Cowboys clinch NFC East
Prescott runs for one touchdown, throws for another in victory
ARLINGTON, TEXAS— Dak Prescott shared a brief hug with star running back Ezekiel Elliott after the Dallas quarterback knelt twice to wrap up their second NFC East title in three seasons together.
The postgame celebration was equally muted after Prescott accounted for two touchdowns and Jaylon Smith returned a fumble 69 yards for a score in a 27-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Now it’s on to something Prescott and Elliott couldn’t do after an NFC-best 13 victories during their remarkable rookie year together in 2016: win a playoff game.
“We’ve got a lot more work to do,” Prescott said after running for Dallas’s first touchdown and throwing a four-yard pass to Michael Gallup for the last.
“This is something that we set out, wanted to do way back in the off-season, and this is giving us a chance to go and get the greater goal.”
Smith’s long return came after a scrambling Jameis Winston lost the ball on a blindside sack by Randy Gregory, who also recovered a fumble to set up a touchdown for a 14-point lead late in the third quarter.
The Cowboys (9-6) clinched their third division title in five seasons a week after failing in their first chance with their first shutout loss in 15 years, 23-0 at Indianapolis.
It was a moment of redemption for Elliott, whose six-game suspension over domestic violence allegations last year came just as the Cowboys were playing their best. The ensuing three-game losing streak ultimately kept them out of the playoffs.
“We can’t get comfortable,” said Elliott, who had 85 yards rushing.
“We can’t afford to take a week off next week. We’ve got to keep working and make sure we’re ready for the playoffs.”
Elliott, the NFL rushing leader by 98 yards over Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams coming in, is at 1,434 yards with what could be seen as a meaningless game at the Giants to finish the regular season. In a similar situation two years ago, Elliott didn’t play at Philadelphia. His final carry Sunday was an11-yarder for a first down that allowed Prescott to run out the clock.
Winston threw for 336 yards in another prolific passing game for the Buccaneers (5-10), who outgained the Cowboys 383 yards to 232 but hurt themselves with turnovers and holding penalties.
Tampa Bay’s third straight loss clinched the franchise’s fifth season of at least 10 losses in the past six years, a week after the Buccaneers were eliminated from post-season contention.
“It’s frustrating to move the ball like that and not get touchdowns,” coach Dirk Koetter said. “Against good teams, that’s what you’re supposed to do.”
Smith’s fumble return and Gregory’s recovery at the Tam- pa Bay 4 helped a Dallas offence that wasn’t sharp for a second straight week.
Prescott was 20-of-25 but for just 161 yards.
Prescott ran seven yards to cap the only lengthy Dallas touchdown drive, a 75-yarder. Prescott’s toss to the rookie Gallup came after Gregory’s recovery, which resulted from a botched exchange between Winston and receiver Bobo Wilson.
A play before that bad exchange in a seven-point game, Peyton Barber’s 33-yard run was wiped out by one of four holding penalties against the Bucs.
Smith gave the Cowboys a14-3 lead in the second quarter, scooping up the loose ball after Gregory hit Winston from behind and outrunning the Tampa Bay quarterback down the sideline for his first career touchdown.