GLENDALE, Ariz. – Dak Prescott didn't just run for a touchdown. He flipped – literally – over the goal line.
Dez Bryant didn't just catch a touchdown pass. He dragged five Arizona Cardinal players with him into the end zone.
Monday night, the Cowboys gradually shook themselves out of an offensive funk dating back to Week 2 at Denver – and two fearless plays by two of their stars helped spark the resurgence in a 28-17 win over Arizona at University of Phoenix Stadium.
First, the flip.
With just over two minutes left the second quarter, the Cowboys had gained only 34 yards and tallied only two first downs on their first three possessions. Trailing 7-0, rookie Ryan Switzer returned a punt 21 yards to the Arizona 33, and Prescott went to work.
He completed a 13-yard pass to rookie Noah Brown down to the Arizona 10. Then he executed a zone-read and scrambled right toward the goal line, diving over Cardinals defenders somersault-style, his feet landing in the end zone for the tying touchdown.
"It shows the type of heart he has," running back Ezekiel Elliott said. "I think a lot of other quarterbacks right there just would've slid and leave the ball at the 2-yard line. Just him showing how important it was to get in there and make that play, putting his health on the line, meant a lot to us."
Next, the drag.
On the second drive of the third quarter, the game still tied 7-7, Prescott threw a pass short middle to Bryant. The veteran receiver wasn't satisfied with first-and-goal at the 5-yard line.
With a little push from center Travis Frederick, Bryant carried a swarm of red jerseys with him past the goal line. Official review concluded he indeed broke the plane to give the Cowboys their first lead of the game.
"I told (Frederick) it was his touchdown," Bryant said.
Said head coach Jason Garrett: "There's no way he was going to be denied. It was a big-time play for us."
Frustrated for the better part of six previous quarters (only 17 points against the Broncos and only 54 total yards in the first half Monday) the offense finally loosened up late in the first half. They gained 95 total yards in third quarter and added two more touchdowns in the fourth to seal the game.
Gritty plays earlier from Prescott and Bryant got them on the right track.
"One of the things we talk about all the time, it's the foundation of our entire program, is the word fight," Garrett said. "You just have to keep fighting. You have to keep battling. I thought our guys did that tonight individually, within units and then across units as a football team."
