Cowboys get ‘chunk of confidence’
ARLINGTON, Texas – It wasn’t just that they won.
It was how they won.
The ability to overcome injury, force turnovers on defense, avoid them on offense and rise to the occasion when yet another foundational member of the roster was sidelined by injury.
The ability to carry momentum from a 30-7 win in Cincinnati, to secure consecutive victories for the first time this season.
In a 41-33 win over the 49ers on Sunday, the Cowboys met their challenges.
“It’s refreshing to see,” coach Mike Mccarthy said. “The biggest part that comes out of stacking success is the confidence. It’s a big chunk of confidence.”
The Cowboys, improving to 5-9, aren’t confident because they played a flawless game of football to beat San Francisco and stay alive in the NFC East. Rather, they relished in their ability to find creative solutions to counter many of their season-long weaknesses and at just the right times.
Take the defense. The Cowboys registered three takeaways in their first seven games. They’ve now nabbed seven in their last two. The momentum was there to capitalize on, the Cowboys defense coming off a three-takeaway game last week while San Francisco’s offense has been the second most charitable in the league. Two interceptions and two forced and recovered fumbles led to 24 Cowboys points in the eight-point win.
“I feel like we’re starting to step up to the plate, live up to our expectations,” said defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who forced a fumble in each of the last two games. “I feel like this is the turning corner for us. We’re getting our young guys playing well, our vets are playing well, and it’s all about just staying healthy and attacking the ball.
“It is contagious.”
Special teams caught the bug.
One fumble and recovery came on a punt return, when defensive end Dorance Armstrong knocked the ball loose from Richie James as he wrapped him for a tackle. Receiver Cedrick Wilson recovered it, setting up the Cowboys’ first score on a day they’d never trail.
Punter Hunter Niswander contributed, twice pinning the Niners inside their 20, one time on their 2-line with a knockdown assist from defensive back
C.J. Goodwin.
Then they were three successful field goals from kicker Greg Zuerlein (he missed one attempt, from 60 yards) and a 47-yard onside kick recovery returned for touchdown by rookie Ceedee Lamb.
“When Dak went down, I knew in my position I had to step up and help the team a lot,” Lamb, who also caught five balls for 85 yards, said of injured QB Dak Prescott.
“Defensive guys, when they turn over the ball, it’s just electric. It gives a boost the offense, and it forces us to play confident football.”
That confident football translated to four different players scoring touchdowns, including two by ground from running back Tony Pollard, who totaled 132 yards from scrimmage.
When Pollard woke up Sunday morning, he had not expected to start. He knew Ezekiel Elliott was “banged up,” sidelined during the week as he worked through inflammation and stiffness related to a calf contusion. But Elliott had been nicked up before. He hadn’t missed a game due to injury in five seasons. When his calf became not just painful but he also felt a tug, that changed. Pregame work on resistance cords proved unhelpful. He was ruled a game-day inactive. Elliott found Pollard in the locker room before kickoff with a message.
“He just told me to be me and do what I do,” Pollard told USA TODAY Sports. “And that he was excited to watch.”
As was Mccarthy, who celebrated his team’s resilience.
“I feel strongly that these times … of adversity we’ve gone through will defi
nitely pay dividends in the future,” McCarthy said. “I think that’s part of our growth, I think that’s part of our newness in understanding exactly how this team trains, performs, evaluates, all the things (that) go into building a success
ful season let alone a successful program.
“The times of adversity clearly are things we can grow from. I’m just really happy for the players. These guys deserve this.”