I don’t avoid stepping on cracks, I’ve broken mirrors on purpose, and I’ve walked under more than a few ladders.
And part of that superstition extends to the things I don’t want to say—even though I think them—as if once those words are out in the open, they might somehow jinx whatever is yet to happen.
I kept quiet because it was too early, and I knew I’d get ridiculed for that thought, and because, well, having low expectations and being overly pessimistic is my defense mechanism when it comes to the Cowboys.
Although Dak says he could have played Sunday night, the Cowboys are now four games up in the loss column in the NFC East, which presumably played a role in the decision to rest him another week.
After DeMarcus Lawrence, the team’s best defensive player for the past four years, broke his foot, the pass rush was effective because Randy Gregory began to play up to his potential, and Micah Parsons has become a star rookie.
Sure enough, trailing 10-3 in the first half against the Vikings, with Rush throwing a bad interception, it seemed like they would.
And once or twice during the season, they’ll beat a team that oddsmakers thought they’d lose to, like the Vikings.
Once the Cowboys announced Dak wasn’t playing Sunday night, they went from a favorite to “big underdogs.” Replacing your MVP candidate quarterback with a player making his first NFL start will do that.
But they won.
They won because although the defense immediately gave up seven points on the first drive, they readjusted to hold the Vikings to just nine more the remainder of the game.
It was Zeke who, in perhaps the most important play of the game, when it looked like the Cowboys were settling for a game-tying field goal, caught a pass, broke three tackles, and carried another defender 4 yards to get a first down.
And they win because those players who have filled in this year each stepped up in their own way, from Gregory notching a sack to Wilson’s touchdown and pass out of the backfield to Steele holding down his right tackle spot well enough to keep Collins out of the starting lineup for at least one week to, of course, Rush.
And until they lose consecutive games, I’ll be sitting in the same chair, and Marshmallow will be wearing her Cowboys shirt when they play.