NFL

Completely mothballed behind every-down back Zach Charbonnet in Ken Walker’s (oblique) continued absence, Dallas’ only handle came after Charbonnet departed in the waning moments with a knee injury. Dallas would be the Seahawks’ lead back for Week 14 against the 49ers if neither Walker nor Charbonnet can go.

With garbage time never materializing in a surprisingly competitive contest, Dowdle was limited to pure breather handles as he got out-touched 23-6 by Tony Pollard. This, after Dowdle took the ball only four times in Dallas’ Thanksgiving blowout of the Commanders. Dowdle’s apparent mid-season momentum has stalled without him establishing standalone FLEX value. He is a pure contingency option behind the inefficient Pollard.

The 43 yards were Fant’s most since Week 3, while he should have scored his first touchdown of 2023. Instead, the refs ruled the Cowboys called timeout before the Seahawks snapped the ball. 25 of Fant’s yards came on a beautiful diving grab in Cowboys territory. It was a nice reminder of what Fant is capable of, but he is too buried in the Seahawks’ targets mix to offer true TE2 value headed into Week 14 vs. San Francisco.

Cooks’ second score in as many weeks was his fifth of the season and fifth in seven games. With the Cowboys going pass heavy for the better part of two months now, Cooks has shaken his slow start to become a WR3, if a volatile one. He will have an excellent Week 14 setup against an Eagles defense continuing to bleed aerial production in the second half of the season.

Coming off a super quiet Weeks 11-12, Ferguson had one of his best overall outings of the season. The catches and yards were both his second most, while his fifth score of the year was his fourth in six weeks. One of Ferguson’s missed connections was an unconverted end zone look. For the score that did go in the books, he seemed to bewitch Seahawks S Jamal Adams. Now a bona fide TE1 in this elite offense, Ferguson will be party to a high-end Week 14 scoring environment vs. Philadelphia.

It was yet another disappointing outing in an increasingly disappointing season for the veteran wideout. One of Lockett’s missed connections was a brutal drop, while he was the intended target on Geno Smith’s only interception. Lockett did contribute a 40-yard DPI to set the Seahawks up at the Cowboys’ nine-yard line, but he has now exceeded 60 yards just three times in 12 appearances. Life isn’t going to get any easier in next Sunday’s 49ers rematch.

Tacking on yards after the catch in a surprisingly high-octane shootout, JSN set a new season high for catches while coming within one yard of his previous high-water mark. The first-round rookie appeared to have a 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter, but it was ruled no catch before the refs awarded DPI and gave Seattle the ball at the one-yard line. Zach Charbonnet punched it in the next play. Smith-Njigba continues to have what feels like rotten luck behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but he is finally popping up for splash plays alongside his veteran teammates. WR3 juice will nevertheless be hard to come by for next week’s 49ers rematch.

Eating Riq Woolen’s lunch, Lamb shook off his mini “slump” by matching his season high in catches and setting a new high-water mark for targets. He also tacked on some fourth quarter yards via a Woolen DPI. Never mind his 4th-and-2 drop in the final frame. Playing elite, league-leading type football for the better part of two months now, Lamb has an explosive Week 14 setup for what should be a high-totaled affair with Philadelphia’s leaky secondary.

It was yet another inefficient night for a running back who keeps failing the eye test — Pollard does not look the same going side to side this season — but he still continued his positive touchdown regression by finding the end zone for the third time in as many weeks. Even as he struggles to churn up yards, it never made sense that Pollard was having so much trouble scoring in this elite offense. He is also still largely holding off Rico Dowdle’s touch threat. Despite the low YPCs and awful advanced metrics, Pollard will remain an RB1 for Week 14 vs. the Eagles’ tough ground defense.

Facing both one of his toughest team and individual assignments in the Cowboys and DROY-contending CB DaRon Bland, Metcalf somehow had by far his best game of the year, posting a new season high for yards while doubling his touchdown total. The scoring started with his 73-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter after he got a step on Bland and was off to the races at truly eye-popping speed. He then beat Bland off the line at the goal line for a one-yard score in the closing seconds of the second quarter. Bland was also the closest defender when play-action freed Metcalf in the end zone for a three-yard TD in the fourth. Awesome stuff. Also likely a one-off as the Seahawks prepare for a rematch of their Thanksgiving loss to the 49ers in Week 14.