Cowboys Country

Cowboys BREAKING: Dak Prescott Injured on Game-Winning Play in OT Win at Patriots; MRI Needed?

On a funky Foxboro afternoon full of surprising stats, dramatic plays and head-spinning lead changes, the Cowboys survive in overtime. Our Top 10 observations on a scintillating game deserving of about 100 ...

Richie Whitt

It's a "walk-off winner, Dallas 35-29 at New England (read "No Weaknesses'' here) ... except Dak Prescott couldn't exactly walk off without a limp.

On the game-winning play - more below - the Cowboys QB injured his right calf. CowboysSI.com is being told Prescott will undergo further examination - possibly an MRI - on the calf when the team returns to DFW.

Now to the Whitty Observations ...

10. WALK-OFF WINNER - The Cowboys beat the Patriots in Foxboro for the first time since 1987. 

Then: A 60-yard touchdown run by Herschel Walker in overtime. 

Now: A 35-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb. 

It is Dallas' first overtime victory since Amari Cooper caught a touchdown to beat the Eagles in 2018.

9. McCARTHY'S McGAMBLING - Welcome to our weekly staple, where we scratch our collective heads over the problematic risk-reward calculations of Mike McCarthy. 

Dallas faced 4th-and-1 at its own 34 on the opening possession. Punt. No-brainer. Unless you're McCarthy. Going for it in that situation makes zero sense, even in the deepest reaches of your riskiest algorithm. Converting it gives you a first down at your 35 early in a scoreless tie. Failing - Ezekiel Elliott's was stopped short - is a triple-treat for your opponent. The Cowboys handed the Patriots field position and momentum and wasted a timeout challenging the spot. 

This team's too good to be coached by a man making decisions that are so bad. And if you're going to go for it fourth down early, why not late? When it really matters? 

McCarthy passed on a conversion that would've likely allowed the Cowboys to milk the clock and kick a game-winning field in regulation. At the end of regulation, he inexplicably called a timeout to give the Patriots :20 on the clock after Greg Zuerlein's game-tying field goal. 

McCarthy said after the game he knew it'd be a "dogfight.'' But maybe it didn't have to be.

Nothing more fascinating - or maddening - in DFW sports than McCarthy's mismanagement of time and gambling. 

Despite him, the Cowboys are 5-1.

8. WACKY HALF - Can't recall the last time we saw the Cowboys produce a 161-yard passing quarter, block a punt in the opponent's Red Zone and have a 41-17 play advantage and still trail (this time, 14-10) at halftime. How'd it happen? They not only had two turnovers (a fumble and interception by Prescott) in the Red Zone, but in New England's end zone.

7. HOT START, COLD REWARD - It's always a little unsettling when your quarterback completes his first 10 passes but you find yourself down, 14-7. Prescott was 10 of 10 early and threw for 161 yards in the first quarter, most by an NFL quarterback in the opening 15 minutes this season. And to think, he had a 44-yard completion to receiver Cedrick Wilson negated by a penalty on offensive tackle Tyron Smith.

6. HAPPY HALLOWEEN - It's only mid-October and the Cowboys already have - thanks to another winless week by their divisional foes - a three-game lead in the NFC East. 

The Giants, Eagles and Washington Football Team all lost in Week 6 by a combined score of 97-46. For the first time since 2106, the Cowboys are 5-1. No other team in the East has more than two wins.

5. DIGGIN' IT - Like seemingly every player on the field Sunday, Trevon Diggs gets mixed reviews. 

He revived Dallas' seemingly lost hope in the final two minutes with a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown - yes,  another one. But he also lost his cool and threw a punch in the first half, and then was burned near the end of regulation by being too aggressive and biting on a double-move by Patriots' receiver Kendrick Bourne for a 75-yard touchdown. 

Question: What in the world was safety Damontae Kazee doing on that play? He didn't play the ball, which floated in the air forever and begged to be intercepted, or the receiver, who was an inviting target. 

Atrocious non-play.

4. MOJO MOMENT - The Cowboys were staring at an improbable 21-7 deficit in the second quarter when a precious, change-of-momentum moment that McCarthy so cherished back in training camp bailed them out. Defensive end Randy Gregory's quick pass rush forced a holding penalty that wiped out a New England touchdown pass. 

On the next play, Gregory blew past Patriots' tackle Yodny Cajuste and de-cleated Mac Jones for a sack and fumble that kept Dallas in the game early. With two sacks, Gregory - at least temporarily - is making us forget a guy named DeMarcus Lawrence.

3. A LITTLE LUCK - In a game in which they were called for 12 penalties for 115 yards, it's the one that wasn't called on the Cowboys that might have been the most important. First, Dallas was fortunate that Patriots' receiver Nelson Agholor dropped an in-stride pass that would've likely moved New England to around midfield in overtime. Four plays later Jones threw a third-down pass toward Agholor, who clearly - albeit briefly - had his facemask tugged by cornerback Anthony Brown. A flag there would've given the Patriots a first down at Dallas' 40. Instead, New England was forced to punt and ... never got the ball back.

2. DRAMATIC DAK - On a day in which he committed two turnovers in New England's end zone early, Prescott was again heroic late. He completed clutch passes to Cedric Wilson and Lamb at the end of regulation, and then calmly found CeeDee for the 35-yard game-winner. 

He finished with 445 yards and three touchdowns, enough to overcome his two gaffes. (Aside: We're still not sure why his third-down quarterback sneak for an apparent touchdown in the first half wasn't at least reviewed.) 

In 75 NFL starts, Prescott is now 47-28.

1. CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER - In a pulsating game filled with multiple heroes - Prescott, Lamb, Zuerlein, Diggs, etc. - the Cowboys lose if not for Wilson's leaping catch on 4th-and-4 near the end of regulation. 

Needing a first down to keep a potential game-tying drive alive, Wilson jumped high and improbably caught Prescott's high throw for a 13-yard catch on the sideline. Five plays later, Zuerlein made the 49-yard field goal that sent the game into overtime and allowed the Cowboys to beat Bill Belichick for the first time in 30 years.

“Life keeps throwing punches,'' said Dak, in a summary of "life'' but also of this game. "And I’ll keep throwing them back. (His calf) doesn’t hurt as bad when you score and win the game.”

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Richie Whitt
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