Jason Peters plugs the hole, saves Cowboys offense on final drive vs Texans

Peters was signed to be depth at left tackle, but with the game on the line, Peters manned the right side of it in spectacular fashion. Our player of the game, from @TimLettiero

Narrator: He hadn’t, but that didn’t stop Peters from playing like he did.

Veteran Jason Peters was called upon to save the day during the Dallas Cowboys’ lackluster performance on Sunday. The Cowboys’ protection was breaking down at right tackle after an injury brought in a player who doesn’t look ready for the NFL spotlight. Peters has had stints and both LT and LG over the course of the season, but had yet to play on the right side before the Cowboys’ called his number, and his one drive was enough to make him the Player of the Game.

Prior to his insertion, the name of the game was inconsistency, unfortunately, during much of the Week 14 game against the Houston Texans. Neither the defense nor offense truly ever figured out the Texans’ game plan, ultimately leading to a nail-biter of a finish. The team played down to the 1-10-1 Texans, which was compounded by injuries throughout the game.

Dallas had been relatively healthy entering the game where multiple players went down. Most notable was right tackle Terence Steele, who has been having by far the best season of his career. Steele was replaced by second-year and fourth round pick Josh Ball, who struggled mightily. On back-to-back plays Ball allowed pressures on quarterback Dak Prescott that resulted in a strip sack and then a hit-arm interception. It invoked horrid memories of turnstile tackles of the past.

And then Peters entered the contest with the game on the line. The 18-year swapped sides with the game on the line and gave the Cowboys’ quarterback the necessary time to orchestrate a 98-yard game-winning drive.

Prescott suddenly had the time to start with a 21-yard completion to TE Dalton Schultz. Then Prescott escaped around the right side, Peters’ right side for a nine-yard scramble. Another completion to Schultz gained 13 yards. Later, finally on Houston’s side of the field, a 3rd-and-1 QB sneak it was Peters sealing an alley with Zack Martin to get Prescott six yards. The entire drive, there was no pressure to be found coming from the QB’s front.

In what could be the most unsung performance of any Cowboy on the season, Peters proved the value of having someone like him on the roster. Peters’ flowers are long overdue and others mirror this sentiment as well.

The Cowboys did win, when on third down from the two-yard line, a handoff to Ezekiel Elliott got Dallas into the end zone with just 41 seconds remaining. It appears that Terence Steele may be lost to the club moving forward, but if Sunday’s winning drive is any indication, Peters on the right side could keep things from falling apart when the games matter most.