‘D’ stars in Dallas
Cowboys surprise Chiefs with all-around effort
ARLINGTON, Texas – Just two seconds were on the clock before halftime when the Kansas City Chiefs dialed up the perfect play to foil Rod Marinelli’s prevent defense.
With eight Dallas Cowboys defenders stationed inside their own 10-yard line — looking for a Hail Mary — Alex Smith took the snap from Kansas City’s
44-yard line and flipped a pass over the middle for Tyreek Hill.
Tyrone Crawford, the Dallas defensive end, was assured as he turned back to watch the play develop.
“Oh, man, we’ve got this,” Crawford remembered thinking, flashing back in the boisterous locker room after the 28
17 win. “All those guys are down there.” No matter.
Hill, the lightning-fast receiver who doubles as one of the NFL’s most dangerous returners, had a convoy of block- ers in his midst. He went into full puntreturn mode, darting and dashing to a stunning, 56-yard touchdown.
Crawford’s next thought: “Are you kidding me?”
It was that kind of day at JerryWorld. Strange things happened.
The much-maligned Dallas defense essentially kept one of the NFL’s highest-scoring offenses in check, regaining its groove after the midgame lapse — Dallas gave up a 62-yard TD drive to
start the second half to fall behind for the only time in the entire game 17-14 — to pass a major test.
If you saw this coming, you should hang out with Tony Romo, Nostradamus in a broadcast booth.
But there they were. This rebuilt defense, applying heat from the front with the likes of Crawford, NFL sack leader DeMarcus Lawrence, David Irving and rookie Taco Charlton. Kareem Hunt, the NFL’s rushing leader, ran for just 37 yards. Kansas City was 4for-11 on third-down conversions. Smith, the NFL’s highest-ranked passer, threw his first interception of the season.
If Dallas (5-3) is going to stay in the thick of the race, this is the type of defense it will need.
“I think we’re starting to get close to the type of defense we want to be,” linebacker Sean Lee said.
More tests await: Next up, Atlanta. Sure, the Falcons are sputtering, but they’ll be at home. Maybe reigning NFL MVP Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Co. are poised for a flashback. Then Philadelphia comes to North Texas. The Eagles, the hottest operation in the NFL, put up 51 points against the Denver Broncos’ top-ranked defense Sunday.
No, this road will not get any easier for the Cowboys — especially if they’re without Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas had its star running back in the mix Sunday, after his six-game suspension was put back on hold by an administrative stay ruling Friday — another entry into the saga that is Elliott legally fighting the NFL’s contention that he violated the league’s domestic violence policy. But despite limited practice time, he rushed for 93 yards on 27 carries, with a touchdown, to provide his typical foundation for the Dallas offense.
The Cowboys need to prove they can win games like they did Sunday, when the defense dominated and Dak Prescott played splendidly. Prescott passed for an efficient 249 yards (2 TDs, 0 INTs, 106.8 rating) and had three timely runs
(27 yards) that included a 10yard TD scramble and two scampers for first downs.
Also, while Dez Bryant caught six passes for 73 yards, it was Terrance Williams with the 100-yard game (9 catches,
141 yards) and Cole Beasley with a pair of TD catches.
All that balance on offense, all-around defensive effort, a special-teams lockdown. A complete game, to run the winning streak to four games.
After the crazy touchdown before the half — some serious in-game adversity — the Cowboys demonstrated a certain resilience.
“Let it go, we can’t change it,” Crawford said of the mindset. “We just have to keep playing.”
They’d better keep that mantra in mind.