NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. — Dak Prescott threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns at Dalton Schultz as the Dallas Cowboys defeated the battered and dormant Tennessee Titans 27-13 Thursday night for their sixth win in seven games.
The Cowboys (12-4) recorded their first consecutive 12-win season since 1994 and 1995, when Dallas won its last of the franchise’s five Super Bowl titles. The fans chanted “Let’s go Cowboys!” throughout the game.
The Cowboys have yet to wrap up the regular season by beating Philadelphia (13-2) in Washington and losing a shot at a second straight NFC East title. Otherwise, they will be included in seed #5 in the NFC.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for a 1-yard touchdown, his ninth straight game with a rushing TD. He became the fifth player with such a streak since 2000, alongside Shaun Alexander (2005), Priest Holmes (11 in 2002), Jonathan Taylor in 2021 and LaDainian Tomlinson (18 between 2004-05).
The Titans (7-9) lost their sixth straight hour Put quarterback Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve, ending his season unless they achieve the AFC Championship. They have 22 players on injured reserve and lead the NFL with at least 83 different players.
That game was meaningless for Tennessee overall as next week’s regular-season finale in Jacksonville decides the AFC South title. So the Titans scratched seven starters, not counting two others put on IR with Tannehill. Those in attendance included Derrick Henry, the NFL’s second-best rusher.
The Titans gave Joshua Dobbs, who was signed by Detroit’s practice team Dec. 21, his first NFL start in place of rookie Malik Willis, their third-round pick in April. The former University of Tennessee star played his last collegiate game on that field, a 2016 Music City Bowl win over Nebraska.
By halftime he had more yards than Willis had in his first three starts. Dobbs finished with 232 yards and that first TD pass of his careera 7-yarder against Robert Woods that drew the Titans to 17-13 late in the third.
The Cowboys scored the last 10 points. Prescott capped a 75-yard drive with his second TD pass to Schultz for a 24-13 lead early in the fourth. Brett Maher added his second field goal for the final lead.
Dallas led at halftime thanks to three turnovers, including one, just 10-6 two interceptions by two-time All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, who set field goals from Randy Bullock. That gave Prescott a career-high 14 picks and tied him with now-benched Raiders quarterback Derek Carr for the most in the NFL.
And that’s despite Prescott missing five games with a broken thumb. The Dallas quarterback was picked up in six straight games for the first time in his career.
Prescott took advantage of the Titans’ battered defense and found CeeDee Lamb for 11 catches for 100 yards. When undrafted rookie cornerback Tre Avery was tagged for grabbing Michael Gallup on third and 19th Prescott threw a 6-yard TD pass to Schultz the next game midway through the third to a 17-6 lead.
INJURIES
Dallas center Tyler Biadasz injured his right ankle when Titans defensive end DeMarcus Walker rolled onto his leg late in the third quarter. That forced Connor McGovern to slip from left guard, Tyler Smith from left tackle to guard while Jason Peters came in for Smith. Biadasz did not return.
Titans defenseman Andrew Adams injured his right knee on Schultz’s second TD catch and was carted into the dressing room. Titans cornerback Vomtae Harris injured a hamstring early on.
NEXT
Dallas ends the regular season in Washington.
The Titans visit Jacksonville trying to beat the odds and win their third straight AFC South title.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed or redistributed without permission.
