Ahead of Sunday’s Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game, Tom Brady asked Dak Prescott which one of his standout wide receivers he’d most likely throw the ball to if they were each lined up out wide and in single coverage.
“Tommy, it depends what kind of route,” Prescott replied, according to Brady. “If it’s a slant, I’m throwing to GP (George Pickens).”
With Sunday’s game hanging in the balance, Prescott did just that. He hit Pickens in stride as the wide receiver ran a slant, picking up 24 yards to help the Cowboys move to the Eagles’ 22-yard line with 35 seconds left. A few plays later, Brandon Aubrey kicked a game-winning 42-yard field goal that gave the Cowboys a 24-21 win after trailing 21-0 in the second quarter.
“We ran a little concept called slant and we really didn’t expect the coverage [they played on that play],” Pickens advised Brady of his seize that set the Cowboys up for the game-winning kick. “That they had been taking part in two all night time. They performed man proper there. A man fell and I attempted to get into the field ane finish the sport. However shoutout to Brandon Aubrey.”
Tom Brady’s LFG Participant of the Recreation: Cowboys WR George Pickens 🏆 Week 12 DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Pickens was a significant cause why the Cowboys have been capable of full the comeback, which tied the report for the most important comeback win in franchise historical past. He had 9 receptions for 146 yards and a landing – serving to Prescott throw for 354 yards within the victory – and successful him LFG Participant of the Recreation.
The seize Pickens made that helped seal the victory was matched by the second-most spectacular seize he made within the recreation. Earlier within the fourth quarter, Pickens made a leaping seize on a deep ball over Eagles defensive again Cooper DeJean for a 43-yard acquire. Brady remarked that Pickens had made a “Randy Moss-ish” kind of reception on that play.
Two performs after that catch from Pickens, Prescott ran and flipped into the top zone to assist the Cowboys tie the sport, fully flipping the script on the Eagles after trying listless for the primary 20-plus minutes of the sport.
“Simply preaching to the fellows, execution, execution, execution,” Pickens mentioned on what the message was when the Cowboys fell right into a 21-0 deficit. “We kinda knew that one phrase can change quite a bit for us. We shot ourselves within the foot early. However so long as we have been capable of execute when it mattered essentially the most, that is once we got here by way of.”
One of many self-inflicted errors the Cowboys made got here within the second quarter, when Prescott threw an ill-advised move in a good window to receiver CeeDee Lamb that was picked off by Eagles security Reed Blankenship. Even when Dallas was within the midst of its comeback, it made some unforced errors as properly. Aubrey missed simply his second kick of the season (his first from inside 60 yards). The Cowboys additionally went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line within the last minutes regardless of the rating being tied, developing empty.
However the Cowboys have been capable of drive the defending champs to make much more crucial errors than they did. Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley misplaced a fumble within the fourth quarter, and returner Xavier Gipson misplaced a fumble later within the body on a punt return for the Eagles. Needing a cease within the last minutes, defensive sort out Osa Odighizuwa sacked Jalen Hurts to drive a punt.
Out of the blue, the Cowboys’ protection that was holding the staff again now seems formidable after giving up zero factors within the last 40 minutes towards the defending champs. At 5-5-1, Dallas nonetheless has an uphill battle to climb to make the playoffs, however desires of the postseason appear much more possible following Sunday’s win.
“It is precisely the place we wish to be,” Pickens advised Brady. “In all probability me, personally, simply telling the fellows do not get too, too low. Simply maintain executing as a result of that is in all probability going to be the factor that largely will get us wins.”
Brandon Aubrey sinks 42-yard FG to finish Cowboys’ EPIC comeback win towards Eagles | NFL Highlights
Sunday was the Cowboys’ first residence recreation since defensive finish Marshawn Kneeland handed away earlier in November.
“When Marshawn handed away, it actually introduced all people nearer — the brotherhood,” Pickens mentioned. “It is a recreation we play on a regular basis, however there’s actual life nonetheless taking place. So, that element and facet of life sort of snuck into the staff, and we have been executing on one other degree.”
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