The Cowboys came back to win their 14th straight home game behind big performances from Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

Jon Machota, Saad Yousuf, Michael-Shawn Dugar and The Athletic NFL staff

Matthew Pearce / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

47 New Updates

Cowboys beat Seahawks 41-35 on TNF: Final stats and analysis

What you missed in the 1st half on Thursday Night Football

• The Seahawks lead 21-20 at the half after Geno Smith connected with D.K. Metcalf on a 1-yard TD pass with 0:04 left in the second quarter. Aided by two Cowboys penalties, Seattle moved the ball 75 yards in 1:26 on the go-ahead drive. Dallas leads the NFL with 39 defensive penalties this season including five in the first half tonight.
• The Cowboys scored two touchdowns and kicked two field goals on their four first-half possessions. It’s the first time Dallas has scored points (TD or FG) on each of their first four possessions of a game since Week 11 of last season against the Vikings (also 2 TD, 2 FG).
• The Seahawks held an early 7-3 lead following a 73-yard TD pass from Smith to Metcalf. The 73-yard completion was Seattle’s longest play from scrimmage this season and the Seahawks’ 7-3 lead marked the Cowboys’ first time trailing at home this season.
• Cowboys QB Dak Prescott threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half, his sixth straight multi-pass TD game. It’s the longest active streak in the NFL and tied for the longest streak of Prescott’s career (six straight in 2021).
• Cowboys settled for a pair of field goals on two goal-to-go drives in the first half. Dallas entered the night having scored TDs on just 58.3% of goal-to-go drives this season, 27th in the NFL.

Advertisement

Seattle is going after DaRon Bland

DK Metcalf pointed out to reporters this week that he had fewer touchdowns than Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who set an NFL record last week with his fifth pick six of the season. Well, Metcalf has beaten Bland for two touchdowns tonight, bringing his season total to even with Bland at five. Metcalf also has 108 receiving yards, while Bland has allowed five catches for 137 yards.

Not the best game for DaRon Bland

Instead of steering clear of DaRon Bland, Geno Smith and the Seahawks have targeted the NFC Defensive Player of the Month time after time Thursday and capped off the first half with another TD pass with Bland in coverage. Bland set the NFL record for pick sixes in a single season last week, but been on the other side of it tonight.

Seattle takes lead on DK Metcalf TD

The Seahawks throw again from the 1-yard line, with Geno Smith finding DK Metcalf for a 1-yard touchdown. There was a flag, but it was declined for offsides. With the extra point, the Seahawks take a 21-20 lead with four seconds before half, and they’ll get the ball to open the second half as well. What an incredible swing.

Let's try this again

The catch was overturned, contrary to the opinion of NBC referee analyst Terry McAulay, and the Seahawks went quickly, with Geno Smith hitting a touchdown pass to Noah Fant … but, the Cowboys called timeout! So we’ll do it again. A huge, high-leverage moment here.

Close call

Wow! With 13 seconds left before halftime, Geno Smith goes deep and finds Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 30-yard touchdown, with JSN holding on despite defensive pass interference from DaRon Bland. However, this pass is going to be reviewed, so we’ll see if it’s upheld. If so, the Seahawks can take a 21-20 lead with the extra point. If overturned, it will be first-and-goal at the 1 with seven seconds remaining.

Advertisement

Lotta laundry

That’s now 10 combined penalties (and counting) for the Seahawks and Cowboys tonight.

Dallas (87) and Seattle (85) are the two most penalized teams in the NFL this season.

Over/under in total points pushing towards 60

The over/under in total points in this game started at 47.5, which was tied for the second highest total on the board, but that number has now moved up much higher since these teams have scored 34 points with 1:30 left in the second quarter. The total points figure is now 59.5 points in live in-game betting at BetMGM.

Bend but don't break

While they did make two red zone stands, the Seahawks’ defense has really struggled to get off the field in the first half. The Cowboys scored on all four drives, marching 63, 75, 68 and 62 yards while converting 7 of 10 third-down attempts and their only fourth-down attempt. Dallas has already run 44 plays to Seattle’s 18, holding the ball for 20:15.

Geno Smith and the offense will get another shot with 1:30 remaining before halftime and the chance to take the lead.

Dak Prescott dealing again

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has a pair of touchdown passes so far tonight, his sixth straight multi-pass-TD game.

It’s the longest active streak in the NFL and tied for the longest streak of Prescott’s career (six straight in 2021).

Something to monitor for Seattle

At least for the moment, the Seahawks are without starting linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who has been replaced by Devin Bush. The team has not yet announced any injury designation.

Advertisement

Here we go

When you're hearing Dak Prescott say "Here we go" at the line of scrimmage and wondering what it means, Jon Machota asked him about it during training camp and here's what the Cowboys QB said.

First touchdown of the season for Zach Charbonnet

When fantasy managers drafted Zach Charbonnet, they thought there was a good chance that Seattle would operate a thunder and lightning backfield, with Kenneth Walker III being the thunder back and Charbonnet being the lightning back.

That hasn’t turned out to be the case, as Walker was utilized as a lead back or bell cow for most of the year, but Charbonnet is now getting his opportunity since Walker is out with an oblique injury.

That is why Charbonnet has tallied only two double-digit PPR point games this year, but his rushing touchdown now gives him 7.5 PPR points for the game and grants him a solid chance to get a third 10+ point game.

Penalties prove costly for Cowboys

Two big pass interference penalties against the Cowboys allowed the Seahawks to move inside the 10-yard line and then extend the drive on third-and-goal before Seattle punched it in from the 1-yard line with Zach Charbonnet.

Dallas has now committed 35 defensive penalties this season, most of any team in the NFL.

Seattle cuts into Dallas' lead with 1-yard rushing Touchdown

DK Metcalf dropped a slant on second-and-5 with room to run, but his fellow wide receivers picked him up. Rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba broke a tackle to convert third-and-5, and then Tyler Lockett and Smith-Njigba each drew pass interference penalties, Lockett for 40 yards and Smith-Njigba in the end zone on third-and-goal from the 14.

Rookie running back Zach Charbonnet took advantage with a 1-yard plunge for his first career touchdown, bringing the Seahawks within three points at 17-14.

Jason Peters checks in at right tackle for Seattle

Second-year right tackle Abe Lucas returned from injury tonight, seeing his first action since a knee issue cropped up in Week 1, but veteran Jason Peters has entered the game. Peters, 41, has platooned with Stone Forsythe at right tackle over the last several weeks.

Advertisement

Dak Prescott continuing to make fantasy football MVP case

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a slow start to the 2023 season from a fantasy scoring perspective, but in Weeks 6-12 he started making his fantasy scoring MVP case. In that span, Prescott averaged a league high 27.93 PPG and posted fewer than 24 points in only one contest.

Prescott could be extending that caliber of scoring by another week, as he already has 14.22 points and the game isn’t even halfway through the second quarter.

Cowboys lead 17-7 in the second quarter

A week after giving up 31 points — including 24 in the first half — the Seahawks’ defense has already allowed 17 points on just three possessions against the Cowboys. There appeared to be a miscommunication on Dak Prescott’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks, who was wide open, with Bobby Wagner the closest in coverage at several yards away. Dallas has had drives of 63, 75 and 68 yards to take a 17-7 lead.

Cowboys scoring on every drive

The Cowboys extend their lead on 7-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Brandin Cooks.

Tonight marks the third time this season that Dallas has scored points (TD or FG) on each of its first three drives of a game. The others: Week 1 at Giants (1 TD, 2 FG) and Week 8 vs. Rams (2 TD, 1 FG).

Load more updates