Cowboys at Colts: Dallas gets harsh reality check in blowout loss

The Dallas Cowboys squandered an opportunity to secure their division with an embarrassing performance against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

With a win against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the surging Dallas Cowboys could have locked up the NFC East and earned themselves a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. Instead, America’s Team got a harsh dose of reality, getting blown out by the Colts 23-0.

The disheveled Cowboys seem unprepared for the Colts’ onslaught in their Week 15 matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. A blocked field goal attempt and a fourth down stop on the goal line resulted in Dallas going into halftime scoreless, down 10-0.

The narrative didn’t change in the third quarter for the Cowboys as the Colts proceeded to pad their lead, pushing it to 20-0 going into the final frame. Dallas waved the white flag with just under five minutes left in the game, throwing it far too short on a fourth-and-long attempt essentially giving up any hope of scoring.

And even when a fumble for a turnover gave the ball back to the Cowboys late in the contest, a Prescott interception sealed their scoreless fate.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott was once again the Cowboys top offensive weapon. Zeke finished the day recording 87 rushing yards on 18 carries on the ground. Elliott also led Dallas in catches with seven receptions for 41 yards.

Quarterback Dak Prescott posted a major drop in production after recording a career-high 455 passing yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. Prescott completed only 24 of his 39 passes for 206 yards for zero touchdowns and one interception against the Colts.

It was also a disappointing day for wide receiver Amari Cooper who had only four receptions for 32 yards on seven targets.

Defensively, linebacker Jaylon Smith posted 11 combined tackles, leading the team. Dallas’ top-five defense didn’t record a single sack in the entire game against Indy.

Next up for the 8-6 Dallas Cowboys is a Week 16 matchup against the 5-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arlington, at AT&T Stadium. That game will kick off around Noon on Sunday, December 23.