How the Dallas Cowboys have been successful in 2023 so far

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Complimentary football is among the big things you hear Mike McCarthy preaches as a critical factor to winning.

That has enabled the Dallas Cowboys to clinch another playoff berth for a third successive campaign.

They’re riding a two-game losing streak as they return to AT&T Stadium on Saturday for a date with the Detroit Lions.

Throughout the campaign, there’ve been varying perspectives on the biggest keys to Dallas’ success in 2023.

Some suggest it’s the elite play of MVP candidate Dak Prescott, who is leading the league in touchdown passes (30) while posting the third-highest passer rating in the NFL (104.2)

CeeDee Lamb is a massive part of the passing game, second in the NFL for receiving yards (1,424).

For the most part, Dan Quinn‘s defense has held opposing teams at bay, ranked seventh regarding yards-allowed-per-game (299.7).

DaRon Bland and Micah Parsons are both in the running for Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Brandon Aubrey has been automatic when coming out for field goals.

There’s a valid case that all of those players being critical to this team’s success.

However, there are some other reasons that may explain the Cowboys victories in 2023.

Cowboys Takeaways

The Cowboys’ schedule has been relatively straightforward until the last few weeks.

Facing the New York Giants twice, plus the Jets, Cardinals, Patriots, Commanders, and Panthers, are opponents most would gladly take.

The Cowboys have won most of those games with ease, with the offense looking like a well-oiled machine in nearly all of those encounters.

It’s not just been a mismatch on paper, though, that’s propelled Dallas to these victories.

Creating turnovers can often make the difference between winning and losing, and that’s especially true with the 2023 Cowboys.

Dallas is 10-5 in 2023, trailing the Philadelphia Eagles by one game in the race for the NFC East and one behind San Francisco and Detroit in the battle for first in the conference.

The Cowboys are 0-4 this season when failing to create a turnover.

Winning the takeaway battle has been a big part of the Cowboys’ success this season, with Bland still leading the NFL in interceptions (eight), while as a team, they’re tied with Cincinnati for second in turnover differential (+8).

They didn’t create a turnover over the previous two weeks, losing to the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

Working with a short field is a key factor in this team’s success.

It’s also helps that Bland’s been a pick-six machine, with an NFL single-season record five for the season.

The Cowboys’ offense ranks sixth in yards per game (366.2).

They’re fourth in passing yards (3,765), while the running game continues to struggle (115.2 yards per game).

The Cowboys have won the last five meetings against the Lions, though they didn’t win the turnover battle in any of those victories.