3 Takeaways from Cowboys' Week 15 Win

At 5-9, the Dallas Cowboys are a long shot to make the postseason this year. However, after winning a second consecutive game on Sunday—while the rest of the NFC East lost—Dallas remains in the hunt for a division title.

Dallas' defense was again lackluster in the 41-33 win over the San Francisco 49ers, but it did make some key plays. Playing without starting running back Ezekiel Elliott—or starting quarterback Dak Prescott, who has been out most of the season with a broken ankle—Dallas' offense racked up the most points it has all season.

With games against the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants left on the slate, it's not silly to believe that Dallas can still win the division. The Cowboys will need help, as the Washington Football Team has a one-game division lead and has two wins over Dallas, but there's still hope.

Given how poorly the Cowboys have performed in 2020, having hope this late in the season is huge. Here are the three biggest takeaways from Dallas' Week 15 win.

The Defense Does Have Playmakers

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It's no secret that Dallas' defense—ranked 31st in points allowed—hasn't been good in 2020. It once again gave away too many easy yards, allowing San Francisco to amass 458 on the afternoon. However, the defense isn't completely devoid of playmakers either. DeMarcus Lawrence had a sack, while Donovan Wilson and Anthony Brown each nabbed interceptions.

San Francisco's first two drives ended with a three-and-out and a fumble. Another fumble on a punt return helped Dallas jump out to an early 14-0 lead.

While there will be plenty of work to do defensively in the offseason, there are some building blocks on this Cowboys defense. Players like rookie Trevon Diggs, Lawrence, Leighton Vander Esch and Aldon Smith—if he's re-signed—can form the core of a solid unit.

Dallas showed that it can make impact plays defensively on Sunday, even if there's still plenty to be desired.

Andy Dalton Can Still Get It Done

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While Dallas' defense did make some big plays against San Francisco, it isn't going to carry the Cowboys any time soon. If Dallas is going to win out and have any shot at a division title, the offense is going to have to go to work. Fortunately, veteran quarterback Andy Dalton proved once again that he is up to the challenge.

Dalton definitely represents a step down from the more dynamic Prescott, but he's been a longtime starter in the NFL for a reason. He has the tools to deliver wins, and he can be good when playing efficient ball—as he did on Sunday.

Against the 49ers, Dalton finished 19-of-33 for 209 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He delivered 12 of Dallas' 15 first downs through the air.

This marked his second straight game without a turnover and, unsurprisingly, the second straight game that Dallas has won.

Dalton isn't the sort of quarterback opposing defenses will have to game-plan for, but he's still capable of managing this offense. The Cowboys will need him to continue delivering over the final two weeks.

Tony Pollard Is the Right Running Back for Right Now

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Dallas has endured multiple injuries on its offensive line this season, which has led to some uncharacteristic struggles from Elliott. He hasn't been able to create much space on his own, and the Cowboys have been unable to lean on the running game as they have in the past.

However, with Elliott sidelined, Tony Pollard got the start and showed that he has the ability to find running lanes behind this line and create big plays in the passing game.

Pollard finished with 69 rushing yards, two touchdowns, a 5.8 yards-per-carry average and 63 receiving yards.

The Cowboys were able to utilize Pollard on the perimeter, which gave the offense a much-needed boost. While Elliott has traditionally done the dirty work on inside runs, Pollard gives Dallas a more explosive option in space. That's the type of runner they need at this point in the season, and it'll be interesting to see how the two backs are utilized over the final two weeks.

Elliott insists that his calf injury won't end his season.

"I'm not shutting it down," Elliott said, per ESPN's Todd Archer. "We'll see how it goes, and I'll see if I can get out there next week."