The Dallas Cowboys received all they could handle from the Seattle Seahawks in their Thursday Night Football matchup to keep off Week 13. It was a hard-fought game, but Dallas was able to come out ahead with a wild 41-35 victory.
It was a bit of a record-setting night as for only the fifth time in NFL history was there no punts in a game. The Cowboys and Seahawks both moved the ball up and down the field at will, putting a lot of pressure on the opposing defense.
At the end of the day, it was the Dallas defense that was able to get a few stops and pull out the victory. That moved them to 9-3 on the season, setting up a huge matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14.
This is the second meeting of the season between the NFC East rivals as the Eagles won the first one 28-23 in Week 9. That was actually the last time the Cowboys lost a game, as they have rattled off four straight wins since.
NFL News & Rumors: Emmitt Smith & Dallas Cowboys Updates
The Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 14 will essentially be for the divisional crown. If the Cowboys win, they would have an identical 10-3 record to the Eagles. If they lose, they will drop to 9-4, giving Philadelphia a two-game lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker sweeping the regular season series, essentially making it a 2.5-game lead.
What will it take for the Cowboys to defeat the Eagles and improve their chances of winning the NFC East? In the opinion of all-time great running back, Emmitt Smith, his former team needs to be keyed in on the mental aspect of the game.
“I’m not concerned by the talent,” Smith said, per FOX. “I’m more concerned about what’s between our ears. Because 90% of the game is mental, and the other is 10% physical. So, what’s between the ears is extremely important. How you prepare and how you go out there and deliver on the football field on a consistent basis week in and week out is something that I look for.”
NFL News & Rumors: Emmitt Smith & Dallas Cowboys Updates
The Cowboys have had no problems beating up on lower-echelon teams throughout the season. It is when they take a step up in competition that they run into some problems. As a result of that, Smith issued a challenge to the team, as they have struggled at times on the road.
“[The Cowboys have] been able to do that against teams that had second- or third-string quarterbacks playing for them. And when we’re playing at home, we’re scoring 47 points. We dominated. But that needs to happen on a consistent basis and not only at home. But it also needs to happen on the road. That’s when you really have a team you can rely on.”
Dallas will have a chance to erase all of those early-season disappointments and letdowns on the road with a victory over Philadelphia. It would not only put them in striking distance of the NFC East crown but be in the running for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
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