that they ultimately gave up only ten points in the second half.

Meanwhile, the Cowboy offense kept plugging away and put up some massive numbers. Anyone still think Dak Prescott isn’t worth paying yet? In my opinion, folks, that ship has long since sailed, whether you dig it or not. Efforts like yesterday’s are the stuff of long-term guaranteed contracts. We have no idea how the rest of this season will play out, but the incredible win yesterday tastes a lot better than what we thought would initially occur.

• Published on 09/21/2020 at 11:01 AM
• Last updated at 09/21/2020 at 09:41 AM