Cowboys Experience Over Colts, 54-19

The Dallas protection merely overpowered Indianapolis as the sport went alongside, the fourth quarter turning right into a feeding frenzy. The unit recorded three interceptions and two fumble recoveries, 4 of which got here within the last quarter.

Malik Hooker, who was initially drafted by the Colts and spent the primary 4 years of his profession in Indianapolis, recorded each an interception and a fumble restoration, returning the latter for a landing. In doing so, he grew to become the primary Cowboys defender to attain the feat since Dennis Thurman on Sept. 11, 1983, at St. Louis.

After all, he wasn’t alone as rookie cornerback DaRon Bland pulled in two interceptions himself whereas the protection as an entire additionally completed with three sacks and held Colts quarterback Matt Ryan to a paltry 59.9 passer ranking. Operating again Jonathan Taylor, final season’s speeding champ, was additionally restricted to only 3.9 yards per carry for a complete of 82.

On the opposite aspect of the ball, a balanced offensive assault noticed Dallas run the ball 34 occasions and drop again to go on 31 events. The bottom recreation churned out 220 speeding yards with Tony Pollard totaling 91 and Ezekiel Elliott one other 77.

And do not look now, however the Cowboys may simply have their No. 1 broad receiver. CeeDee Lamb was good. Getting in movement extra occasions than he ever has in his profession, he wound up with 71 receiving yards off of 5 catches with one rating. Michael Gallup additionally reached the top zone twice as quarterback Dak Prescott accomplished 66.7 % of his passes for simply 170 yards, however had these three touchdowns with just one interception for a ranking of 100.7.

The Cowboys would reel off 33 factors alone within the fourth quarter, a brand new group document.

It took a collection and a fast deficit earlier than the Dallas offense obtained issues rolling. After the Colts went up 3-0 off a 52-yard area objective, the Cowboys got here proper again and bullied their manner down the sphere on a 12-play, 73-yard drive. Elliott and Pollard mixed for eight carries and 32 yards, which included a 6-yard pickup by the previous on fourth down.

However Prescott did his half as properly, finishing three passes for 41 yards, the final of which was a 20-yard strike to Lamb, who rolled over a would-be tackler, by no means touched the bottom and spun off for the objective line and his sixth landing of the season, already equaling his profession excessive.

The house aspect’s lead did not final lengthy, although. The Colts’ quarterback Ryan first burned Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown on the appropriate aspect with a giant 45-yard achieve. After which two snaps later Ryan obtained fellow nook Trevon Diggs to chunk on a pretend, leaving receiver Ashton Dulin broad open within the left aspect of the top zone for the rating.

Blitzing security Donovan Wilson obtained to Ryan on a third-and-4 on the Indianapolis 25-yard line that pushed the Colts again to their very own 16. Donovan’s effort, and the following Indy punt, set the Cowboys up at their very own 44-yard line and required solely six performs to once more attain pay grime.

Pollard obtained issues off with a 17-yard run off left deal with after which capped the collection with a 2-yard dart up the center for the landing. In between, Lamb added to his complete with 22-yard catch and run down the left sideline.

Sadly, Prescott threw an interception with just below three minutes remaining within the second quarter, his seventh of the season however his fourth to come back late within the first half. This time cornerback Stephon Gilmore obtained the decide, returning it 31 yards to the Dallas 19-yard line. The Cowboys protection held, however with a 34-yard area objective, Indianapolis closed the deficit to only one.

The Cowboys obtained one other crack at it earlier than the break, although, when Brown this time tipped a Ryan go with Hooker there to corral the ball. The protection obtained to his ft and scampered 26 yards to the Indianapolis 26-yard line, Dallas taking up with 55 seconds remaining and all three timeouts in hand.

That was loads of time for Dallas to get again into the top zone. On third-and-9 on the 13-yard line, Prescott drifted to his proper earlier than discovering Gallup streaking via the center, the receiver then forcing his manner into the top zone to increase the Cowboys lead on the half, 21-13.

Issues tightened up once more within the recreation’s third body when the Colts went on an prolonged 15-play drive that went 90 yards and ate up 8:00 off the clock. Indianapolis made the choice to go for it on fourth-and-1 on the Dallas 13-yard line, Ryan holding it himself to choose up the wanted yardage and transfer the chains. Two snaps later, the quarterback linked with Alec Pierce for the landing. Indianapolis went for 2, however the go try fell incomplete.

In the course of the drive, the Cowboys’ Brown needed to go away the sport with an ankle damage. His alternative, Kelvin Joseph, was the sufferer on the rating that introduced the Colts again to inside two.

As soon as once more, Dallas got here proper again, taking off on a 10-play, 75-yard drive of its personal that ticked over into the ultimate quarter. The group truly caught a break when a close to interception in Colts territory was not solely overruled, however a penalty on Indianapolis pushed the ball to the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Given one other probability, Prescott, discovered a streaking Lamb throughout the center for a 17-yard achieve right down to the 3-yard line earlier than concentrating on Gallup once more for the rating. That marked the receiver’s third multi-touchdown recreation of his profession.

After which the floodgates opened.

On the Colts’ first play of their subsequent possession, rookie linebacker Damone Clark punched the ball freed from tight finish Mo Alie-Cox, the ball bouncing proper into the arms of Hooker. He then ran 38 yards untouched down the left sideline for the landing, the primary of his six-year profession. Dallas tried to go for 2 to make it a three-possession recreation, however Lamb’s trick-play go into the top zone fell incomplete.

Then it was welcome to the Bland present. The rookie cornerback earned his second profession interception shortly thereafter to present Dallas possession at its personal 47-yard line, which ultimately led to a 30-yard landing run by Pollard.

The additional level was blocked, however irrespective of. On the Colts’ subsequent collection, Bland turned the trick once more, muscling in his second decide of the night time. With the group chanting his identify, this time Elliott obtained the scoring honors, plowing in from the 4-yard line for the landing. With that, he moved right into a tie with Bob Hayes for the third-most touchdowns in group document books, totaling 76.

All that was left to do now was play out the clock and produce the sport to a merciful finish. However there was nonetheless six minutes left to play.

When Sam Williams then recovered a fumble after Ryan was strip-sacked by Osa Odighizuwa, out got here quarterback Cooper Rush and lots of the second stringers. Not that it made a distinction, as rookie working again Malik Davis scooted in for his first profession landing, the group surpassing 50 factors for the eleventh time in membership annals.

The Cowboys saved tempo with the main Eagles and widened the hole of these behind them within the division. They are going to subsequent welcome the struggling Houston Texans for a Lone Star State showdown subsequent Sunday.