It is likely to be time to start out taking the Dallas Cowboys significantly as Tremendous Bowl contenders.
As a result of they’ve by no means appeared higher within the Dak Prescott period, and their quarterback’s by no means performed higher.
The knock that’s trailed the Cowboys all through this season — their lack of a signature victory over a legit contender — was silenced fairly convincingly Sunday night time. Dallas whupped the Philadelphia Eagles 33-13 in a recreation the Cowboys had been in command of from the beginning.
Which means there’s a three-team tie atop the NFC, with the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles all 10-3. San Francisco owns tiebreakers over each attributable to head-to-head victories this season, and the Cowboys’ 4-1 division document offers them a slight edge over the Eagles, who’re 3-1 within the NFC East. However with 4 video games to play, lots can change.
Dallas has gained 15 straight at dwelling and owns a 171-point differential over opponents at AT&T Stadium this season. The largest purpose? Prescott. He furthered his MVP candidacy Sunday with a 271-yard, two-touchdown, no-pick efficiency, and the protection compelled Philly into three turnovers, by no means permitting Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense to get in sync.
Prescott’s final seven video games: 22 touchdowns and simply two interceptions. And a 6-1 document.
In Kansas Metropolis earlier Sunday, a Kadarius Toney penalty — he lined up offsides earlier than a pivotal fourth-quarter snap — value the Chiefs the play of the yr, permitting the Payments to flee with a much-needed 20-17 win that retains their playoff hopes alive. Patrick Mahomes was irate after the loss, screaming and slamming his helmet on the sideline, then venting in his postgame information convention.
Abruptly, improbably, the defending Tremendous Bowl champs have dropped three of 4, and Mahomes faces the doubtless prospect of enjoying the primary street playoff recreation of his profession come January.
On a rain-soaked afternoon in Baltimore, Lamar Jackson thrilled the house crowd with a 13-play landing drive late, then Tylan Wallace — returning the primary punt of his regular-season profession — added the exclamation level in additional time, taking again a Rams’ punt for a 76-yard, walk-off rating.
With the 37-31 victory, the Ravens are the AFC’s first workforce to 10 wins, although the Dolphins (9-3) can match them Monday night time, once they host the Titans. With Kansas Metropolis and Jacksonville dropping Sunday, it’s trying like the highest seed — and the coveted first-round bye — will come all the way down to Baltimore or Miami.
In Cleveland, Joe Flacco proved he’s right here to remain — a minimum of for the remainder of the season, main the Browns to an upset of the Jaguars.
In Los Angeles, the Chargers’ fourth loss in 5 video games was additional dampened by the information that franchise quarterback Justin Herbert fractured his proper index finger. His season might be performed; the Chargers’ playoff hopes already are.
In Las Vegas, the Vikings managed only a measly discipline purpose — and that was nonetheless sufficient to beat the Raiders, who misplaced their third straight. It was the NFL’s first 3-0 recreation since 2007.
In San Francisco, Brock Purdy and the 49ers notched their second five-game profitable streak of the season, beating the Seahawks for the second time in three weeks.
In Cincinnati, Jake Browning gained his second begin in six days, main the resurgent Bengals to a 20-point win over the Colts.
In New York, Zach Wilson shook off a tumultuous week and performed his finest recreation of the season in a 30-6 rout of the Texans. The loss snapped the Jets’ three-game dropping streak, and for Houston, the fear rests with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who left within the fourth quarter after slamming his head towards the turf and is now within the concussion protocol.
In the meantime, trigger for concern in Detroit? The Lions haven’t appeared proper in weeks, and suffered their second loss in three video games Sunday in Chicago, falling to the lowly Bears 28-13. At 9-4, Dan Campbell’s workforce remains to be in entrance within the NFC North, however the Lions usually are not enjoying something near their finest soccer.
Right here’s what stood out from Sunday of NFL Week 14:
Cowboys have their signature win
For Dallas, this one was about greater than the standings.
In a whole lot of methods, the Cowboys wanted a win like this, one over a professional Tremendous Bowl contender, the very kind of victory that’s been lacking from their in any other case spectacular résumé all season.
They had been routed in San Francisco in Week 5, then got here up quick in Philadelphia in Week 9. In between, for essentially the most half: blowout victories over struggling groups.
Beat up on pretenders all they need, typically by staggering margins, and the knock was going to hold round till they did one thing about it. Dallas didn’t have a signature win, not but a minimum of, that informed you the Cowboys had been able to do one thing totally different come January — and make a playoff run. Not since 1996 has Dallas superior to the NFC Championship Sport.
Sunday night time’s 33-13 win spoke to a workforce hitting its stride on the proper time. Dallas has gained 5 straight and, together with the 49ers, is among the many most well-balanced groups in soccer on either side of the ball.
The Eagles, in the meantime, have dropped two straight by a mixed 43 factors after profitable 9 of their first 10. Philly’s bid to earn the highest seed once more — and the first-round bye — simply acquired an entire lot harder, and one thing about the way in which the Eagles have performed the final two weeks makes you are worried about their postseason probabilities. At this level, they don’t have the momentum they did a yr in the past right now. The subsequent month will probably be about rediscovering that.
The excellent news for the Eagles, although, is their closing stretch seems much less formidable than what the Cowboys will see. Philly closes with the Seahawks, Cardinals and Giants twice. Dallas will end with the Payments, Dolphins, Lions and Commanders.
Toney prices the Chiefs; Payments’ playoff hopes nonetheless alive
Whereas the Chiefs had been furious after the loss — notably coach Andy Reid and Mahomes — that the referees didn’t warn Toney he was offsides earlier than the sport’s largest snap, the decision was the right one. It erased a wild play that noticed Travis Kelce snare a 25-yard cross from Mahomes, then lateral it to Toney, who ran the ultimate 24 yards for a landing that may’ve put the Chiefs in entrance 23-20 with 1:25 left.
Regardless of. Toney was a minimum of a full yard offsides. The flag was thrown. Mahomes threw three straight incompletions afterward and the Payments sealed the 20-17 win.
The Chiefs’ frustrations appear to be effervescent over — at their very own inconsistent play of late, plus some awful officiating. Mahomes was beside himself on the sideline as the sport ended, slamming his helmet, shouting on the officers. He then vented in a means he hardly ever does in his postgame information convention.
“One other recreation we’re speaking in regards to the refs,” Mahomes stated. “It’s not what we would like for the NFL. It’s not what we would like for soccer. Allow us to play the sport. Then no matter occurs occurs.”
“It’s a bit embarrassing for the Nationwide Soccer League for that to happen,” added Reid, who famous that the officers normally warn him when considered one of his receivers has lined up within the impartial zone.
Kansas Metropolis now has dropped three of its final 4 and misplaced two straight for the primary time since early within the 2021 season. At 8-4, the Chiefs are only a recreation in entrance of the surging Broncos, who began the season 1-5 however have gained six of seven since.
For the Payments, this win may’ve saved their season. Buffalo is now 7-6 and really a lot within the thick of a crowded AFC wild-card race.
“We acquired your again!” gamers shouted in a victorious postgame locker room at coach Sean McDermott, a nod to a chaotic week in Buffalo that noticed McDermott tackle a report about feedback he made in reference to the 9/11 terrorists throughout a 2019 workforce assembly.
All informed, six AFC groups are 7-6 for the time being: Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Houston, Denver, Cincinnati and Buffalo.
Flacco offers the Browns new hope
It’s one factor to maintain a season afloat with a backup quarterback.
It’s one thing else solely to do it while you’re in your fourth QB by mid-December.
Give Kevin Stefanski credit score: It’s been a turbulent season in Cleveland — 4 quarterbacks have now began a minimum of two video games for the Browns — and but his workforce is 8-5 and main the AFC wild-card race.
Whereas Houston’s DeMeco Ryans and Detroit’s Campbell have garnered loads of Coach of the 12 months consideration — rightfully so — Stefanski has quietly performed a terrific job in Cleveland, preserving the Browns aggressive regardless of fixed turnover on the recreation’s most important place.
It’s 38-year-old Flacco, signed off the road simply three weeks in the past, who has revived the workforce’s hopes with a month left within the common season. “I do know I can nonetheless play,” the previous Raven, Bronco and Jet stated final month. On Sunday he proved it, throwing for 311 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-27 win over the Jaguars, his second begin for the Browns.
“Developing with phrases on how this feels? I’m not gonna do a great job of that,” Flacco stated. “There are such a lot of various things which are working by way of my head. It’s unbelievable to (nonetheless) be on the market … I’m going to recollect this stuff endlessly.”
After the sport, Stefanski introduced Flacco could be the workforce’s starter the remainder of the way in which. From Deshaun Watson (out for the yr with a fracture in his throwing shoulder) to P.J. Walker (who’s since been launched) to Dorian Thompson-Robinson (who stays the backup), the Browns maintain discovering a means, typically profitable the shut ones. To date, they’re 5-2 in one-score video games.
Flacco’s arrival, and steadying veteran presence, has been a much-needed addition for a workforce already boasting an elite protection. The Browns turned the Jaguars over 4 occasions in Sunday’s win and rank first in yards allowed this season.
Bucs bounce in entrance in NFC South
By definition, somebody has to win the NFC South — whether or not that workforce is above .500 or not.
With 4 weeks to go it’s a three-team race, and every is now 6-7: the Falcons, Saints and Bucs.
One in every of them will host a playoff recreation come January.
Tampa Bay’s hopes for a 3rd straight division crown, the final two coming with Tom Brady at quarterback, acquired an enormous increase Sunday after Baker Mayfield led a 12-play, 70-yard drive late within the fourth to ship a 29-25 win over the Falcons. Mayfield lofted a fantastic thing about a throw with 34 seconds left that tight finish Cade Otton hauled in for the 11-yard, game-winning rating.
Technically, the Bucs personal the tiebreaker for the time being. They’re 3-1 in division video games — identical because the Falcons — however are 4-2 towards widespread opponents, whereas Atlanta is 3-3 (the 2 groups break up their head-to-head conferences this season). In the meantime, the Saints climbed to 2-2 within the division with a 28-6 win over the Panthers Sunday, who’re a league-worst 1-12.
An 0-3 day for the AFC South
It was a dreadful Sunday for AFC South groups: the division-leading Jaguars fell in Cleveland with quarterback Trevor Lawrence gutting by way of an ankle harm, the Colts had been routed in Cincinnati and the Texans had been pummeled by the Jets.
Jacksonville stays out entrance at 8-5 with a 4-1 division document. Each Indianapolis and Houston are actually 7-6, with the Colts at present holding the tiebreaker over the Texans by advantage of their head-to-head victory in Week 2. They’ll meet once more in Week 18 in Indianapolis.
However the chief concern for the Texans for the time being is the standing of Stroud, who left Sunday’s loss within the fourth quarter after his helmet slammed the turf at MetLife Stadium following a success from Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. Stroud is at present in concussion protocol; the Texans are in Tennessee on Sunday.
GO DEEPER
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(High picture: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Photos)
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