The rookie tandem continues to deliver without Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. This time against the Cincinnati Bengals. After controlling the entire game on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys get their fourth straight win of the season 28-14.
Ezekiel Elliot kept his dominance with his third straight game running for at least 100 yards. This week he ran for 134 and two touchdowns.
“Zeke ran really, really well, but a big part of this game was the efficiency of our passing game,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Dak read things out well, threw it to the right guy, and was accurate. … He’s grown with the experience he gets. He’s goes about it the right way. We’re lucky to have him.”
Dak Prescott, on the other hand, had good and bad news.
The good news: Completing 18-of-24 passes for 227 yards with a passing and rushing touchdown. Also, he got another win as Dallas’ starting quarterback, without throwing an interception for the fifth game in a row.
The bad news: He did lose a fumble, which is his first giveaway all season.
Clearly, the good news significantly outweighs the bad news. Dak seems to trust Zeke. He’s realizing the talent he has alongside him in the backfield. He isn’t trying to do too much as a quarterback, just handing the ball off to statistically, the best running back in the game and dropping back, looking for a receiver when necessary.
Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley have been the saving grace for the Cowboys in the absence of superstar Dez Bryant. Against the Bengals, Williams led all Cowboy receivers with five catches for 70 yards, followed by Beasley who had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
The Cowboys’ defense falls in line.
The defense has been the root of some close calls thus far in the season. If you’re looking at numbers, the defense isn’t that bad, ranking right in the middle of the league at No. 16, but they’ve given up some big plays when they really needed to hold.
That wasn’t the issue today. Through three quarters they shut the Bengals out, being up 28-0 at one point. Andy Dalton’s homecoming was pretty impressive to be honest, throwing for 269 yards, on 29-of-41 passing, two touchdowns (at the end of the game), and no interceptions. The problem with the Bengals’ offense was the Dallas run defense, holding them to only 96 yards.
Things are rolling for the Cowboys for the first time since the 2014-2015 season because they have a strong and healthy quarterback and a dominating running back behind an even stronger offensive line. With today’s win, they’re in the driver’s seat of the NFC East at (4-1).
The Dallas Cowboys and their league-leading rushing attack will face a strict test next week when they travel to Green Bay (3-1).
