DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys put on the same show that they displayed in the first two weeks of the season with a 38-3 beatdown of the New England Patriots to open the October schedule. In getting back to their winning ways, the Cowboys’ defense suffocated the Patriots’ offense and did enough on the offensive side of the ball to control the game.
Dan Quinn’s defense did what they’ve been accustomed to doing since he arrived in 2021, taking the ball away and scoring off those turnovers. The Cowboys produced two defensive touchdowns and a third turnover led to three more points in the trouncing of the Patriots.
The turnovers that turn into points that make for big margins of victory have become the norm, as Dallas’ defense has paved the way for more points off turnovers than any other team in the NFL since Quinn took over.
Here’s what else we learned about the Cowboys in the Week 4 win:
Cowboys responded well
If the NFL world was anxious to see how the Cowboys would respond to their first hint of adversity, the team showed that they aren’t laying down. After getting out of the gate fast with their first 2-0 start since 2019, the Cowboys flopped in Arizona. Despite how impressive the team was in the early going, there were questions about their toughness.
Dallas answered their critics by routing Bill Belichick and his Patriots by the worst margin in his illustrious head coaching career to get back on the winning track. It’s not easy to thump a Belichick-led team, but the Cowboys handled the Patriots on all facets of the game and for all four quarters in the convincing win.
The Cowboys are now 9-1 in their last 10 games after a loss, so they remain a group that bounces back quickly. This team continues to prove that they will not allow a bad week to spoil their season.
Prescott’s bold play
The Cowboys rely on quarterback Dak Prescott to do so much for the offense, and he’s been very proficient in running Mike McCarthy’s newly installed Texas Coast offense. It’s a system designed to get the ball out fast and accurately, which Prescott has done effectively through four games.
In Sunday’s win, Prescott was also tasked with producing against a defense that aims to take away what a team does best. The offense under their veteran signal caller was unfazed, even in the face of some immense pressure. Prescott stared down the barrel of some oncoming rushers from the Patriots’ defense, took big hits, and delivered the ball accurately all game.
That’s the QB’s top job in the NFL, but not all of them can handle it. Prescott stood tall knowing that he was going to take a big hit on more than one occasion in the win.
Parsons knocked around
Much like Prescott, they don’t make football players much tougher than Micah Parsons. The all-world defensive player got his foot stepped on, rolled an ankle, and got his knee banged up as well. Parsons spent time in the blue medical tent on the sideline and missed a few plays in the first half but managed to play almost the entire game despite the bumps and bruises.
The Cowboys remain committed to playing Parsons in the middle of the defensive line, but being around more piles is a risk that almost came back to bite them in Week 4.
It was also surprising to see Parsons still in the contest late in the fourth quarter with the Cowboys winning so handily. Clearly Parsons wasn’t at full strength, and it’s a long season, but he kept coming back into the game.
That’s an awfully big gamble for the Cowboys to take, especially while leading by so many points. Continuing to put Parsons on the field when he was compromised feels like a misplay, but it’s hard to keep #11 off the field when he wants to be out there.
The hope is that no injury keeps Parsons out for the foreseeable future or that the chances to get banged up become worse with him still playing when the game is essentially over.
Bland stepping up
The Cowboys lost one of their most important defensive players when cornerback Trevon Diggs went down for the year late last month. However, the cornerback cupboard wasn’t bare and second-year corner DaRon Bland did his best Diggs impression in Week 4.
Bland had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 54-yard touchdown and was close to another pick-six just a few plays before the one he took to the house. The CB also had three passes defensed in the win.
In just 21 career games, Bland has eight interceptions, which leads the NFL since entering the league, and he’s tied for the lead through four games this season with three.
Two years ago, Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions, and even though Bland probably isn’t going to match that number, Dallas’ defense has another ball hawker in the secondary. The Patriots threw at Bland early and often and likely regretted testing the young CB.
Have the Cowboys earned your trust following their big win over New England? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.