The Dallas Cowboys remained one of the hottest teams in the NFL by securing their fifth straight win on Sunday evening. Mike McCarthy’s men displayed their ability to fight through adversity en route to a thrilling 35-29 overtime victory over the New England Patriots. It was a jaw-dropping contest that culminated in a 35-yard touchdown throw from quarterback Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb.
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The victory furthered the narrative that the Cowboys are one of the most complete teams across the league, and have the appearance of a true Super Bowl contender.
The Cowboys will now recharge their batteries during a Week 7 bye before putting their impressive five-game winning streak on the line against the Minnesota Vikings during a Sunday night primetime contest in Week 8. When discussing the boisterous Cowboys and their Super Bowl prospects, it's important to remember they'd likely be a perfect 6-0 if not for a no-call pass interference that came with under 30 seconds left to play in Dallas' lone loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. If the correct call was made in that instance, we'd all be waking up to the undefeated Cowboys on Monday morning and you wouldn't even think to question the validity of this article, but I digress.
It's impossible to discuss the Cowboys' early-season success without immediately pointing to the resurgent and resilient Prescott. The former Mississippi State standout has marked his return from a gruesome ankle injury suffered in 2020 in incredibly impressive fashion. Through six games, Prescott is sporting an astounding 73.1% completion percentage while tossing 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions. A worthy MVP candidate and a virtual shoo-in for Comeback Player of the Year, Prescott is leading a Cowboys offense that is scoring the league's second-best 34.2 points per game and could move into first place should the Buffalo Bills fail to surpass 30 points on Monday night.
On the other side of the coin lies a new-look defense that is exceeding expectations. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has implemented his acclaimed 4-3 base and Cover 3 approach with great success thus far. Although the Cowboys are still giving up plenty of yards through the air per contest, they've showcased their ability to improve in recent weeks.
The unit is powered by a stingy run defense giving up a mere 86.2 yards on the ground. Their uncanny ability to create turnovers has also made a monumental difference, with their plus-seven turnover differential ranking in the top three across the entire league. Dallas' defense isn’t perfect, but they’re minimizing the ways in which opposing offenses can attack them while creating turnovers at an alarming and efficient rate. It's more than enough support for a team whose offense is humming along on a consistent basis.
For all the MVP shouts Prescott will continue to receive, cornerback Trevon Diggs is making a claim to the Defensive Player of the Year honors with an astonishing seven interceptions in six games. Dallas is receiving peak performance from a roster that is loaded with star playmakers at nearly every position. The Cowboys are legitimate contenders to make an appearance in Super Bowl LVI.
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