Cowboys escape Colts but familiar problems continue to haunt Dallas

The Cowboys may have walked away with a 27-23 victory over the Colts but that doesn't mean all is well in Dallas. Getting back to the win column provided some much-needed relief, yet questions remain about whether this team is actually making meaningful progress or simply avoiding disappointing results.

In what should have been a comfortable victory instead turned into an uncomfortable afternoon, forcing the Cowboys to rally late against an opponent that has little reason to believe in their own season.

This weeks winners and losers list has an odd feel to it as optimism remains possible, but confidence is increasingly difficult to justify. There lies a strange reality in Dallas as several performances deserve recognition, while others serve as reminders that victory doesn't suddenly fix everything in Dallas.

Winner WR CeeDee Lamb

Wideout CeeDee Lamb continues his assault on the Cowboys record books after catching 10 passes for 195 yards and touchdown against two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner and the Indianapolis Colts secondary.

Through nine games, Lamb has 70 receptions for 904 yards and seven touchdowns. He is on pace for 132 receptions for 1,707 yards. Lamb already has the most receptions in Cowboys history with 135 in 2023. That same season, he posted 1,749 yards which is also most in team history.

Most games with 10 rec, 180 rec yards and a TD this season

CeeDee Lamb* 2
Rest of NFL combined 1

*different pic.twitter.com/BdHnqW8Dv9— PFF (@PFF) November 8, 2026

For all their defensive concerns, the Colts passing defense came into the contest as the 12th best passing defense allowing just 211.8 yards per game. Lamb himself almost posted that many yards alone. He would have likely surpassed that mark if it were not for a handful of penalties (more on that later).

Lamb did have a costly fumble which energized the Colts to get them back into the game, something Lamb lamented while walking back into the locker room. He was also called for offensive pass interference twice that drew the ire from Cowboys fans across all social media platforms.

Loser - Safety P.J. Locke

Adding insult to injury is never easy but safety P.J. Locke may have played his final game as a Dallas Cowboy. For the second consecutive week, Locke suffered a concussion calling into question whether the Cowboys medical staff should have allowed him to play at all.

Locke was even sporting a guardian cap — aimed at adding additional cushion to a players head in an attempt to prevent brain injuries.

Before having to be helped off the field late in the third quarter, the Dallas defense was having a solid defensive performance — that is until Locke missed an open field tackle that sprung Colts rookie receiver for a 55-yard TD reception.

Ashton Dulin 55-yard catch-and-run TD!

DALvsIND on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/ya1lkghrbR— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026

The play was reminiscent of the week prior after Locke's missed tackle allowed Cardinals RB Tyler Allgeier to make a long TD run and allow Arizona to complete their comeback.

Since his return, Locke has done some good things in coverage but for consecutive weeks, it has been his missed tackles that have sprung late, game-altering plays. In a game that often asks what you have done for it lately, Locke ends up on the losing side of what was otherwise a solid performance.

Winner - Defensive Tackle Quinnen Williams

Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams had his three-game sack-streak snapped against Indianapolis but still posed a problem for the Colts offensive line throughout the game finishing with seven total tackles.

Williams is now tied for most tackles for loss alongside Houstons' Will Anderson, with 14 stops behind the line of scrimmage after his three TFL day against Indy. It was his bone-crushing hit on Colts running back Jonathan Tylor that changed the game when Williams busted through the line and forced a fumble.

Cowboys come right back with a takeaway of their own!

DALvsIND on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/NVQtl0FpYU— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026

According to PFF, Williams recorded a season high 91.3 grade. His run stopping (91.7) and pass rushing (73) grades were both the highest he's posted all season. For the season, Williams has the third-most sacks among interior defensive lineman with five.

The Cowboys defense has now posted back-to-back games with long stretches of steady defensive play and much of that can be attributed to Williams who has statistically recorded, or is on pace beyond his 2022 All-Pro season numbers in New York.

Loser - Head Coach Brian Schottenehimer

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer continues to struggle sequencing plays together and has become a play-calling liability when Dallas is up in the second half.

With the game knotted up at 20 with 3:40 remaining and on the Colts 32-yard line, Schotty decided to go-for-gold and dials up a fly-route to CeeDee Lamb on third-and three instead of attempting to get the first down and run down the clock.

Dallas would miss the field goal and Indianapolis would make their attempt on the ensuing drive putting them up with minutes to go in regulation. Although Dallas came back to win, that play call would have been heavily scrutinized if Dallas had not beat Indy.

The discipline on this team has been equally as frustrating after Dallas drew 14 penalties for 153 yards, including a ridiculous 15-yard penalty on inactive linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, for celebrating with his teammates after a turnover.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on @1053thefan on this DeMarvion Overshown penalty: “It is (unacceptable). … It’s not a good look. It’s not a disciplined look.

“We certainly didn’t play a disciplined game yesterday with (14) penalties. We have to be better than that.”…— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 9, 2026

Instead of having the ball at the 30-yard-line following the turnover, Dallas begins the drive at their 15 which ends in a punt. On the next drive, Indianapolis would tie the game at 20 on a 59-yard field-gaol with just under six-minutes in the fourth quarter.

Those extra 15-yards on the Overshwon penalty might have been the difference between a punt or a long-distance, game-tying fourth quarter field goal. Like the week prior with edge Rahsan Gary, Overshown received a talking to about his penalty.

While Schottenheimer may preach culture, penalties, play-calls, and underachieving talent have become the staple of what he has built in Dallas.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys escape Colts but familiar problems continue to haunt Dallas