The Dallas Cowboys improved to 9-3 with a 41-35 victory over the Seattle Seahawks (6-6), winning a game that lacked defense. These three things should be remembered after the Cowboys win.
Cowboys defense: The Cowboys defense came through in clutch situations, forcing three turnovers on downs and grabbing an interception to help Dallas take and hold a late lead. But the Seahawks attack, which was struggling going into the game, was too strong for it to slow down.
The Seahawks have averaged 17 points and 316 yards of offense through seven games (since their Week 5 bye) before Thursday night. Against the Cowboys, quarterback Geno Smith had what was likely his greatest game of the 2023 season, throwing for 334 yards (8.1 YPC), three touchdowns, and an interception. After scoring 489 yards against the Washington Commanders (Week 10) and 425 yards against the Carolina Panthers (Week 3), Seattle’s offense amassed 406 yards, their third-highest output of the season. In the meantime, the Seahawks, who went 9 of 14 against the Cowboys, were rated 30th in third down conversions.
As the game progressed, Dallas’s unit became more resolute, but a more skilled squad will compensate.
Cowboys offensive never stops: quarterback Dak Prescott and crew scored 41 points against the 22nd-ranked Seahawks defense, continuing to exploit weak defenses. Against the Seahawks, Dallas’s offense was almost unstoppable, scoring on nine of their eleven drives, with multiple kneel-downs on the game’s last drive.
Prescott completed 29-of-41 for 299 yards (7.3 YPC) with three touchdowns and no interceptions, demonstrating his exceptional efficiency. On Thursday night, he made connections with eight different receivers, but his favorite target was standout WR CeeDee Lamb. Lamb had 17 targets in all; he caught 12 of them for 116 yards and a touchdown. He now has a career-long four-game touchdown streak, sharing the longest current run in the NFL with Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell. According to Stathead, Lamb needs just three more to tie the Cowboys record held by former wide receiver Dez Bryant (seven).
It should come as no surprise that neither team punted the ball on Thursday night in a game that featured a combined 76 points and 817 yards of offense. When the fourth down finally arrived, the Seahawks went 0-for-3 while the Cowboys went 1-for-2.
In NFL history, the Cowboys vs. Seahawks game was the first to score 75 points or more in total with no punts.
With playoff games included, this is the sixth NFL game in history in which there were no punts on either team. This is the first game since the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 4 2021 match to end without a punt. It is also the fifth regular season game to do so. The Los Angeles Rams, who defeated the Denver Broncos 51-14 in Week 16 of the 2022 season, were the last team to complete a game without punting.
