Did the Rams, Cowboys and Pats just save their seasons? Barnwell on their fourth-quarter comebacks — SkimNews
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- CeeDee Lamb caught 17 passes for 189 yards and 11 first downs on 21 targets in Dallas's 34-30 win over Houston — the most catches by a Cowboys wide receiver in a single game in franchise history, on a team with six Hall of Fame receivers.
- Dak Prescott drove the Cowboys 74 yards in the final two minutes, going 8-of-11 before the game-winning 12-yard touchdown to Lamb with 43 seconds left, after Dallas's win probability had dropped to 21.5% at the two-minute warning.
- The Houston Texans defense failed to make a clutch stop for the second straight week, having surrendered a field-goared Shrader drive to Indianapolis in Week 3 and now giving up the winning touchdown after a Woody Marks score gave them a 30-27 lead with 2:26 left.
- The Cowboys improved to 2-2 with an 82.3% playoff probability per ESPN's FPI, though their run game remains 22nd in EPA per designed run and Javonte Williams' three rushing touchdowns came from a combined 10 yards out.
- Joey Porter Jr. made his Cowboys debut after the trade from Pittsburgh, splitting time with Ameer Speed across 24 of 52 defensive snaps, with NFL Next Gen Stats recording zero passes completed into his coverage.
- The Rams escaped Philadelphia 24-20 after their win probability fell to 3.4% with 8:57 remaining, joining Dallas and New England as three Week 4 comeback winners, with Barnwell citing the 2024 Eagles (2-2 entering their bye, then Super Bowl champs) and 2025 Seahawks as precedent for early-season turning points.
Why it matters: Dallas sits at 2-2 with an 82.3% FPI playoff probability, but Lamb's record day papered over a defense that surrendered 118 yards and two scores to Nico Collins and a ground attack ranked 22nd in EPA per play. With Thursday's date against Jets rookie Jalon Daniels and a Week 6 visit from a compromised Packers passing game, the next two weeks will determine whether this comeback was a launchpad or a mirage.
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