Good, Bad, Ugly: Slow start vs Colts erased thanks to Cowboys rookies

It may have taken a little longer to get there but just as the experts expected, the Dallas Cowboys easily defeated the Indianapolis Colts 54-19. The final score looks like the Cowboys embarrassed the Colts, yet it was a close game when the fourth quarter began.

The early script didn’t go as planned for the Cowboys, who allowed the Colts to hang around. It wasn’t an efficient effort on either side of the ball until the Colts got within two points, which seemed to wake Dallas up from its doldrums.

There were flashes of good, and signs the Cowboys were ready to blow the game open, but that didn’t happen until a few rookies stepped up and made their presence known. A four-turnover fourth quarter helped the Cowboys run the Colts out of the building. The final score was indicative of how the seasons have gone for both teams, Indianapolis remained error prone, and the Cowboys were waiting to make them pay on their way to victory.

Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly in the Week 13 win for the Cowboys.

The Good: CeeDee Lamb

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The third-year wide receiver seems like he’s getting better every week with his signal caller back in the lineup. Lamb didn’t have 100 yards receiving, but he did tally 94 total yards, a score, and was electric running after the catch.

Lamb’s best play was in the first quarter when the Cowboys were in a third and long situation. Quarterback Dak Prescott hit Lamb on the crosser and the Colts defenders thought they had corralled the WR short of the first down, only Lamb knew that no part of his body that mattered every hit the ground. The defense let up, Lamb continued the play and scored a 20-yard touchdown.

It’s that type of awareness that is turning Lamb into the true No. 1 WR in Dallas. The heads-up play opened up the scoring for the Cowboys and Lamb had five catches in the game, three of which went for a first down. He converted on another third down with a run as well.

The Bad: Offensive play calling

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It might feel a little nit-picky seeing as how the Cowboys put up 54 points, but the play calling on offense wasn’t very good. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore called for a conservative game plan, which allowed the Colts to hang around.

There were 16 first down runs, no play fakes or throws down the field in early down and distances. When the Cowboys did throw the ball on first down, it was usually a quick out or a swing pass to a running back.

Where were the play fakes or bootlegs that have been so successful all season? Where were the shots down the field when the Cowboys had the chance to put the Colts away early in the third quarter?

On their first possession of the third quarter, with the Cowboys leading by eight and the ball on the Indianapolis 49-yard line, it was a perfect time for Moore to get aggressive. Points on the drive would’ve given the Cowboys a two-score lead and the defense could tee off on quarterback Matt Ryan.

Instead, a run call, which went nowhere, was compounded by a holding penalty that moved the ball back. A first-and-20 run, along with two short passes later and the Cowboys were punting back to the Colts. The lack of aggressiveness in that situation was a huge mistake. It was an opportunity missed and indicative of why Moore gets so much wrath from Cowboys fans.

The Colts took the ball, went down, and scored to make it a game before the Cowboys’ onslaught came. How the Colts, and Dallas, responded being up by nine points in the fourth quarter was exactly why the offense needed to go for the jugular early in the second half. This game could’ve become a laugher much sooner had the offensive play calling been better.

The Good: Rookies

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The rookie class for the Cowboys had themselves a day against the Colts. They owned the fourth quarter and showed once again that the Cowboys have become one of the better drafting/scouting teams in the league.

Linebacker Damone Clark got the rookie party started with his forced fumble on tight end Mo Alie-Cox. Safety Malik Hooker picked up the ball and raced 38 yards for the touchdown to put the Cowboys up by 15 points. The strip and score set up by Clark opened the floodgates for Dallas late.

Cornerback DaRon Bland, wasted no time and continuing the rookie dominance. Seven plays later, with the game still undecided, Bland intercepted Colts quarterback Matt Ryan, which led to a 30-yard touchdown run from running back Tony Pollard. First-round OL Tyler Smith led the way to the end zone with two big blocks to spring Pollard.

Bland struck again just three plays later by wrestling the ball away from a Colts receiver for his second interception of the game.

On the next possession for the Colts, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and rookie pass rusher Sam Williams sacked Ryan and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Williams. Undrafted rookie running back Malik Davis scored his first NFL touchdown three plays later.

The Cowboys got key contributions from members of their rookie class in the win, and not all of them were early draft picks. It was a good day for Dallas’ scouting department.

The Ugly: Lackluster three quarters

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This was a game the Cowboys should’ve put to bed much earlier than they did. It’s understood that every game is different, and that each week it’s tough to win games, but the Colts have shot themselves in the foot all year, and the Cowboys let them hang around for three quarters. Dallas still led after 45 minutes of play, but it wasn’t pretty football.

The Cowboys cannot continue to play this way with teams they should dominate, especially at home. The team let an undermanned New York Giants stick around on Thanksgiving before pulling away and did the same with the Colts. The Cowboys had extra days off and the Colts were playing after a Monday night loss, yet it looked like Indianapolis had more energy early.

These are the games that frustrate fans and come back to haunt the Cowboys in meaningful contests. Dallas cannot play that way for three quarters in the playoffs and expect to win.

The Good: The running game

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The Cowboys have been turning on the running game with their two-headed monster in the backfield lately; this game was no exception. The Colts were allowing just over 118 yards a game on the ground, but he Cowboys rushed for 220 yards in the win.

Running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Pollard led the way with a combined 168 yards and three scores, but Lamb ran for 23 yards and the rookie Davis pitched in with 29 yards as well. Dallas runners combined for four touchdowns and the offensive line helped pave the way for 6.5 yards per carry.

It was an impressive performance from the Cowboys on the ground.

The Good: Offense cashing in on the defense

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The Cowboys continue to field one of the most opportunistic defenses in the league. In the win over the Colts, the Cowboys had three sacks, forced five turnovers, and scored a touchdown. Most of that damage was done in the fourth quarter, but Hooker’s interception changed the game near the end of the first half.

The safety’s pick led to a late second-quarter touchdown from Prescott to wide receiver Michael Gallup to put the Cowboys up eight at halftime.

Dallas also converted on their four other turnovers, all of which resulted in touchdowns. The Cowboys scored five touchdowns on five Indianapolis turnovers; perfect efficiency.

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire