What we learned in the Dallas Cowboys 41-35 comeback win over the Seattle Seahawks

Did quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys finally prove something in Thursday night’s thrilling 41-35 come-from-behind victory against the Seattle Seahawks or will goal posts continued to be moved on their play in 2023.

The Cowboys entered the game with no wins against teams with a record of .500 or better.

They had won 13 straight at home, including five at home in 2023 by a combined score of 205-60.

And certainly, Prescott was had been playing as well as any quarterback in the league in leading the Cowboys to five wins in their last six games.

But the Seahawks represented the first of five straight games against teams with winning records and a step up in competition.

And while the Seahawks proved to be a worthy challenge, especially for the Cowboys defense. They put the Cowboys behind 7-3 in the first quarter, the first time Dallas had trailed at home all season, went 21-20 at halftime and 35-27 early in the fourth quarter.

Prescott and the offense, however, would not be denied.

“We needed this,” Prescott told the Thursday Night Football postgame crew.

Prescott, named NFC Offensive Player of the Month, ended November hot, completing 29 of 41 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns while leading the Cowboys to 11 points in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

A 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ferguson and then a two-point conversion to Brandin Cooks put the Cowboys up 35-30.

Brandon Aubrey added his fourth field goal to finish off the scoring.

A Cowboys defense that been gashed by quarterback Geno Smith for more than three quarters ended the game with three stops in fourth down in the fourth quarter.

The Seahawks dropped to 6-6 on the year, meaning the Cowboys still haven’t beaten a team with a winning record.

What matters most is that they improved 9-3, including 14 straight wins at home, and now have 10 days off before battle against the Philadelphia Eagles (11-1) on Dec. 10 at AT&T Stadium with a chance to close the gap in the NFC East.

The Cowboys also showed character by responding from a deficit and closing strong in the fourth quarter.

What we learned in the Dallas Cowboys blank win/loss vs. the Seattle Seahawks:

Prescott continues magical play

Prescott, a candidate for NFL MVP continued to stay hot against the Seahawks.

He completed 18 of 24 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns of 15 and 7 yards to CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. He had a quarterback rating of 128.1

But the Cowboys, who had scored touchdowns on 18 of their last 26 trips inside the red zone before Thursday, had to settle for field goals twice after getting a first down inside the 10-yard line.

And that proved to the difference in a 21-20 halftime deficit.

Trailing 28-20 in the third quarter, Prescott didn’t blink, leading the Cowboys on a 75-yard scoring drive that was concluded by a 6-yard run from Tony Pollard to make it 28-27.

And following an interception by Bland, the Cowboys blinked on an opportunity to take the lead. A Prescott pass to CeeDee Lamb on fourth-and-3 from the 30 was dropped.

A Seattle score made it 35-27 in early in fourth quarter.

A 38-yard field goal by Aubrey made it 35-30 with 11:23 left.

And then Prescott and the offense worked their magic.

He tossed a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ferguson and then hit Cooks for the two-point conversion and a 38-25 lead with 4:37 left.

Nightmare game for Bland, Cowboys top-ranked pass defense

The game of football can humble you real fast. Just ask Bland, who has been the toast of the NFL the past week for setting a NFL record with 5 interception returns for touchdown and being mentioned as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Seattle clearly didn’t care about Bland’s record and status as the NFL leader with 7 interceptions.

Smith began targeting Bland for big plays in the first quarter with a 73-yard touchdown reception to D.K. Metcalf.

Metcalf had two touchdowns for 108 yards on three catches against Bland in the first half. Bland also had a crucial pass interference penalty with seconds left in the first half to set up a 1-yard touchdown pass to Metcalf and 21-20 halftime lead.

Bland was not alone in the poor play on defense the Cowboys had a number of offsides penalties and a pass interference flag on cornerback Stephen Gilmore that led to a score.

The Cowboys got no help from the pass rush with no sacks against Smith until late in the game, who continued to pick the Cowboys apart in the third quarter.

His 5-yard TD run to cap a 75-yard drive to open the third quarter put the Seahawks up 28-20, representing the largest Cowboys deficit at home in 2023.

After the Cowboys narrowed the score to 28-27, Bland bounced back with an interception in the quarter, his league-leading eighth of the season. But the Cowboys were unable to capitalize on offense.

And Smith took the offense right down the field and put the Seahawks up 35-27 with a 3-yard score to Metcalf, his third of the game.

But the Cowboys defense showed up with 7:04 left in the game. Stopping Zach Charbonnet for no gain on fourth down at the Cowboys’ 46, giving the back to the offense down 35-30.

It was the first of three fourth-down stops by the defense in the fourth quarter to end game.

After the offense scored to put the Cowboys up 38-35, the defense answered with another fourth-down stop on an incomplete pass.

And edge rusher Parsons stopped the Seahawks last hope with a quarerback hurry on fourth down to preserve the 41-35 victory.

Penalties are back as a problem for Cowboys, defense

There has seemingly never been a team called for more offsides penalties than the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys entered the Seattle game tied for second in the NFL with 81 penalties.

The Cowboys quickly added to that total by aiding the Seattle scoring drives with a plethora of offsides penalties and two and pass interference flags in the end zone against Bland and Gilmore that led to touchdowns.

The Cowboys penalty woes were part of a flag fest by both teams.

10 days off before Philly

After playing three games in 12 days, the Cowboys are looking forward to the 10 days off before they start the final five-game trimester of the season beginning with a showdown against the Eagles on Dec. 10 at AT&T Stadium.

It will be much-needed break and rest for Cowboys and will represent their last shot at trying up ground and catch the Eagles in the NFC East.

It will also be a continuation of playing team’s with records of .500 or better. Following the Eagle they face the Buffalo Bills (6-6), the Miami Dolphins ( 8-3), the Detroit Lions (8-3) before ending the season against the Washington Commanders (4-8).