DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys 54-19 blowout of the Indianapolis Colts disguised an ugly truth from Week 13: the 8-3 Cowboys were in a slugfest with the 4-7-1 Colts team led by an off-the-street interim coach, even if it was former All-Pro center Jeff Saturday.
The truth from the 9-3 Cowboys' 27-23 edging of the 1-10-1 Houston Texans in Week 14 was as bare as Lady Godiva: Dallas struggled with a struggling team. There were six lead changes throughout the game with the Cowboys getting the last off an 11-play, 98-yard drive capped off by a 2-yard Ezekiel Elliott touchdown run. Dallas also committed three turnovers and failed to sack Houston's quarterback once.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy doesn't believe his team was overlooking the Colts nor the Texans over the past two weeks due to their records.
"I just don’t see it that way," McCarthy said. "I see a team that works and obviously you know we measure everything physically, their emotional state. You always try to be in touch with that. They put the time in."
McCarthy gave credit to the Texans' use of Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel under center, which didn't allow Dallas' defense to get into a groove.
Said McCarthy: "I thought they played well, they’re a challenge to play, their defense, [their offense] with two quarterbacks. There’s some herky-jerkiness to that, they hit their big plays."
The Texans were able to keep pace and pull ahead of the Cowboys due to their 14 points off three takeaways. Houston, who entered Week 14 the worst in the NFL at third down conversions at 28.0%, went 7-15 (47%).
"Houston was going to come out with their guns firing," defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said. "But, it's just a testament to you know, my character, being able to stand up through that fire, just to get our jobs done. That's what we were able to do tonight."
The Cowboys had 404 yards total offense compared to the Texans' 327, which was a result of the Cowboys managing to have more big plays than Houston, according to McCarthy.
"That’s why we focus so much on the generation of big plays because they always factor into these games," said McCarthy. "When the other team has a couple more than you, you’re usually in a dog fight.”
Dallas improved to 10-3 on the season and has the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15 at TIAA Bank Field.
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