Dallas Cowboys ARLINGTON, Texas – Even though it was a little harder this time, the Cowboys still won a game against a New York club by a lopsided margin.
The offense made just enough plays to keep scores on the board, and the Cowboys were able to rely on an aggressive defense once more.
Here are several plays that may not be well-remembered but had a big impact on the result.
Dallas Cowboys Dak’s scramble sets up a TD – After winning the toss, the Cowboys made a dubious choice to receive the ball to begin the game. To score a touchdown is the greatest method to counteract it. The Cowboys faced a third-and-6 from the Jets’ 20-yard line, but Dak Prescott more than made up for it with a 15-yard scramble to the Jets’ 5. Jake Ferguson grabbed Dak Prescott’s first touchdown throw of the year three plays later, giving the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.
Running into a “Tank”– Talk about establishing the mood for a contest. The Cowboys were aware that they needed to halt the run and reduce the Jets’ variety. DeMarcus Lawrence sliced through the line of scrimmage on the opening play from scrimmage and knocked Breece Hall to the ground for a 4-yard loss. The Jets never managed to develop their running game after that.
Sauce drops a potential pick-6 – The Jets were attempting to capitalize on their momentum following a long touchdown throw to Garrett Wilson when Sauce Gardner blocked a Prescott sideline ball. Gardner fumbled the interception that would have probably been returned for a winning score. Instead, the Cowboys scored to take a 17-7 lead on the following play after successfully converting a third-down to KaVontae Turpin.
P.I. on Jets’ Echols – When the Cowboys were faced with a third-and-goal situation from the 13-yard line during the same touchdown drive, it looked as though they might have to settle for a field goal try. The Jets were called for pass interference on Brandin Echols as Dak Prescott attempted to pass to Jalen Tolbert in the end zone. Following a successful two-point conversion, Prescott threw a touchdown to tight end Luke Schoonmaker to put the ball on the one. The Cowboys had an 18-7 advantage rather than a 13-7 advantage.
First two plays of second half – Here’s a two-for-one, but it’s how the Jets opened the second half, dealing with a lot of defensive pressure, just like they did in the first. Breece Hall was supposed to get the ball on the opening play, but Micah Parsons screamed off the edge and forced Zach Wilson into a fast throw for no gain. Hall then received the ball on the second play and was stopped for a 2-yard loss. That left New York in a difficult situation once more, especially following a false start penalty. And the Jets had to punt to begin the third quarter rather than driving to get back in the game, giving Dallas fantastic field position and finally another field goal.
Aubrey’s first big FG made – Brandon Aubrey, a rookie kicker, not only made a significant improvement with his 55-yard field goal in the third quarter, but it also significantly altered the nature of the contest. At the Jets’ 38-yard line, Mike McCarthy had the option of being more cautious and punting the ball with his team leading 21-10. However, if Aubrey had attempted a long range goal and failed, the Jets would have been in excellent field position at their own 45-yard line. They would have required a spark like that to reenter the game. However, Aubrey’s accurate kick gave the Cowboys a dominating 14-point lead in addition to giving him and the team greater confidence in him.