Cowboys studs and duds: Malik Davis rises to occasion in Week 17

The Dallas Cowboys got more than they bargained for in Week 17 as the Tennessee Titans pushed them to their limit. An unexpected switch from Malik Willis to Josh Dobbs helped the Tennessee offense find a spark, as did a few turnovers from Dallas.

A strong second half was needed in order to put the home team away and keep the hopes for a run at the NFC East alive. Now, we look back at the victory and identify some studs and duds for Dallas.

Cowboys studs and duds Week 17

Stud: Micah Parsons, Linebacker

Even with a club on one hand, Micah Parsons made quite the impact on this game. The second-year linebacker was constantly getting in the face of Josh Dobbs. He didn’t record a sack but he hurried several passes and was able to hit Dobbs often.

Parsons even drew a penalty that forced the Titans to re-think going for a fourth-down conversion as Dennis Daley was clearly worried about No. 11 getting past him.

If that wasn’t enough, Parsons shut down a running play when he originally appeared to be on the sideline at one point.

Stat scouts might see that Parsons had just one tackle and think he was ineffective but he really played well and even recovered a fumble despite having just one hand free.

Dud: Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back

He did keep an impressive touchdown streak going as Ezekiel Elliot ran one in for the ninth game in a row but overall, he wasn’t very effective in Week 17.

With Tony Pollard out, Elliott managed to gain just 37 yards on 19 carries which is an average of just 1.9 yards per attempt. Yes, Tennessee has a great run defense but they were without several starters on the defensive line. Not only that, but rookie Malik Davis had two more yards than Zeke with nine fewer attempts.

Elliott has looked much better this season than in 2021 but this wasn’t his top performance of the year.

Stud: Dalton Schultz, Tight End

Dalton Schultz looks like a different player with Dak Prescott under center.

Schultz was quiet with Cooper Rush starting but continues to shine with No. 4. On Thursday, he was a star as he hauled in seven passes for 56 yards and was on the receiving end of both touchdown passes from Prescott.

Playing on the franchise tag, Schultz has made a strong case for himself to finally land an extension this offseason. He now has 53 receptions for 541 with five touchdowns in just 13 games while also battling a knee injury early in the year. And while the Cowboys have gotten some production from their rookie tight ends, they haven’t been as consistent as the veteran.

Dud: Peyton Hendershot, Tight End

When you’re an undrafted free agent and the No. 3 tight end, you have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Heading into Week 17, Peyton Hendershot has done that. The Indiana product has 11 receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns. However, he had one huge gaffe during this game.

In the first half, Dak Prescott fired a pass to Hendershot and hit him between the numbers. The rookie bobbled the ball a couple of times before it bounced into the air and was picked off by Kevin Byard.

Prescott now leads the NFL in interceptions despite missing six games but far too many of those happened in a similar fashion to this. Dallas was able to recover but Hendershot put them in a bad spot early.

Stud: Malik Davis, Running Back

With Tony Pollard out due to a thigh injury that slowed him down all week, Malik Davis got the call as the No. 2 running back. Davis, an undrafted rookie from Florida, entered the game with 23 rushes for 103 yards and a touchdown on the ground and 40 yards on four receptions.

Davis made the most of this opportunity with 62 yards from scrimmage against Tennessee. And he got off to a hot start early as he was huge on their second scoring drive as he caught an 18 yards pass to move the ball into Tennessee territory.

He then took a handoff 23 yards to move the ball to the 24-yard line. The drive stalled when Ezekiel Elliott lost one yard on third-and-short but Davis put them in range for Brett Maher, who hit a 36-yard field goal.

In the fourth quarter with Tennessee trailing by just four and trying to force another field goal to keep it close, Davis made a great play on third-and-two from the Titan’s 18. Davis hauled in a short pass from Dak Prescott, behind the line of scrimmage, and was able to shake off a defender for a five-yard gain. Two plays later, Schultz pulled down his second touchdown to increase the lead to 24-13.

Dud: Kelvin Joseph, Cornerback

As if it wasn’t bad enough to see Daron Bland and Nahshon Wright surpass former second-round pick Kelvin Joseph on the depth chart, he also continues to struggle mightily on special teams. Joseph was flagged twice on Thursday, once for a block in the back that wiped out an 11-yard punt return from KaVontae Turpin and forced Dallas to start at their own 11.

Late in the fourth quarter, he was again flagged as he ran into the punt returner. Originally, it looked as though Robert Woods fumbled and the Cowboys recovered but that was short-lived thanks to Joseph being hit with another penalty.

There were big plans for Joseph this season, but with Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis out with injuries, he’s been a major disappointment.

Stud: T.Y. Hilton, Wide Receiver

Who needs T.O. when you have T.Y.?

Somehow, T.Y. Hilton has been able to come in late in the season and contribute in a big way for Dallas. The 11th-year veteran made his first appearance last week against the Eagles and caught a 52-yard pass to convert on a third-and-30.

This week, he continued to play well with four receptions for 50 yards — and he was once again stepping up on third down. His first reception came on third-and-five as Hilton gained seven yards on the first touchdown drive.

He later hauled in a 12-yarder on third-and-three and then had a 28-yard reception on third-and-10 on the drive that ended with Schultz’ second touchdown grab.

Hilton has developed a rapport with Dak Prescott in a hurry and is quickly becoming a stud on third downs. He’s also proven to be a good mentor for CeeDee Lamb, who had himself another 100-yard outing.

Stud: CeeDee Lamb, Wide Receiver

Week after week, CeeDee Lamb continues to show how much he’s improved as a wideout. The third-year pro hauled in 11 passes for 100 yards on Thursday Night Football — and had a few clutch plays in the process.

One was a 12-yard grab on third-and-11. That drive ended with an interception as Prescott’s pass went off the hands of Peyton Hendershot but Lamb delivered when he was called upon.

He did so again around the midpoint of the fourth quarter as Dallas had it on the 37-yard line, facing a third-and-15, and Lamb took a screen pass 10 yards, setting up a 45-yard field goal.

While Brett Maher might have hit it from 55, the closer kick is always preferred and Lamb made it much easier on No. 19 as he extended the lead to 27-13, which happened to be the final score.

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