5 Cowboys who were bailed out in narrow win vs Seahawks
2. Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator
The Dallas Cowboys have had the best point differential in the NFL for most of the 2023 season, and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is a big reason for that. His defense not only prevents teams from scoring, but they put points on the board themselves. The Cowboys have forced 18 turnovers in 12 games this season, and they rank 4th in the NFL this year in points allowed.
With that being said, the Seahawks had their way on Thursday night, and Quinn needed to be bailed out a little bit. The Cowboys didn't have much of an answer for Seattle's passing game, allowing 334 yards through the air. That is the most the Cowboys have allowed in any game this season. The 406 total yards allowed by the Cowboys defense against Seattle is the 2nd-most yards they've allowed all season just behind the San Francisco game...which they lost 42-10.
3. Mike McCarthy, head coach
Mike McCarthy was bailed out by Dan Quinn's defense in a game he really mismanaged late in the fourth quarter. Although the Cowboys' offense was excellent in this game against Seattle for the most part, McCarthy's decision-making with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter will hopefully be a lesson learned as this team approaches the playoffs.
On 3rd-and-3 with 1:47 left on the clock, McCarthy could have just run the ball and run an additional 40 seconds off the clock (at the very least) by running the ball, but he instead attempted a 50-50 shot in the end zone to -- in theory -- try to end the game with a touchdown. But the ball fell incomplete, and it left Seattle with nearly two minutes to try and come back down by six points.
McCarthy could have played that just about any other way: Running for a first down and being able to run out the clock, running 40-plus seconds off the clock, kneeling and kicking the field goal anyway, etc. Anything would have been better than the play he called, and he was bailed out by the Cowboys getting off the field on a 4th down play.