Prescott throws 4 TDs, Williams tops 100 as Cowboys beat Colts 38-28

Indianapolis, IN - Dak Prescott threw four touchdown passes, Javonte Williams surpassed 100 yards rushing and the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38-28 in Week 9.

Dallas produced 306 offensive yards, including 169 on the ground, while Prescott completed 18 of 26 passes for 166 yards. The Cowboys quarterback finished with a 109.9 passer rating and distributed his four scoring passes among George Pickens, Williams and Ryan Flournoy.

The victory came in a game that was nearly even in overall yardage. Indianapolis finished with 308 offensive yards, two more than Dallas, and recorded 20 first downs to the Cowboys' 22. The difference in offensive approach was more pronounced: Dallas finished with 81 more rushing yards, while the Colts held a sizable advantage in passing production.

Prescott connected with Pickens for a 1-yard touchdown with 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Pickens finished with four receptions for 23 yards and two touchdowns, giving him the Cowboys' only multi-score receiving performance.

Two other scoring connections highlighted the third quarter. With 5:35 on the clock, Andy Dalton found Tyler Warren for a 17-yard Indianapolis touchdown. Later in the period, Prescott connected with Flournoy for a 2-yard score with 2:32 remaining. Flournoy totaled five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown, including a 24-yard reception.

Williams gave Dallas production in both phases of the offense. His game-high 105 rushing yards came on 16 carries, and he added a team-high 60 receiving yards on six catches with another touchdown. Emari Demercado contributed 34 yards on six rushing attempts as the Cowboys leaned on a deeper ground effort.

"We got production from different people, and that is what stood out to me," Prescott said. "The running backs gave us a lot, and the receivers finished their opportunities. Four touchdown passes are good, but getting the win is what we needed."

Williams said his focus was on making the most of a varied workload.

"Whether it was a carry or a catch, I wanted to give the offense something positive," Williams said. "There were enough opportunities for everyone to contribute, and we came away with the result we wanted."

Indianapolis received an efficient performance from Dalton despite the loss. He completed 28 of 35 passes for a game-high 246 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 122.1 passer rating. His longest completion covered 26 yards.

Warren was Dalton's top scoring target, catching six passes for 48 yards and three touchdowns. Kareem Hunt added a touchdown reception to his 88 rushing yards on a game-high 17 attempts. Keenan Allen led all players with 68 receiving yards on five catches, including the game-long 26-yard reception.

"We moved the ball, converted third downs and finished our red-zone opportunities, but 28 points was not enough today," Dalton said. "That is the frustrating part. There were good things in the performance, but the result is what stays with you."

The Colts went 9-for-13 on third down and scored touchdowns on all four of their red-zone trips. Dallas converted 6 of 10 third downs and went 1-for-1 on fourth down. The Cowboys reached the red zone seven times, producing four touchdowns and a field goal.

Both defenses also generated disruptive production. Dallas recorded four sacks and an interception, with Kenny Clark accounting for three of those sacks. DaRon Bland made the Cowboys' interception and returned it 63 yards. Indianapolis finished with three sacks and an interception of Prescott.

Dallas entered the game at 3-5 after winning its previous outing and now has consecutive victories. Indianapolis also entered at 3-5, but its losing streak reached three games with the 10-point defeat.

Up Next

The Cowboys return home in Week 10 to host the San Francisco 49ers as they look to build on the win. The Colts will remain home and try to rebound against the Miami Dolphins.