The Dallas Cowboys have been called many things over the years: talented, inconsistent, cursed by bad luck, but one label that’s often stuck is “predictable.”
Fans have come to expect a certain script when adversity strikes: key injuries lead to offensive collapse, penalties derail momentum, and road trips to historically tough venues end in disappointment.
On Sunday, however, the Cowboys tore that script to shreds in their 37-22 win over the New York Jets.
Yes, the Jets entered the game winless at 0-4, but this was no ordinary Cowboys victory. There were three specific circumstances that, in the past, would have doomed Dallas.
Instead, they overcame all three; a sign that this team might finally be turning a corner under HC Brian Schottenheimer and his staff.
Injuries
In previous seasons, the Cowboys’ offensive rhythm could be completely undone by the absence of just one key lineman, most notably at left tackle.
Losing the blindside protector has often meant disaster for Dak Prescott and the passing game. We all remember Adrian Clayborn.
On Sunday, though, Dallas faced a far greater challenge than that.
They weren’t just without LT Tyler Guyton; they were also missing LG Tyler Smith, C Cooper Beebe, RG Tyler Booker, WR CeeDee Lamb, WR KaVontae Turpin, and S Malik Hooker.
That’s a staggering number of starters sidelined, and enough to cripple most NFL teams. However, this version of the Cowboys didn’t flinch.
The offensive line, anchored by veteran backups and young players thrown into the fire, kept Prescott upright and opened holes for Javonte Williams in the run game.
Prescott distributed the ball efficiently to his remaining receivers, and head coach and play-caller Brian Schottenheimer called one of his best games of the year, using motion and quick reads to neutralize the Jets’ pass rush.
For once, the Cowboys weren’t victims of their injury report; they were victors in spite of it.
For as long as Cowboys fans can remember, penalties have been the bane of this team’s existence.
False starts, holding calls, and defensive pass interference have routinely killed drives or extended opponents’ possessions.
Even when playing well, Dallas has too often been its own worst enemy. That’s why Sunday’s performance was so striking.
Dallas was penalized 11 times for 91 yards, even more than the Jets’ 10 for 61, yet the game never felt like it was slipping away. The Cowboys didn’t allow mistakes to snowball.
When a holding call wiped out a first down, they bounced back with positive plays on the next snap.
When a defensive penalty gifted the Jets an automatic first down, the defense regrouped and forced a punt two plays later.
The discipline wasn’t in avoiding penalties altogether, it was in refusing to let them define the game.
That’s a level of mental toughness the Cowboys haven’t consistently shown in years.
Road Woes
Before Sunday, the Cowboys hadn’t won on the road against the Jets since 2003, when Bill Parcells was head coach. That was 22 years and four coaching regimes ago.
The Meadowlands has historically been a graveyard for Dallas teams, no matter how talented. This time, though, they flipped the script.
Even with the crowd against them and half their offensive starters sidelined, Dallas imposed its will from the opening drive.
The defense suffocated the Jets’ offense early on, the run game controlled the tempo, and Prescott’s poise never wavered.
Ending a two-decade road drought vs the Jets, under those circumstances, was more than just another win.
It was symbolic of a team learning how to handle adversity and win ugly when necessary.