Here’s an instant analysis of the Cowboys’ 26-24 win over Detroit at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Sunday.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Cowboys needed a win in the worst way, and they put the ball in Ezekiel Elliott’s hands. He ran 25 times for 152 yards and caught four passes for 88 yards to help Dallas even its record at 2-2. Hope reigns for the season because the difference between 2-2 and 1-3 is a chasm as wide as the Grand Canyon.
TURNING POINT: Trailing 13-10, Detroit faces third-and-four from its own 18. Jaylon Smith blitzes and gets a good push up the middle. DeMarcus Lawrence loops around the outside and sacks Matt Stafford from behind - his second of the game - forcing a punt. The Cowboys then drive 64 yards in eight plays for a touchdown that pushed their lead to 20-10.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: DeMarcus Lawrence had a grown-man game. There will be a lot of attention on Ezekiel Elliott’s sensational performance and Dak Prescott’s nice performance, but Lawrence had eight tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.
Photos: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 2017
KEY STAT: Elliott had 152 yards, the 14th 100-yard game for his career. The Cowboys are 10-4 in those games. Dallas is now 16-6, when Elliott has 20 carries in a game.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Cowboys play Houston, which won its first game Sunday, in the Battle for Texas. The Cowboys needed an emotional win and a strong performance from Dak Prescott and the offense to give them hope for the season. This is a win they can build on, and feel good about themselves.
