MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tyreek Hill stood on the Miami Dolphins sidelines with a towel draped around his neck and no helmet in sight. 

Beside Hill stood Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, calling an offense without his sharpest weapon. 

For a moment, the Dolphins’ aspirations to reach the Super Bowl this season hung in the breezy Miami air on Monday night. 

And for certain, Miami’s chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC took a major hit as the Dolphins fell 28-27 to the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium. 

‘It was just one of them things where like you just got to make your mind up, like ‘hey, I’m going to do it, man.’ One of them (expletive) them mindsets. You feel me? And it’s going to be like that until the end of the season,’ said Hill, who suffered a left ankle injury during the first quarter, and did not return until midway through the third quarter. 

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‘I feel like at this point of the season, everybody is typically hurt, and right now I don’t need – nobody is going to give you pity for just being injured, quite frankly. That’s just the reality of this league.’ 

In a matter of two plays, the Dolphins star receiver showed why his candidacy for NFL most valuable player truly has some merit. 

Hill secured a 23-yard catch from Tua Tagovailoa at the end of the third quarter, and a 25-yard catch down to the 6-yard line early in the fourth quarter on a drive the Dolphins used to tie the game at 13. But Hill was no longer a factor in the game for the Dolphins. 

Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter after Miami secured a muff punt, and Bradley Chubb recovered a fumble. And it didn’t matter. 

The Titans had more offense than the Dolphins did on this night. 

Titans quarterback Will Levis lead two touchdown drives — a pass to DeAndre Hopkins, and a run by Derrick Henry — down 23-17 in the fourth quarter, and stole the victory from Miami. 

Without Hill at his best, the Dolphins offense lacked explosiveness that became its defining trait this season. Hill leads the NFL with nearly 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns — garnering conversation for the league’s Most Valuable Player award, with hopes to produce the NFL’s first 2,000-yard receiving season. 

Hill caught a pass in the backfield from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and ran toward the Titans sidelines where cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting brought him down. 

Hill was writhing in pain on the Titans sideline and tended to by trainers with about three minutes left in the first quarter.

Hill got up and began to walk toward midfield, before Dolphins fans at Hard Rock Stadium began to chant his name. 

Hill responded by running off the field to the Dolphins sideline, screaming toward himself as fans cheered. Hill briefly sought treatment in the Dolphins medical tent, but quickly exited. 

But it took until 6:43 left in the third quarter for Hill to return to action. 

‘Me being me, I don’t want to sit out. I want to be able to help this team any way I can, and that’s just who I am. I just don’t want to miss any games,’ Hill said.

Despite his two highlight plays, the Dolphins started their final two drives of the game without Hill on the field. While Hill did join the fray in Miami’s attempt to salvage the game, he was not targeted. 

And the Dolphins ended the night, spoiled by a defeat that took significant air out of their season. 

The Dallas Cowboys did not score 40 points at home — a seemingly rare occurrence. Don’t mistake that for a lack of dominance. 

Dallas rolled the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-13, Sunday, and all head coach Mike McCarthy could do was smile as he shook hands with Eagles coach Nick Sirianni. Dallas jumped ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East standings with the victory. 

The defense kept the Eagles’ offense out of the end zone – rookie Jalen Carter’s 42-yard fumble return serving as the lone Philadelphia touchdown, and quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 271 yards on 24-of-39 passing with two touchdowns. 

Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey continued his historic stretch of consecutive field goals to start a career, as the 28-year-old rookie has now drilled his first 30 attempts in the league and was 4-for-3 on the night. He did it in arduous fashion against Philadelphia, connecting from distances of 45, 50, 59 and 60 yards. Aubrey became the first player in NFL history to make two field goals of 59 yards or more in the same game. 

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson continued his breakout year with a team-high 72 receiving yards on six catches. Receivers CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup caught touchdowns. 

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Three of Philadelphia’s best playmakers — quarterback Jalen Hurts and receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — had the ball knocked out of their hands. Each time the pigskin wound up in the hands of a Dallas defender. The Eagles now have 19 turnovers on the season, Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore had a team-high nine tackles and forced one of their fumbles. 

The Eagles still control their own destiny in the NFC East race, but for now, they are the No. 5 seed in the conference with Dallas slotting into the No. 2 spot behind the San Francisco 49ers. — Chris Bumbaca

Winners and losers from Cowboys’ win over Eagles

WINNERS

Dak Prescott sharp in win: Prescott continued his hot run passing the football. The Cowboys quarterback is playing some of the best football of his career and is firmly in the MVP mix.

Prescott was accurate and poised as he took advantage of a leaky Philadelphia secondary.

The Cowboys quarterback finished 24-of-39 passing for 271 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in a 99.4 passer rating.

The Cowboys had five players with more than 35 receiving yards in what was a balanced passing attack led by Prescott.

Cowboys defense: The Cowboys defense didn’t give up a touchdown. Philadelphia’s only touchdown came on a Jalen Carter scoop and score. Jalen Hurts and company never found a rhythm against Dallas. When the Eagles had promising drives going, they ended abruptly on fumbles.

Dallas forced three takeaways. The Cowboys forced a fumble on Philadelphia’s first possession and it set the tone for the whole game.

Brandon Aubrey continues to remain perfect: Aubrey is automatic for the Cowboys. He made each one of his four field goals in the win.

Aubrey’s easiest field goal was a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter that gave Dallas a 30-13 advantage. He then added another 50-yard field goal in garbage time.

Aubrey has converted all 30 of his field goal attempts this season. He’s perfect for his career thus far.

San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers (10-3) have the best record in the NFC as a result of the Eagles’ loss. San Francisco also holds tiebreakers over the Eagles (10-3) and Cowboys (10-3) because of wins over both NFC East squads.

San Francisco controls its own destiny in the NFC.

LOSERS

Eagles’ ball security: Jalen Hurts lost a fumble, A.J. Brown lost a fumble and DeVonta Smith lost a fumble as well. A trifecta for three prominent players on Philly’s offense. The Eagles will have a difficult time winning any game when three of their offensive stars lose fumbles.

Eagles offense: Philly’s offense went missing in Dallas. The Eagles had ball security issues and went 0-1 in the red zone. The Eagles looked out of sync and couldn’t sustain any drives in the loss. The Eagles offense failed to score a touchdown for the first time since the wild card game in the 2019 playoffs. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys-Eagles highlights

Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns, Brandon Aubrey made four field goals to start his career a record 30-for-30, and the Cowboys pulled even in the NFC East with their 15th consecutive home victory.

Cowboys 33, Eagles 13: Brandon Aubrey adds another field goal

Former pro soccer player-turned-NFL kicker Brandon Aubrey added a fourth field goal to what has been a big night for the rookie.

Aubrey connected from 50 yards out with just over a minute remaining in the game to extend the Cowboys’ commanding lead over their NFC East rivals.

Aubrey -— who was a first-round pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC — made field goals from 60, 59, 45 and 50 yards in the game. — Jim Reineking

Cowboys defense forces another Eagles turnover

The game has gone from bad to worse for the Eagles late in the fourth quarter.

Attempting a semblance of a comeback, Jalen Hurts connected with DeVonta Smith for a 22-yard gain inside the Dallas red zone. Except Smith became the third Eagles player to have the ball punched from his grasp against the Cowboys – joining Hurts and fellow receiver A.J. Brown in that unfortunate category.

Dallas recovered all three of the fumbles, and following the latest one, was looking to run out the clock with a 17-point lead.

All Smith could do was wear a blank stare on the bench. — Chris Bumbaca 

Cowboys 30, Eagles 13: Brandon Aubrey pads Dallas’ lead

The Cowboys called upon Brandon Aubrey again in the fourth quarter, and he showed once again why he’s becoming one of the best kickers in the NFL.

Aubrey made a 45-yard field goal at the end of the Cowboys’ 11-play drive to give Dallas a 30-13 advantage with 9:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys kicker has converted all three of his field goals Sunday night. He’s a perfect 29 of 29 on field goals this season. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys carry 14-point lead into fourth quarter

The big play of the third quarter was Jalen Carter’s 42-yard fumble return for a touchdown, Philadelphia’s first of the game. That is a major reason why the Eagles are down by two scores going into the final 15 minutes, as the offense has failed to find the end zone.

Brandon Aubrey etched his name deeper into the NFL record books by making his second field goal of the game – this one from 59 yards out, slightly easier than the 60-yarder he nailed in the first half.

Neither team was particularly efficient in the frame. Philadelphia was 1-for-3, while Dallas was 1-for-4. — Chris Bumbaca

Eagles stopped on fourth down 

Nick Sirianni left his offense on the field for a fourth-and-8 from the Dallas 31-yard line. Jalen Hurts’ pass to DeVonta Smith only went for 2.

Instead of opting for another Jake Elliott field goal, Sirianni decided to try and make it a one-score game by trying to keep a potential touchdown drive alive with the Eagles trailing by 14. — Chris Bumbaca

Cowboys 27, Eagles 13: Brandon Aubrey now has 59- and 60-yard field goals

The Cowboys rookie kicker sliced anther 59-yard field goal right between the uprights to give Dallas a 27-13 lead with 4:49 left in the third quarter. Aubrey made a 60-yard field goal in the first half. According to the NBC Sports broadcast, he’s the first kicker in NFL history to make two field goals from 59 yards out or further in the same game.

Aubrey has converted all 28 of his field goal attempts this season. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 24, Eagles 13: Jalen Carter scoop and score

Gifted with short field position thanks to an Eagles punt and fair catch interference 15-yard penalty that brought their starting position to their own 45-yard line, the Cowboys had all the making of another scoring drive.

It was. For the Eagles.

Fletcher Cox got to Dak Prescott and forced a fumble that Eagles rookie Jalen Carter picked up and ran 42 yards the other way for the Eagles’ first touchdown of the game with 10:41 left in the third quarter.

Cox bull rushed up the middle and, with his left hand, was able to knock the ball out of Prescott’s grip. Carter was right there and took care of the rest. — Chris Bumbaca

A.J. Brown loses fumble on Philly’s first possession of second half

The second half isn’t off to a great start for Philadelphia.

After catching the football on a slant, wide receiver A.J. Brown had the ball stripped from him by Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore and it was recovered by linebacker Damone Clark on the Dallas 37-yard line.

The turnover was the Eagles’ second loss fumble of the night.

The Cowboys offense, however, went three-and-out after the turnover. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys up big at halftime

The Cowboys were clicking on all cylinders in the first half.

The Cowboys offense scored points on all four of their drives as the team enters the locker room at halftime with a commanding 24-6 advantage.

Dak Prescott was sharp in the first half. Prescott passed for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup each hauled in receiving touchdowns. Running back Rico Dowdle recorded a touchdown on the ground.

The Cowboys offense produced 247 yards in four drives.

The Cowboys defense deserves plenty of credit for their first-half performance, too.

Dallas held Jalen Hurts to 92 passing yards. Safety Donovan Wilson has a forced fumble and linebacker Micah Parsons registered a sack.

The Eagles went 2-5 on third downs in the first half. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 24, Eagles 6: Michael Gallup gets short TD reception

Dak Prescott found Michael Gallup for a 1-yard touchdown and another Cowboys touchdown to give the home team a 24-6 lead 20 seconds before halftime.

The Cowboys have scored on four straight possessions – three touchdowns and one (very long) field goal. A pass interference-facemask combo penalty on rookie Kelee Ringo gave Dallas a free 25 yards, and Dallas required just 88 seconds to score its third touchdown of the game.

The Philadelphia defense has now given up nine touchdowns in its last 11 drives. One of those possessions included a kneel down. — Chris Bumbaca

Cowboys 17, Eagles 6: Jake Elliott adds another field goal

Eagles kicker Jake Elliott snuck a 44-yard field goal between the upright to cut Philadelphia’s deficit 17-6 with 1:48 left in the first half.

The Eagles got within 20 yards of the end zone, but Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons sacked Jalen Hurts on second down for a 7-yard loss. On the ensuing play on third-and-18, Hurts’ pass fell incomplete.

Philadelphia’s hit field goals on back-to-back possessions, but they are 1-4 on third downs. — Tyler Dragon

Who has longest field goal in Cowboys history?

When Brandon Aubrey connected on a 60-yard field goal against the Eagles on Sunday night, it was just three yards short of the longest field goal in Cowboys team history.

On Oct. 20, 2019, Brett Maher connected on a 63-yard field goal — also against the Eagles — to set a team record. That broke a record Maher had set in 2018 when he made a 62-yarder. He also had a 60-yarder last season.

The Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Tucker has the longest field goal in NFL history, a 66-yarder he made against the Detroit Lions in 2021. — Jim Reineking

Cowboys 17, Eagles 3: Rico Dowdle extends Dallas’ lead

Dallas doing Dallas things early

The offensive juggernaut that is the Cowboys offense — at home, especially — keeps on rolling.

A replay review determined that backup running back Rico Dowdle broke the plane of the goal line for the Cowboys’ second touchdown of the game and gave Dallas a 17-3 lead. Dallas took six minutes, 20 seconds off the clock and went for 12 plays over 75 yards.

The Cowboys have scored more than 40 points at AT&T Stadium in four straight games. — Chris Bumbaca

Cowboys 10, Eagles 3: Philly gets on the board

Though not as long, Eagles kicker Jake Elliott answered Brandon Aubrey’s 60-yard field goal with an impressive one of his own.

Elliott put the Eagles on the board with a 52-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

The Philadelphia drive was kept alive by a fake punt the Eagles successfully pulled off. But the Eagles could not get another first down and Elliott cleaned it all up. — Chris Bumbaca

Eagles pull off successful fake punt

A gamble paid off for the Eagles.

The Eagles successfully converted a fake punt. On fourth-and-2 in punt formation, Eagles punter Braden Mann completed a pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. Zaccheaus caught the football and scampered 28 yards for an Eagles first down at the Dallas 39-yard line. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 10, Eagles 0: Brandon Aubrey hits 60-yard field goal

The 28-year-old rookie kicker lengthened the Cowboys’ first quarter lead with a 60-yard bomb of a field goal late in the first quarter to improve his NFL career start to a perfect 27-for-27. Harrison Butker (Chiefs), Jake Elliott (Eagles), Matt Prater (Cardinals) and Joey Slye (Commanders) have all been good from 60-plus yards this season.

Dallas led 10-0 with 50 seconds left in the first quarter. — Chris Bumbaca

Jalen Hurts loses football in Dallas territory

The Cowboys spoiled Philadelphia’s opening drive with their sixth fumble recovery of the season.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had the football stripped loose from him by Donovan Wilson at the Dallas 20-yard line and the ball was recovered by the Cowboys safety.

The fumble ended a promising eight-play, 54-yard opening drive for the Eagles.

The Cowboys have a 7-0 lead with 5:42 left in the first quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 7, Eagles 0: CeeDee Lamb scores on opening drive

The Cowboys capped an impressive opening drive of the game with a 13-yard scoring play from Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

Lamb’s touchdown gave Dallas an early lead after a 10-play, 75-yard drive. It was Lamb’s ninth touchdown of the season (eight receiving, one rushing). — Jim Reineking

‘Here we go!’: Why Cowboys’ Dak Prescott uses unique snap cadence

You don’t even have to be an attentive Dallas Cowboys fan to have heard it.

‘YEAH! HERE WE GOOOO.’

This is the start of the cadence quarterback Dak Prescott uses before he initiates offensive plays for the Cowboys. And, with the precision and clarity of sideline microphones and with the booming nature of the way Prescott yells the cadence, you also don’t need to have the volume on your TV cranked up to hear it. — Lorenzo Reyes

Playoff picture: Massive stakes for NFC powers

The Eagles (10-3) might be the NFC East leaders now, but the Cowboys (9-3) have won four straight and can claim first place in their division by beating Philadelphia on Sunday night. — Nate Davis

What time is Cowboys vs. Eagles?

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET (7:20 p.m. CT)

The Cowboys and Eagles are set to square off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday night in Week 14. The Eagles travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for the matchup.

Cowboys vs. Eagles TV channel

TV channel: NBC

Per usual, NBC will broadcast the ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark adding reports from the field.

Cowboys vs. Eagles live stream

Live stream: Fubo

For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.

Cowboys vs. Eagles predictions, picks and odds

The Cowboys are favorites to defeat the Eagles, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023, including the new ESPN BET app.

Spread: Cowboys (-3.5)Moneyline: Cowboys (-175); Eagles (+145)Over/under: 52

Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ staff picks for the game:

Lorenzo Reyes: EaglesTyler Dragon: EaglesSafid Deen: EaglesVictoria Hernandez: CowboysJordan Mendoza: Eagles

Cowboys vs. Eagles betting tips

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Sunday Night Football odds and/or Monday Night Football odds.

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Dak Prescott at home 

The Cowboys have made themselves mighty comfortable within the home confines of “Jerry World” aka AT&T Stadium. Dallas is undefeated at home in 2023 and went 8-1 during the 2022 regular season. Dating back to 2021, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is 17-4 at home and has thrown 50 touchdowns in 20 games, while averaging 269.8 passing yards per game. — Chris Bumbaca 

What is Dak Prescott’s primetime record? 

Entering Week 14, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has a career record of 70-39 as a starter. Prescott is 23-11 during his career in regular-season primetime games, including an 11-8 record on ‘Sunday Night Football.’

Here is a breakdown: 

NFL Kickoff Game: 0-1 ‘Thursday Night Football’: 6-1 Saturday night: 1-0 ‘Sunday Night Football’: 11-8 ‘Monday Night Football’: 5-1 

What are Dak Prescott’s MVP chances? 

As the 2023 NFL season enters the home stretch, conversations surrounding the league MVP are ramping up. 

The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson are dominating MVP talks, but Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons says another candidate should be in the mix — his quarterback Dak Prescott. — Cydney Henderson 

Eagles’ Tush Push is unstoppable. Will it be banned next season?

The Philadelphia Eagles’ go-to fourth-and-inches play is extremely successful, but some critics call the ‘Tush Push’ a rugby play, not a football one. — Cydney Henderson

Eagles-Cowboys inactives: Dallas Goedert returns for Philadelphia

Eagles right end Dallas Goedert (forearm), who hasn’t played since his team’s win over the Cowboys in Week 9, will return to the field on Sunday night.

Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons was listed on the team’s injury report with an undisclosed illness, but the team’s leader in sacks will play.

Eagles’ inactive players:

QB Tanner McKeeRB Rashaad PennyDT Moro OjomoOG Sua OpetaTE Albert Okwuegbunam

Cowboys’ inactive players:

QB Trey LanceCB Noah IgbinogheneCB Eric ScottRB Duece VaughnOT Asim RichardsWR Jalen Brooks

CeeDee Lamb chasing Michael Irvin

Lamb’s 98.5 receiving yards per game (entering Week 14) currently stand second behind Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin’s 100.2 yards-per-game average from the 1995 season, which is the last season in which the Cowboys won the Super Bowl.

At 1,182 yards (entering Week 14), Lamb has a great chance to post the highest single-season receiving yardage total in team history, topping Irvin’s 1,603 yards from 1995 (Lamb does get an extra game now that the NFL plays a 17-game regular season).

Here are the top five receiving yardage seasons in Cowboys history:

Michael Irvin, 1995: 1,603Michael Irvin, 1991: 1,523Michael Irvin, 1992: 1,396Dez Bryant, 2012: 1,382CeeDee Lamb, 2022: 1,359

Enter Week 14, Lamb already ranks eighth on the Cowboys’ career receiving yardage list. — Jim Reineking

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Every week for the duration of the 2023 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide real-time updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Thursday’s game or Saturday’s, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday night, Jan. 7.

Here’s where things stand with Week 14 of the 2023 season heading into Monday night’s games:

NFC playoff picture

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-3), NFC West leaders: With wins in hand against the Eagles and Cowboys, the Niners move into the top seed following Dallas’ defeat of Philadelphia on Sunday night. After completing a season sweep of Seattle, San Francisco just needs Green Bay to lose Monday night to officially sew up a playoff berth. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Ravens, at Commanders, vs. Rams

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2. Dallas Cowboys (10-3), NFC East leaders: With a 15th consecutive home win, they wrested first place from Philadelphia on Sunday night. However, ‘America’s Team’ will give it back if the Eagles win out given the tiebreakers will revert to Philly’s favor given how the schedule unfolds − and Dallas’ remaining games are no cakewalk. Remaining schedule: at Bills, at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Commanders

3. Detroit Lions (9-4), NFC North leaders: Sunday’s loss in Chicago probably won’t haunt them in terms of winning the division, but any hopes of quietly snagging the conference’s No. 1 seed are quickly slipping away after a second loss in the past three games. Remaining schedule: vs. Broncos, at Vikings, at Cowboys, vs. Vikings

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7), NFC South leaders: Sunday’s win at Atlanta vaults the Bucs to the top of the division thanks to a very slim lead over the Falcons in the common-games tiebreaker given their season split and identical 3-1 mark in NFC South games. Still hardly time to relax given both Atlanta and New Orleans are also 6-7. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Jaguars, vs. Saints, at Panthers

5. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3), wild card No. 1: Their loss at Dallas knocked them from first place in the conference to fifth. However win out, against a very manageable schedule, and the reigning NFC champs will again be kings of the NFC East. A seemingly tired bunch could benefit from an extra day off ahead of Week 15’s Monday nighter at Seattle. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants

6. Minnesota Vikings (7-6), wild card No. 2: Winning 3-0 is still a win and strengthened the Vikes’ prospects on a day when the Rams and Seahawks lost. Minnesota could still make a run at the NFC North given both dates with Detroit are ahead. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Lions, vs. Packers, at Lions

7. Green Bay Packers (6-6), wild card No. 3: They play Monday night and could also create breathing room while navigating the league’s easiest remaining schedule entering Week 14. Remaining schedule: at Giants, vs. Buccaneers, at Panthers, at Vikings, vs. Bears

8. Los Angeles Rams (6-7), out of playoff field:Heartbreaking loss in Baltimore on Sunday, but they’re still knocking on the door …. though the Week 9 loss at Green Bay without QB Matthew Stafford could ultimately hurt quite a bit. Remaining schedule: vs. Commanders, vs. Saints, at Giants, at 49ers

9. Seattle Seahawks (6-7), out of playoff field: That’s five defeats in their past six outings, Sunday’s loss at San Francisco coming with QB1 Geno Smith unable to play. Dropping both games to the Rams could be a lingering issue. And they’re only ahead of Atlanta by virtue of a very slim lead in NFC games, Seattle’s 5-5 mark a half-game better. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Titans, vs. Steelers, at Cardinals

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-7), out of playoff field: They plummeted from fourth in the conference after losing at home to the Bucs. But the NFC South remains eminently winnable. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, vs. Colts, at Bears, at Saints

11. New Orleans Saints (6-7), out of playoff field: They didn’t make up any ground despite blowing out the Panthers. But the NFC South remains eminently winnable. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, at Rams, at Buccaneers, vs. Falcons

AFC playoff picture

1. Baltimore Ravens (10-3), AFC North leaders: The first AFC club to 10 wins, they assume the conference’s top spot – for now – but will surrender it back to Miami if the Dolphins win Monday night due to the Fins’ superior record in AFC games. Baltimore’s next three contests will come against division leaders. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers

2. Miami Dolphins (9-3), AFC East leaders: Miami’s record in AFC games (6-2) currently gives them an advantage over Baltimore (6-3). And the Dolphins’ penchant for lapping sub-.500 opponents doesn’t bode well for Tennessee on Monday night. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, vs. Jets, vs. Cowboys, at Ravens, vs. Bills

3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5), AFC West leaders: A 6-2 record in AFC games and wins over Miami and Jacksonville keep K.C. viable to play a sixth consecutive AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. Sunday’s loss to Buffalo was damaging to that aim, but the final four games shouldn’t be. Remaining schedule: at Patriots, vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5), AFC South leaders: On the plus side, QB Trevor Lawrence was able to play through his ankle injury Sunday and survived the game. Even better, on a day when the Jags lost, so did their closest division pursuers, Houston and Indianapolis. But two setbacks in six days pretty much eliminates any hopes of home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Titans

5. Cleveland Browns (8-5), wild card No. 1: Things are looking up by Lake Erie. The Browns not only vanquished the Jaguars, they gladly settled on their new QB1, deserving Joe Flacco, for the rest of the season. Throw in the fact Cleveland picked up a game on Houston, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh in the wild-card race, and the Factory of Sadness could be grinding to a halt. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Texans, vs. Jets, at Bengals

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6), wild card No. 2: Despite consecutive losses to previously two-win teams and falling out of the field following Thursday night’s loss to New England, they’re back in after watching so much of their competition trip Sunday … though staying there won’t be easy considering Pittsburgh’s remaining opponents. A win over Cincinnati, a common-games tiebreaker against Indianapolis – Week 15’s opponent – and a 5-4 record in AFC games give the Steelers the desired tiebreaker combo … for now. Remaining schedule: at Colts, vs. Bengals, at Seahawks, at Ravens

7. Indianapolis Colts (7-6), wild card No. 3: Beat Pittsburgh on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, and the Colts pick up a crucial tiebreaker here … or else suffer a potentially crippling setback amid this jumbled field after Indianapolis coughed up its four-game winning streak Sunday in Cincinnati. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Falcons, vs. Raiders, vs. Texans

8. Houston Texans (7-6), out of playoff field: Damaging loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, primarily so due to rookie QB C.J. Stroud landing in concussion protocol. A 4-4 record in AFC competition keeps them this high … for whatever it’s worth at this juncture, when that wider tiebreaker takes precedence with so many compressed teams. Remaining schedule: at Titans, vs. Browns, vs. Titans, at Colts

9. Denver Broncos (7-6), out of playoff field: Sunday’s defeat of the Chargers helps. Last week’s loss at Houston and a 4-5 mark in the AFC don’t. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Chargers, at Raiders

10. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6), out of playoff field: QB Jake Browning’s impressive performances the past two weeks have restored them to the fringes of relevance … though a 3-6 record in conference matchups will likely be tough to overcome, even after knocking off Indianapolis on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Steelers, at Chiefs, vs. Browns

11. Buffalo Bills (7-6), out of playoff field: Despite all the adversity this season, on and off the field, there’s a strong heartbeat there – especially after knocking off the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium again. But Buffalo isn’t turning recent wins into playoff progress yet, losses to Cincinnati and Denver keeping them suppressed here for the time being. Big game in Week 15 with Dallas coming to Orchard Park. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Chargers, vs. Patriots, at Dolphins

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

It’s December, a time when the weather becomes a greater factor than bye weeks for fantasy managers looking to nail down a league championship. It’s also a time when NFL teams are intimately familiar with their rosters and will be looking to maximize every single play to get them into the postseason.

Now that every lineup decision could be the difference between taking the next step in the fantasy playoffs or looking ahead to next year, it’s important to recognize which players are getting stronger down the stretch and which ones are losing ground on the depth chart.

These players saw their fantasy values increase or decrease most based on their performances in Week 14:

Fantasy football winners from Week 14

RB Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals: Brown has seen his role in the offense increase in the past two games, posting a career-high 11 total touches with a 54-yard receiving touchdown on Sunday. There is nothing wrong with Joe Mixon, and as long as the starter is healthy, Brown’s fantasy ceiling is limited. But he has a ton of promise, and his role is slowly growing.

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TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: Njoku didn’t do much in the first half of the season, but he has six or more receptions in four of the past five games to move squarely into the middle of TE1 territory. He had a season-best 91 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Jacksonville, jelling nicely with veteran QB Joe Flacco.

WR Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars: Jones has forged a larger role since Christian Kirk went down with a core muscle injury. While he didn’t have much yardage vs. the Browns, Jones was targeted 14 times, so he is clearly the team’s WR2 behind Calvin Ridley.

WR Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams: Robinson has seven receptions, 101 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games. He had 10 targets on Sunday after totaling 10 targets in his first four games combined. With Tutu Atwell dealing with a concussion, Robinson could have a solid role into Week 15 and beyond.

QB Easton Stick, Los Angeles Chargers: Stick checked in after Justin Herbert fractured an index finger on his throwing hand. Coach Brandon Staley said Herbert is out indefinitely, so it appears Stick will be the starter going forward. He has Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler and other solid skill position options to help him hit the ground running.

Fantasy football losers from Week 14

RB Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens: The Gus Bus should be parked in all fantasy leagues. He managed just six carries for 15 yards in a shootout against the Rams, and his six touches were his second-fewest of the season. It appears rookie Keaton Mitchell is carving into his role.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles: If you’ve been hanging onto Gainwell, hoping he will see a larger role in the offense, it’s just not happening. D’Andre Swift is the top dog in the backfield, and Gainwell is simply seeing scraps. He went without a reception for just the second game this season, and he was limited to four touches.

WR Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos: Jeudy managed just two receptions for 16 yards in Week 14, and he has 16 or fewer yards in two of the past three outings. Courtland Sutton and Samaje Perine are the top targets in the offense, and, with his frequent drops, Jeudy is a distant third.

WR Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys: The journeyman had his two-game touchdown streak came to a screeching halt with only two catches. CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Jake Ferguson blew past him for targets in the Sunday night game. Cooks can still be useful in deeper fantasy leagues, but he’ ha’s really had just one or two good games all season.

QB Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings: Dobbs was pulled in the fourth quarter in favor of Nick Mullens in one of the worst NFL games you’ll ever see, as the Vikings stumbled to a 3-0 win. Mullens led the team to its only score, and he’ll likely take over as the starter. Dobbs’ storybook season has taken a most unfortunate turn.

Patrick Mahomes was seeing red on Sunday night. And it wasn’t the sea of fans at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was visibly angry, throwing his helmet on the ground and yelling at officials as time expired on his team’s 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Mahomes was upset because wide receiver Kadarius Toney was flagged for offsides on Kansas City’s last drive of the game with 1:25 on the clock. The penalty wiped out a play in star tight end Travis Kelce caught a pass and then flipped the ball to Toney, who ran in for a touchdown. The score and extra point would have put the Chiefs up 24-20, essentially winning the game.

‘It’s obviously tough to swallow. Not only for me, but just for football in general, to take away greatness like that, for a guy like Travis to make a play like that. Who knows if we win? But I know as fans, you want to see the guys on the field decide the game,’ Mahomes told reporters after the game.

The sequence marked the second week in a row in which the Chiefs found themselves at the center of a late-brewing officiating controversy. In the final minute of last week’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was unable to haul in a long pass when cornerback Carrington Valentine appeared to make contact over the back before the ball arrived, yet no flag was no thrown. Kelce was touched in the back by a Packers defender as Mahomes threw a Hail Mary, but no penalty was called.

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Patrick Mahomes airs out frustration with Kadarius Toney’s offsides penalty

Mahomes said he found it upsetting for referees to shape the outcomes of multiple games.

‘They’re human. They make mistakes. It’s every week, we’re talking about something,’ Mahomes said after another close game to Josh Allen and the Bills. ‘… It’s the call. Just in that moment. It’s not even for myself or for me. I know how much everybody puts into this game. For it to happen, a flag change the outcome of the game.

‘In that moment, I’ve played seven years and never had offensive offsides called. That’s elementary school. We talk about, you point to the ref, do all that different type of stuff and it doesn’t get called. If it does, they warn you. There was no warning throughout the entire game. And then you wait until there’s a minute left in the game to make a call like that? It’s tough, man. Loss for words, it’s just tough. Because regardless if we win or lose, just for it to end with another game, we’re talking about the refs. It’s not what we want for the NFL and for football.’

Chiefs coach Andy Reid also expressed frustration with the penalty, echoing his quarterback’s comments that the referees typically issue a warning before calling offsides.

Referee counters Chiefs’ claims about Kadarius Toney’s offsides penalty

Referee Carl Cheffers pushed back against Reid’s conclusion of a warning being obligatory in this scenario, which he agreed was an ‘egregious’ case of offsides.

‘Yes, ultimately, if they looked for alignment advice, certainly we are going to give it to them,’ Cheffers told pool reporter Matt Derrick. ‘But ultimately, they are responsible for wherever they line up. And, certainly, no warning is required, especially if they are lined up so far offsides where they’re actually blocking our view of the ball. So, we would give them some sort of a warning if it was anywhere close, but this particular one is beyond a warning.’

The Chiefs are now positioned as the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture. They are one game ahead of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West after Russell Wilson beat another division foe, the Los Angeles Chargers, 24-7. While he has made three Super Bowl appearances, Mahomes has never played a postseason game on the road.

Another star player is broadcasting his issues with NFL officiating to a mass audience.

In a 33-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles that vaulted his team into the NFC East lead, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons recorded a sack to push his season tally to 12½. But it was a play in which Parsons was unable to reach the quarterback that created a stir on social media.

With his team trailing 17-6 on a first-and-10 from the Cowboys’ 41-yard line, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts ran right before sliding for a 1-yard loss. Parsons attempted to slip tight end Dallas Goedert to make a tackle in the backfield, but Goedert appeared to get a hold of Parsons’ jersey and hook the two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Parsons pleaded with an official after the play, but no flag was thrown.

After Jon Machota of The Athletic posted the clip on X, formerly Twitter, Parsons wrote, ‘I told you it’s comical !’

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His comment appears to be a reference to his remarks Wednesday, in which he was asked about Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s recent claim that star pass rusher T.J. Watt was the victim of many missed holding calls. Parsons suggested there was a league-wide disinterest in calling penalties for the infraction.

“It’s comical, you know,” Parsons said. “… It’s something that we should not even call out anymore. We all see what’s going on. We don’t got to say it. The fans, the media, the reporters, they all see it. It is just something they are not making an emphasis on.

‘And you know, they’re getting away and they want teams to score lots of points. At the end of the day, that’s what they want. They want fans to get excited. That’s what fans like – you like touchdowns. Y’all don’t really like sacks and things like that.”

The Eagles were called for 10 penalties on the night, while the Cowboys were cited for seven.

“It’s unbelievable that they can call all those penalties and not call those holdings,’ Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of the no-calls involving Parsons, according to Machota.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett also bemoaned what he believed were several missed calls in his team’s 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

‘It was honestly awful,’ Garrett said of the officiating. ‘And the fact that they’re letting them get away with hands to the face, holding, false-starting. I know they called a couple, but damn, they could have called it all game.’

Earlier on Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid each voiced their displeasure with an offsides penalty against wide receiver Kadarius Toney that nullified what would have been a go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter of a 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The 32 things we learned from Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season:

1. The NFC was thrown into delightful upheaval Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys spanking the reigning conference champion Philadelphia Eagles 33-13. The victory moved America’s team into first place in the NFC East and dropped Philly to the fifth seed. However, if the Eagles win out, they’ll still claim the division throne – and become the NFC East’s first repeat winner in nearly two decades.

2. However the Eagles are no longer assured of securing home-field advantage and a first-round bye for the second consecutive season, the San Francisco 49ers – they’ve beaten both Dallas and Philadelphia already – now in control of the No. 1 seed following Philly’s loss.

3. The Cowboys have won a league-best 15 in a row at home and have beaten the Eagles six consecutive times in North Texas. A playoff game (or two) at AT&T Stadium would seemingly give Dallas and its blitzkrieg offense quite an advantage.

3a. Dallas’ record streak of four games scoring 40+ points in ‘Jerry World’ came to an end Sunday, but the Cowboys did finally notch a win against a team with a winning record.

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4. If you consider Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and the 49ers’ Brock Purdy the MVP front-runners, Sunday didn’t hurt either of them. Prescott passed for 271 yards and two TDs, giving him 22 over the past seven games.

4a. Purdy passed for two TDs and a career-best 368 yards in Sunday’s 28-16 defeat of the Seattle Seahawks. He became the fourth player to connect on at least 70% of his passes in seven consecutive games and can match Niners legend Joe Montana’s record if he does it again in Week 15.

5. And let’s not forget the NFC South, which has a trio of 6-7 teams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by virtue of the common-games tiebreaker, technically hold first place – and could win a third consecutive division crown – after beating the Falcons in Atlanta on Sunday, courtesy of QB Baker Mayfield’s TD pass with 31 seconds to go.

6. It certainly helped that Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo, who entered Sunday as the most accurate kicker in NFL history (90.1% on field goals), missed two of three against Tampa Bay.

7. As for the AFC, what a glorious … mess? The Buffalo Bills have won two of three since dismissing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, improving to 7-6 after beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. But, amazingly, the Bills are in 11th place in the conference despite being one game behind reigning Super Bowl champion K.C. … which is in third place overall.

8. But talk about tight. Good luck finding anyone who remembers seeing Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes as upset as he was following the loss to Buffalo, the reigning MVP steamed at the offsides call officials made against WR Kadarius Toney – he scored what appeared to be the go-ahead TD on the play following a lateral from TE Travis Kelce … but was clearly in the neutral zone at the snap.

9. Aside from three neutral-site Super Bowl starts, Mahomes is facing the prospect of having to play his first playoff road game this postseason – and maybe even especially soon if Kansas City fumbles its division lead to fast-closing Denver.

10. Bills QB Josh Allen passed for one TD in the win and ran for another. It was the ninth time he’s done that in a game this year, tying Kyler Murray’s single-season record.

11. Buffalo HC Sean McDermott, who had an eventful week (to say the least), is now 7-0 following a bye week.

12. A half-dozen AFC teams – Bills, Steelers, Browns, Colts, Texans and Broncos – are currently 7-6, making the tiebreaker application … something else. For now, it favors Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, who currently hold the conference’s final two wild-card spots – though those teams will play Saturday afternoon.

13. You’ve doubtless heard that old trope about the backup quarterback being the second-most important player on any team’s roster. Well, it’s as true as ever this season. Entering Monday night’s doubleheader, 11 of the 26 teams in action in Week 14 ended their game with a passer who was not their starter in Week 1. Five of them were part of a winning effort.

14. Two more will be in action Monday, rookie Will Levis expected to start for the Tennessee Titans, and fellow frosh Tommy DeVito set to go as the New York Giants host the Green Bay Packers.

15. One of those backups was the Cincinnati Bengals’ Jake Browning (275 yards and 2 TDs passing plus a rushing TD), who had his second scintillating start in six days as his team ended the Indianapolis Colts’ AFC-best four-game winning streak.

16. The man whom Browning replaced, injured Bengals QB1 Joe Burrow, provided his suite at Paycor Stadium so Browning’s family could watch him play.

17. Across the state, another quarterback – a Super Bowl MVP once upon a time – has also returned to prominence, Joe Flacco now anointed as the Cleveland Browns’ starter the rest of the way after another sterling performance (311 yards, 3 TDs passing) in Sunday’s defeat of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

18. The win was the 100th in the regular season over the course of Flacco’s 16-year NFL career.

19. The loss was the Jags’ first on the road this season.

20. The Baltimore Ravens beat the Los Angeles Rams 37-31 courtesy of Tylan Wallace’s 76-yard punt return for a TD in overtime. The 2023 season became the first in league history with multiple games decided in OT by a punt return TD, the New York Jets beating Buffalo in Week 1 the same way.

20a. With the win, the Ravens also took over first place in the overall AFC standings – though the Miami Dolphins will reclaim it by beating the Titans on Monday night.

21. The last time WR Odell Beckham Jr. and the Rams were on the same field was Super Bowl 56, when he tore is ACL after an impactful first half for LA. OBJ had a 46-yard TD catch Sunday against his former team but expressed nothing but love for the Rams and HC Sean McVay before the game, crediting them for rekindling his love of football. Prior to kickoff, Beckham wore a “Frenemies” sweatshirt depicting his ex-mates.

22. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson is now 19-1 against NFC teams.

23. And how about a nod to a Ravens player you may not be familiar with. DT Justin Madubuike has at least a half-sack in 10 straight games, an impressive club record given this franchise’s defensive pedigree.

24. Jets QB Zach Wilson, reinserted into the starting lineup Sunday, appeared rather enthused by his restored role. He threw for 301 yards and a pair of TDs – the first time he’d exceeded 300 yards in a win during his three-year career – while outplaying counterpart C.J. Stroud in the NYJ’s 30-6 upset of Houston.

25. Stroud’s 91 passing yards were the lowest output of his rookie season. He was unable to finish the game after a fourth-quarter sack landed him in the concussion protocol.

25a. The Jets have not allowed a 300-yard passer in their past 31 games.

26. Somebody had to cash in amid the Minnesota Vikings’ visit to Las Vegas to face the Raiders. Turned out it was the Vikes, who benched QB Joshua Dobbs but got a 36-yard field goal from Greg Joseph to win 3-0. It was the lowest-scoring game in 16 years.

27. No NFL game has ended in a scoreless tie since 1943, and none has ever gone to overtime without any points scored.

28. No NFL game had had a scoreless first half since 2019. Sunday, both Jets-Texans and Vikings-Raiders ended that streak – while marking the first time since Oct. 30, 1988, that two games were scoreless at intermission on the same day.

29. Good day for the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost QB1 Justin Herbert to a fractured finger and went 0-for-12 on third down in a 24-7 loss to the Broncos … though at least that allowed analytically devoted HC Brandon Staley to go for it six time on fourth down (the Bolts converted once).

30. The New England Patriots got back into the win column Thursday night, upsetting the playoff hopeful Pittsburgh Steelers … though maybe ultimately at the expense of the Pats’ 2024 draft position.

30a. Sunday, by virtue of Cincinnati’s win, the Patriots became the first AFC team eliminated from playoff contention – their earliest departure since HC Bill Belichick’s first season with them in 2000.

31. You also wonder if – in his heart of Annapolis hearts – Belichick would have traded that victory in order to see Navy beat Army on Saturday, the first time that historic college football rivalry was staged in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Unfortunately for BB, his beloved Midshipmen lost to the West Pointers for the sixth time in the past eight meetings.

31a. But maybe Belichick – wherever he’s coaching in 2024 – saw enough to draft Army LB Kalib Fortner following his very clutch performance for the Black Knight on Saturday.

32. RIP to former Titans TE Frank Wycheck, a three-time Pro Bowler most famous for sparking the “Music City Miracle” against the Bills during the 1999 playoffs. Wycheck died after a fall at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

Justin Jefferson’s much-anticipated return to the field was cut short on Sunday.

The Minnesota Vikings All-Pro wide receiver missed time while dealing with a hamstring injury, and made his return in Week 14 vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. His return didn’t last long, however, as he was ruled out with a chest injury in the second quarter of his team’s 3-0 win.

In the immediate, the injury was concerning: Jefferson was sent to the hospital for ‘precautionary reasons,’ according to the team. There is a chance for Jefferson to make his return in Week 15, however.

Jefferson’s ailment is latest injury in a string of brutal injuries for Minnesota. Aside from Jefferson’s hamstring injury that forced him to miss seven games, the team also dealt multiple blows on offense, with quarterback Kirk Cousins and RB Cam Akers both landing on IR with Achilles injuries.

Minnesota faithful may not have to wait to see Jefferson return to the fold, however. Here’s the latest on Jefferson:

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Justin Jefferson injury update

On Dec. 11, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell set Jefferson’s status as ‘day-to-day’ and the wideout has a chance to play in Week 15 vs. the Bengals.

The Vikings wide receiver exited Sunday’s game with a chest injury, after he took a hard hit from Raiders safety Marcus Epps. Jefferson was evaluated on the sideline before being transported to a local hospital. O’Connell said that testing eliminated any serious injury to Jefferson.

Following the game, O’Connell said Jefferson was released from the hospital and would travel home with the team.

Jefferson made an attempt on a pass from quarterback Joshua Dobbs, but was unprotected and took a nasty hit from Epps in the process.

He would exit the game and head for the medical tent and later the locker room. The Vikings would initially list Jefferson as questionable before ruling him out later.

The CBS broadcast was first to mention that Jefferson was hospital bound.

Jefferson missed seven games this season while dealing with a hamstring injury. Despite his most recent injury, Jefferson still made history on Sunday, as he surpassed Randy Moss for the most receiving yards in the first four seasons with the franchise (5,408 to Moss’ 5,396).

This story will be updated.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Big game. Big stage. Big moment.

If Dak Prescott is going to legitimately propel his case for being considered the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, he needed an outing like Sunday night.

The much-maligned Dallas Cowboys quarterback added a few more layers to the MVP argument with a near-flawless performance that fueled a 33-13 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles.

By his own admission, Prescott didn’t exactly have a monster game before more than 93,000 fans at a raucous AT&T Stadium. But in passing for 271 yards with two touchdowns, his hand was steady enough to help the Cowboys (10-3) win a fifth consecutive game to move into in the NFC East lead via a tiebreaker.

For the seventh consecutive game, Prescott tossed multiple touchdown passes – the longest active streak in the NFL, which ties Tony Romo’s franchise record. The streak not only underscores a consistency over recent weeks that has catapulted Prescott into the MVP conversation. It also reflects a comfort zone in the growth in an offense that has taken on a new direction with coach Mike McCarthy now calling the plays.

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And hey, MVP talk or not, Prescott for at least one night changed the narrative in the type of high-stakes matchup that so often has offered critics ammunition to suggest that he can’t win the big one.

“They ought to shut that door on questioning his ability to play in a playoff-type game,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declared to the pack of reporters gathered outside the locker room.

Of course, the playoffs are still a bit down the road. Prescott will have to prove it again in January, and in the weeks closing out the final quarter of the regular season. Yet the Cowboys can certainly afford to visualize what may be different this time around, which extends beyond the quarterback.

Balance was the ticket during the latest primetime showcase. Dallas’ defense collected three more turnovers, increasing its NFL-high tally of forced fumbles to 34. The rookie kicker, Brandon Aubrey, added more footnotes to his record-setting debut season. Aubrey connected on all four of his field goal attempts, extending his NFL record to 30 consecutive successful field goal attempts to start a career. And with 59- and 60-yard treys, he became the first kicker in NFL history to connect on two kicks of at least 59 yards in the same game.

Still, nothing may represent Dallas’ hopes like its marquee player, Prescott. It’s no surprise that Jones, the loquacious team owner, didn’t hold back in campaigning for his quarterback.

“It really should be noted big-time in any consideration he has for Most Valuable Player,” Jones said, impressed by the subtle details that enabled better execution.

As the season has progressed, Prescott’s rhythm with his receivers has improved, and it appears he has even better recognition in finding soft spots in the defense. Jones mentioned the timing of the blocking. And the Cowboys are hitting on more shots down the field. On Sunday night, they scored on all three trips inside the red zone, with Prescott capping two of the drives with his arm – including a 13-yard toss to CeeDee Lamb as he extended the play and rolled to left before flipping a pass to the receiver running in the flat.

Prescott completed 24 of 39 passes and for the third time in four games didn’t crack the 300-yard mark. His 99.4 rating was solid, even if it wasn’t spectacular. His efficiency was perhaps better measured with his ability to help the Cowboys to sustain long drives. Five of Dallas’ seven scoring drives consumed at least 10 plays, illustrating a ball-control element that has marked Prescott’s offense this season.

All told, Prescott looked comfortable. But he was hardly content.

Prescott surely wasn’t campaigning for MVP votes afterward.

“Yeah, it was good enough to win,” Prescott said. “But I’m holding myself to super-high standards. Yeah, if I play my best game, we’re putting up 50 (points) out there.”

Prescott’s biggest mistake of the night came on a third-quarter play that he thought was poised to strike for a touchdown…if maybe he had another fraction of a second. Instead, Prescott was stripped by Fletcher Cox as he tried roll away from the pressure. Jalen Carter recovered the fumble and returned it for a 42-yard touchdown.

Prescott knows: MVP talk or not, if the Cowboys are going to legitimately threaten to compete for a championship, it will take complementary football.

Which begins with the face of the franchise.

Former NHL player and coach Tony Granato is taking a temporary leave of absence from his job as a TV analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks and NHL Network after being diagnosed with cancer.

Granato, who played 13 seasons with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks before coaching the Colorado Avalance for three seasons, revealed Sunday that he will begin treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma this week.

‘My family, faith, and friends will be my strength to help me through my treatments. I appreciate all the love and support I have received already,’ he wrote in revealing his diagnosis.

Granato, 59, is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and most recently coached at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. He also coached Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

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Granato had 248 goals and 244 assists during his NHL career, winning the Bill Masterson Trophy in 1998 − an award given to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

After retiring, he coached the Avalanche for two seasons from 2002-2004, and then returned for the 2008-09 season, compiling an overall record of 104-78-17 (.560).

A native of suburban Chicago, Granato is the brother of Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato and his sister Cammi was the first woman ever inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.