THE COWBOYS REPORT
Cowboys get first road win; Falcons up next
SportsMap Staff
Nov 15, 2018, 7:00 am
Zeke Elliot had a huge game. Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
The Dallas Cowboys (4-5) got their first road win of the season Sunday night when they defeated their division rival Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) by the score of 27-20. The victory moves Dallas into second place (via tiebreaker over Philly) in the NFC East and two games back of the Washington Redskins.
The Cowboys looked like a completely different team from the one that took the field against the Titans last week. The Dallas defense was focused, energetic, and hit hard the entire game. They forced a three and out on Philly’s first possession and intercepted Carson Wentz on their second possession. Young linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch were all over the field. They combined for 17 total tackles (16 were solo tackles) and Vander Esch’s interception in Eagles territory helped give Dallas the early lead. He also made a key tackle in the game on a 4th and 7 that basically sealed the win.
The Dallas offense also looked different from the week before. They were clicking on all cylinders and got the ball to their play makers for a total of 410 yards. The most important stat was they committed ZERO turnovers. Quarterback Dak Prescott was 26 of 36 for 270 yards, 1 touchdown, and NO INTs. He also ran in for a 1 yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak right before the end of the first half. He targeted his best receiver Amari Cooper early and often. They connected 6 times for 75 yards on 10 targets and Copper was tied for the team lead in receptions with Ezekiel Elliott.
Even with both sides of the ball playing well, Zeke Elliott was the most important part of the game. He ran 19 times for 151 yards, had 6 catches for 36 yards and scored 2 touchdowns (1 rushing, 1 receiving). I think head coach Jason Garrett remembered that Elliott is their main go-to guy and he got him the ball as much as he could. At one point in the game the Eagles had tied it up at 13, Dallas then went on a nine play drive where Zeke got the ball seven times and capped it off with a touchdown to reclaim the lead.
This was one of their best games of the year so far and they need to keep it going if they want to win their division. The few wrinkles they had was the offensive line allowed Prescott to get sacked four times and the defensive secondary gave up 360 yards through the air, most of which was to Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz who had 14 catches for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Players to watch
Ezekiel Elliott (running back): As we saw last week, the Cowboys win or lose depending on whether or not Zeke can make plays. Good news is they are facing the 27th ranked defense Atlanta Falcons this week. He should be able to feast against them.
Allen Hurns (wide receiver): The $12 million dollar free agent pick up made a clutch 23 yard third down catch Sunday night on the game-winning drive. It looks like the addition of Cooper has opened things up for him and could have more opportunities to make plays down the field.
Byron Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Xavier Woods, and Jeff Heath (defensive secondary): These guys are going to have to play great. They are going against the fourth best passing offense in the league which includes the NFL’s leading receiver Julio Jones. Someone is going to need to step up so they don’t get torched through the air.
Sunday the Cowboys (4-5) will be on the road again taking on the Atlanta Falcons (4-5) in a must win game for both teams. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Dallas is looking to add another road win that will put them at .500 as the Falcons are trying to do the same but are going to be very upset due to the fact that they just got beat by the Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys are going to have to get the ball to Zeke and Cooper as much as they can if they want to keep pace with Atlanta’s pass heavy offense.
If you have any fantasy players, the only must start players are:
Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott (RB), Amari Cooper (WR), Dak Prescott (QB)
Falcons: Matt Ryan (QB), Julio Jones (WR), Tevin Coleman (RB)
For you gamblers out there, the Cowboys are +3.5 and the over/under is 48. I am probably going to stay away from this game but if you must play it, take the Cowboys on anything over 3. If it’s less than 3, the smart play would be to take the Falcons at home.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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