10 Thoughts on Cowboys Win Over Tampa Bay

The Cowboys (9-6) clinched their third division title in five seasons

1. The Cowboys have now forced at least one turnover in eight consecutive games after Randy Gregory's sack and forced fumble led to Jaylon Smith's 69-yard fumble return for a touchdown. It was the first time the Cowboys had returned a fumble for a touchdown since Anthony Spencer did it in Washington Dec. 28, 2014. Dallas has forced 12 turnovers in the last eight games.

2. Randy Gregory, who had a sack, forced fumble and a fumble recovery, now has six sacks this season. More important, he's a disruptive factor each week. DeMarcus Lawrence gets the double-teams, which means it's imperative for Gregory to harass opposing quarterbacks.

3. Dak Prescott improved his record to 22-1 as a starter when he doesn't have a turnover. He also scored his league-leading 18th rushing touchdown since entering the NFL. Cam Newton is second with 15.

4. Brett Maher now owns the two longest field goals in franchise history after drilling a 59-yard kick late in the first half. Two weeks ago, he kicked a 62-yarder against Philadelphia.

5. Leighton Vander Esch had a team-high 15 tackles, giving him 163 for the season. That's good for 8th in team history.

6. Free safety Xavier Woods continues to play well. He made a terrific play to break up a pass In the first half and delivered a huge hit in the fourth quarter. It was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit that drew a personal foul. He seemingly delivers one of those a week, which adds to the Cowboys' physicality.

7. The Bucs had two of the longest drives against the Cowboys this season: 14 plays in the second quarter and 17 plays in the fourth quarter. They kept the ball a combined 17:03 on the drives but scored just three points. Those drives were a big reason the Bucs ran 75 plays, while Dallas had just 50.

8. Zeke Elliott is poised to win his second rushing title in three years after a 18-carry, 85-yard performance that gave him 1,434 yards this season. He holds a 183-yard lead over the Los Angeles Rams' Todd Gurley, who didn't play Sunday, and a 202-yard lead over the New York Giants' Saquon Barkley. He would become the fourth player with two rushing titles in his first three seasons.

9. Amari Cooper was a non-factor for the second consecutive game with four catches for 20 yards. Play-caller Scott Linehan must figure out ways to get him involved. It's not enough to let teams take him out of the offense.

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10. Taco Charlton returned from a two-week banishment from the inactive list, when he was a healthy scratch. He finished with five tackles, including a tackle for loss. 

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