Just because the Cowboys (8-3) have yet to defeat a team over .500 doesn’t mean their league-leading offense isn’t substantiated.
Let’s call the Arizona game a flop.
Sure, the blowout to San Francisco gave pause, but ever since, Dallas has been firing on all cylinders aside from the one-possession loss to Philadelphia.
Thursday’s meeting with Seattle (6-5) pits a couple of NFC-contending teams both two games back in their divisions against one another.
The Seahawks have lost three of their last four, which includes routs by a couple of other 8-3 adversaries in the 49ers and Ravens.
Both of those teams swallowed the Seahawks by maintaining dominant ball possession as Seattle went 4-for-23 on third-down conversions combined against them.
The Seahawks have plummeted to No. 31 overall in third-down conversion rate — only ahead of the nose-diving Jets offense.
It’s looking more and more like Geno Smith’s Comeback Player of the Year award last year — while an inspiring feat — was a flash in the pan.
The vet has been harnessing a triceps injury and holds a 50.1 QBR, which lands him in the bottom tier of quarterbacks.
He’s had a couple of performances over 300 passing yards this year, but Smith’s output overall has been too untrustworthy.
He threw for under 200 yards and zero touchdowns against both the 49ers and Ravens.
He’s also been without workhorse running back Kenneth Walker III, who’s absence to an oblique injury will continue into Thursday.
The battered Seahawks will need to challenge a No. 4 ranked Cowboys front in defensive DVOA. Dallas has allowed 12.3 points in its three-game heater.
Dak Prescott is stringing together a campaign worthy of MVP discussion.
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He owns a top-two QBR (75.3) and passer rating (107.4) and has thrown five consecutive multi-score games — four of those north of 300 yards.
CeeDee Lamb has been the major recipient of that with 96.9 yards per game.
Their powerful chemistry should show against a Seattle secondary that has allowed an average of 234 air yards and two touchdowns in its last four games.
The Cowboys are 5-0 ATS at home this season.
I don’t figure their pace of play will slow down for a Seattle team that’s lacking efficiency all over the field.
The play: Cowboys -9.