Slumping Cowboys fall to Bills; Saints wrap up NFC South
Jerry Jones still believes the Dallas Cowboys can get in the playoffs. He even mentioned Super Bowl after yet another loss.
Well, the Cowboys (6-6) still lead the NFC East after a 26-15 home loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving Day. And Jason Garrett is still their coach.
“I’m looking ahead at another ball game. I’m looking ahead at winning four or five straight. Five straight and helping write a story they will talk about, how it looks like you were down and out, and got it done,” Jones said.
While obviously still disappointed and emotional — Jones clearly had some tears in his eyes after exiting the locker room from which the muffled shouts of players could be heard — it was a far different mode than when the owner blasted the coaching staff after a 13-9 loss at New England.
After another loss four days later — the team’s sixth in the past nine games — Jones instead said he wasn’t going to panic and was looking for ways to help the team.
“One of them is not a coaching change. One of them is not reworking the offense or the defense,” he said. “Those aren’t alternatives for us to be ready to play over the next month and give us a chance to be what we want to be.”
For the Bills, John Brown became the first Buffalo receiver to throw a touchdown pass and quarterback Josh Allen ran for a touchdown and threw a scoring pass to Cole Beasley, who had 110 yards receiving and a touchdown in his first game against his former team. The Bills (9-3) got their first Thanksgiving win since 1975 in their first appearance on the holiday in 25 years.
Allen was 19 of 24 for 231 yards as Bills won their third straight game and solidified their hold on an AFC wild-card spot.
Dax Prescott was 32 of 49 for 355 yards and two touchdowns, but threw an interception, lost one fumble and had another on fourth down. SAINTS 26, FALCONS 18 » Taysom Hill blocked a punt to set up his 3-yard touchdown catch, later scored on a 30yard run and the New Orleans Saints clinched their third straight NFC South title by beating the Atlanta Falcons 26-18 on Thursday night.
With Julio Jones inactive due to a shoulder injury, the Falcons had too little offense to keep pace with Drew Brees and the Saints.
Atlanta recovered two onside kicks in the closing minutes, including one with 1:54 remaining, to make things interesting.
Matt Ryan was sacked by Cameron Jordan on a fourth-down play from the New Orleans 44 with 38 seconds remaining. Ryan was sacked nine times, including four by Jordan.
The Saints (10-2) atoned for their 26-9 home loss to the Falcons on Nov. 10. It was the Saints’ only loss in their last 10 games.
The versatile Hill blocked Ryan Allen’s punt to end Atlanta’s first possession. The Saints took over at the Falcons 30, and four plays later Hill scored his first touchdown on the short pass from Brees.
Hill took a direct snap and ran 30 yards for his first rushing touchdown of the season to give New Orleans a 17-6 lead late in the first half.
The Falcons (3-9) solidified their hold on last place in the division with their second straight home loss. BEARS 24, LIONS 20 » Mitchell Trubisky threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to David Montgomery with 2:17 left, lifting Chicago past Detroit.
The Bears took the lead on the nine-play, 90-yard drive and sealed the victory on the ensuing possession with Eddie Jackson’s interception.
Rookie quarterback David Blough led Detroit’s last drive to the Chicago 26 in the final minute before losing 13 yards on a sack to leave a desperation pass as the only option and Jackson picked off his heave.
Chicago (6-6) has won three of four games after losing four in a row to stay in the NFC playoff picture. The Lions (3-8-1) have lost five straight.
Trubisky finished 29 of 38 with three TDs, matching a season high he also equaled in a win over Detroit earlier this month, for 338 yards.