ARLINGTON, Texas — Coach Brian Schottenheimer wished to bask within the glow of the Dallas Cowboys’ unbelievable 24-21 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Eagles just a bit bit longer earlier than questioning what stays attainable with six video games left.
He hoped it might final till 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
“Who’re we taking part in?” Schottenheimer mentioned facetiously.
He is aware of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will likely be at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving (4:30 p.m. ET, CBS) — and his historical past with the Chiefs runs deep. Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, coached the Chiefs for 10 years. Brian graduated from close by Blue Valley Excessive Faculty, the place he performed quarterback and received a Kansas state championship in 1991.
“The Chiefs are an unbelievable staff,” Schottenheimer mentioned. “You take a look at what they’ve finished, and I’ve firsthand information of the group, and so they’re terrific.”
The Cowboys have received consecutive video games for the primary time in Schottenheimer’s debut season as head coach. For the primary time since Week 16 of final season, the Cowboys beat a staff with a successful report (the Eagles are actually 8-3).
At 5-5-1, the Cowboys’ path to a playoff spot is more than likely through the wild card, however even that’s marked with potential potholes. The Cowboys lose head-to-head tiebreakers with the 8-3 Chicago Bears and 6-5 Carolina Panthers (who play Monday night time versus the 49ers).
They play the Detroit Lions (7-4) every week after the Chiefs.
Following the Lions sport, nevertheless, the Cowboys play one staff with a successful the report the remainder of the way in which (Week 16 versus the 7-4 Los Angeles Chargers).
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Cowboys come again in epic trend to beat Eagles
After being down 21-0, the Cowboys stage a comeback, capped off by Brandon Aubrey’s discipline objective as time expires.
“It is not one sport at a time. We have now to win each sport,” quarterback Dak Prescott mentioned. “With that being mentioned, you possibly can solely do this by successful each play and giving it your greatest each play. Once you do this, can keep targeted, and end with elite execution, you are going to really feel assured and good about what you’ve got finished. We simply have to seek out that, and it actually begins at apply and at these walkthroughs within the subsequent couple of days preparing for Kansas Metropolis.”
Up to now two video games, the Cowboys’ protection has allowed 37 mixed factors, 36 first downs and 575 yards, with three takeaways.
“We’ll be preventing; scratch, claw each play till it is over,” defensive sort out Osa Odighizuwa mentioned.
The Cowboys’ offense has been hitting massive performs all season. Javonte Williams is 104 dashing yards away from 1,000 on the season. Prescott, who turned the Cowboys’ all-time chief in passing yards versus the Eagles, has 24 landing passes.
After which there’s George Pickens, acquired from the Steelers throughout the offseason and within the final yr of his contract. He has a career-high 67 catches for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 video games. With every sport his price ticket goes up as free company beckons.
“He is not from right here,” Prescott mentioned. “He is not from this planet. We lucked out getting a man like that. We have now to verify we preserve him.”
However nearly as good as it’s proper now, it won’t be adequate ultimately due to the Cowboys’ struggles to start out the season.
“Yeah, we have put ourselves on this place,” Schottenheimer mentioned. “I look again on sure video games, I am like, ‘Man.’ However , once more, you possibly can’t deal with that. You have to deal with the actual fact you are on the point of play. We simply beat the defending Tremendous Bowl champions, on the point of play the staff that they performed. And , you simply exit and take every championship alternative as its personal.
“After 17 video games, we will both be within the playoffs or not. But when we preserve taking part in the way in which we’re taking part in proper now, I like our probabilities. A number of these groups play one another. We play plenty of the groups which might be forward of us, and we’ll see the way it goes.”