For the first time all season, the Cowboys were involved in a hotly contested battle which lasted deep into the fourth quarter. Brandon Aubrey’s 39-yard field goal with 2:19 remaining proved to be the winning points, after a Stephon Gilmore interception sealed the deal for Dallas.
In previous weeks, the Cowboys were either blowing teams out or playing a futile game of catch-up themselves. Week 1 through Week 5 offered very little to show how the Dallas offense operates in neutral situations. On Monday against the Chargers, it finally got the chance.
After a week of criticism and unrelenting scrutiny, Mike McCarthy was finally able to call the game he wanted to. The returns were modest, but also honest. A 20-17 game isn’t something McCarthy can be very excited about as a play-caller. But Dallas got the win, and the season goes on with renewed postseason expectations.
Heading into their bye week, the Cowboys finally learned some things about their offense. Proper review and analysis should help them make corrections and set them on a new path as they reassess strategies over their off week.