FRISCO, Texas – On Sunday afternoon, the Cowboys were able to get back in the win column in a 27-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
It wasn't always pretty for Dallas, as 14 penalties for 153 yards made things difficult on themselves, but the Cowboys were able to post over 500 yards of offense and find a way to close the game out late.
Now, the Cowboys will look to clean some things up on tape ahead of what will be their toughest challenge thus far this season: The 7-1 San Francisco 49ers.
Let's take a look back at some of the film from Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium:
Caleb Downs' game-sealing interception
Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs had arguably the best game of his professional career on Sunday against his older brother, Colts WR Josh Downs, and Indianapolis' offense. His second sack of the season was a highlight, but Downs was able to end the game with an interception on the Colts' attempt to march down the field and try to win the game.
Brian Schottenheimer said postgame that the best way to learn how to win games is to win games. Dallas had been in these kinds of late game situations earlier in the year, and came out on the losing end against teams like Tampa Bay and Baltimore. Plays like these from Downs are what the Cowboys had been needing in those situations, and he was all over the interception from the jump.
The Cowboys are in zone coverage all the way, but Downs keeps his eyes on Keenan Allen the entire way knowing that's a likely spot that Daniel Jones will want to go with the football. Sure enough, with some help from Kenny Clark getting a hit on Jones, he tries to force it in over the middle to Allen, but Downs is right there and gets his first career interception to end the game and secure a win for the Cowboys.
Where experience between QB and WR pays off
One of the questions Brian Schottenheimer has heard a lot in recent weeks has been the Cowboys' lack of motion usage in their offense. Against the Colts, Dallas ran motion on 46 plays, their highest number of motion plays of the season, and had a 65.7% motion usage rate, the third-highest of the season. It showed up to help them on this play, as did over six years of experience playing together between Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
On a drive where the Cowboys were looking to take a lead late in the game, Dallas faces 2nd and 10 from their own 30-yard line. Tyler Goodson comes around on the orbit motion, and Colts rookie LB CJ Allen drifts slightly towards the flat where Goodson is serving as Prescott's checkdown option. That shift is enough for Prescott to hold onto the ball for an extra tick or so, and Lamb is able to get behind Allen and into an open spot in the zone. Right as Lamb is on Allen's back heel, Prescott is throwing the football.
Lamb makes the catch, and picks up a good chunk of yardage after the play to ultimately make it a 31-yard gain and put the Cowboys in field goal range (although Brandon Aubrey would go on to miss the 50-yard field goal). Those kinds of throws and the trust that goes into them are built on years of work between quarterback and wide receiver, which was on full display in Lamb's 10 catch, 195-yard performance.
A look at the Colts' 55-yard touchdown play
The Cowboys defense has improved against allowing some big plays against them, but still had a few break free against the Colts. One of them was this play, a 55-yard touchdown by Ashton Dulin, and the first 50+ yard play from scrimmage for the Indianapolis offense this season.
Credit Indianapolis for a good call here, as they attacked the weak side of the Dallas defense. The left side of the Colts' offensive line bails at the snap to get up field and block on the screen pass, and suddenly they have four blocks against only three Cowboys defenders. Two Cowboys defenders are closer to Dulin, but get caught on blocks and Dulin hits the lane in between them.
P.J. Locke is the deepest defender on that side of the field, and tries to make the tackle by going at Dulin's legs, but Dulin is able to slip through them and keep his feet. On his way to the ground, Locke takes out Marist Liufau, and then it's nothing but green grass in front of Dulin for the next 45 yards. Caleb Downs and Malik Hooker are the nearest defenders, but they're in the middle of the field and can't find an angle to bring him down. Tackling has been a problem for Dallas defensively, and is still something they can improve upon.
