Top 10: Which Player Got Sunday’s Game Ball?
When you beat a team by 33 points, there are lots of players who should get some credit. So which Cowboys player was the best in Sunday's dominant victory?
10. Jeff Heath / Jourdan Lewis – Coincidentally, both players got their hands on the ball, recording a pair of second-half turnovers. But before Heath's pick and Lewis' nifty sideline fumble recovery, they were both big players in stopping Jacksonville's passing attack.
10. Jeff Heath / Jourdan Lewis – Coincidentally, both players got their hands on the ball, recording a pair of second-half turnovers. But before Heath's pick and Lewis' nifty sideline fumble recovery, they were both big players in stopping Jacksonville's passing attack.
9. Randy Gregory – Arguably his best game of his career. Gregory recorded a sack and another tackle for loss. He played the run better this week and filled in nicely as the Cowboys limited DeMarcus Lawrence's workload because of a shoulder injury.
8. La'el Collins – This has been somewhat of a slow start for Collins this year, but Sunday was his best game of the year. He did have one penalty but came back with some impressive blocks on that same drive. All in all, he was the dominant player he was a year ago.
7. Brett Maher – Jason Garrett said Maher was "like a machine" at training camp, hitting just about every kick in practice. Well, the lights are bigger now and Maher is still a machine, making 15 straight, including two more 50-plus kicks on Sunday.
6. Byron Jones – Maybe he could've had his first interception, but his deflection led to Heath's pick. There were other times in the game when Jones had his hands on the ball, knocking away passes to thwart drives.
5. Ezekiel Elliott – When you can rush for over 100 yards with a TD against the Jaguars and it's still not one of his better days, that's saying something for Zeke, who continues to lead the NFL in rushing. Elliott moved the chains all day and his presence alone helped the offense function against the Jags' aggressive front.
4. Leighton Vander Esch – So he comes off an 18-tackle game against Houston, and puts up yet another double-digit effort with 10 more tackles. The Cowboys' coaching staff will likely add a few more to that total when they review the film. More than tackling, his plays in the passing game are on another level.
3. Jaylon Smith – Every week, he does something else to add to what is already a stellar season. This week, Smith forced a fumble that was recovered on the sideline. He made some big-time hits in the run game and continues to provide pressure off the edge as a blitzer.
2. Dak Prescott – His best game as a runner, Prescott was a huge problem for Jacksonville's No. 1 defense. While Dak didn't exactly hurt them with his arm, the combination of run/pass was the difference in the game.
1. Cole Beasley – On Friday, Beasley said he was one of the best slot receivers in the league. On Sunday, it's hard for anyone to argue with that. He tied a career-high with nine catches, and scored two touchdowns in the second quarter that gave the Cowboys a sizeable lead and they never looked back.
