The Dallas Cowboys gained 124 yards in the first half in Houston on Sunday, and their two longest field-goal attempts ended in a block and a miss. Dak Prescott spent the second half reversing it.
Prescott completed 32 of 45 passes for 335 yards, threw one touchdown and no interceptions, and was sacked three times, according to ESPN's box score. After the break he went 20 of 25 for 248 yards, DallasCowboys.com reported, and his 12-yard throw to CeeDee Lamb with 40 seconds on the clock settled it: Dallas 34, Houston 30.
"What makes Dak so special is the makeup of the young man and the competitor that he is, and the focus," coach Brian Schottenheimer said, per the team site. "Just overall, I thought he was flawless in the second half."
The rhythm showed up on a 14-play possession that started late in the third quarter. Prescott completed all nine of his passes on it for 89 yards, according to DallasCowboys.com, and Javonte Williams scored from 2 yards out, putting Dallas ahead for the first time, 27-23, with 11:17 remaining.
Houston had one more answer. Facing third-and-14, the Texans ran a hook-and-ladder from Dalton Schultz to David Montgomery that gained 19 yards, and Woody Marks scored from the 6 to make it 30-27 with 2:23 left.
Dallas took over at its own 26. When a third-down completion to Lamb lost 3 yards, the Cowboys were left with fourth-and-4 at their 32 and 1:34 on the clock. Prescott hit Jake Ferguson for 7.
From there he found Lamb for 15 and 8, then George Pickens for 22 down the left side to the Houston 12. Two snaps later he hit Lamb over the middle for the score. The drive covered 74 yards in 11 plays and 1:43, with Texans coach DeMeco Ryans spending all three of his timeouts along the way.
"As soon as it was called," Prescott said, according to the AP, "I knew it was a touchdown."
DallasCowboys.com counted it as the 27th game-winning drive of his career. It came seven days after a 34-31 loss to Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro, where Dallas settled for a field goal after reaching the red zone. Prescott said that result stung because he knew what the offense could do.
"I want to say it fixes all the problems, but it doesn't," he said of winning. "It makes you feel good at least for a day or so. But at this point, we got to turn the page and get ready for Thursday."
Houston's front, with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. rushing off the edges, hit him often. Anderson also blocked Brandon Aubrey's 62-yard try in the second quarter. Prescott said he enjoyed the challenge.
