3 Takeaways from Cowboys' Week 4 Win

The Dallas Cowboys continued to distance themselves from last season's 6-10 campaign Sunday. With a healthy Dak Prescott under center, the Cowboys are contenders in the NFC, and they proved that once again in Week 4.

Against the previously undefeated Carolina Panthers, Dallas rolled. Carolina's defense had surrendered just 30 points combined over the first three games. Prescott and Co. dropped 36 on the unit Sunday afternoon. The Panthers were a quality opponent, but Dallas is emerging as the class of the NFC East.

Here are three things we learned during the Cowboys' impressive 36-28 victory in Week 4.

Dak Prescott Is Your 2021 Comeback Player of the Year Front-Runner

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After he suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in 2020, it was fair to ask when or whether Prescott could return to Pro Bowl form. The answer? As soon as he took the playing field again.

Prescott is picking up where he left off before the injury—he led the league in passing when his season was cut short. He isn't leading the league this year (he's 12th) because Dallas' run game has been effective, but the Mississippi State product has been superb.

Though he only threw for 188 yards Sunday, Prescott rushed for 35 and tossed four touchdown passes. He's now thrown 10 touchdowns and just two picks while possessing a career-high passer rating of 116.9.

Prescott isn't going to run away with the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award as Alex Smith did a year ago. There are some viable competitors, including Saquon Barkley, Nick Bosa, Joe Burrow and Christian McCaffrey. However, Prescott is playing at an All-Pro level for a high-profile organization at the game's most important position.

Barring a meltdown or another injury, this is looking like Prescott's award to lose.

Ezekiel Elliott Can Still Be Elite

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In Week 2, we noted that this is no longer Ezekiel Elliott's offense. Prescott is the field general, and there are times when complementary back Tony Pollard is going to be the better runner. However, Elliott showed Sunday that he is still capable of taking over games as an offensive centerpiece.

Elliott racked up 143 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against Carolina. Pollard chipped in 67 yards on 10 carries, and Prescott rounded out the rushing attack, but it was Elliott who pounded the Panthers defense into submission.

"We certainly loaded the box," Panthers coach Matt Rhule said, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. "We hung the corners out a lot today. A lot of it was yards after contact."

Elliott's best days are probably behind him, and he may not rumble with the consistency that he once did. Come playoff time, however, the former Ohio State star should be capable of delivering a big performance when it's needed.

And if opponents gear up to slow down Elliott? Players like Prescott, Pollard, CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper are going to burn them.

Dan Quinn Is Making His Mark on the Defense

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Last year, the Dallas defense wasn't just bad—it was really bad. The Cowboys finished the season ranked 23rd in total defense and 28th in points allowed. This led to the firing of defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and the hiring of Dan Quinn.

We're a month into the season, and Quinn already has the Dallas defense playing like a different unit.

Far from a perfect group—Dallas ranks 26th in yards allowed—the defense is succeeding thanks to aggressive play and takeaways. The Cowboys picked off Sam Darnold twice Sunday and have forced at least two turnovers in every game.

Dallas has eight interceptions on the season, 10 total takeaways and ranks a respectable 17th in points allowed. Again, this is not a shutdown defense, but it's good enough to win consistently when the offense is rolling. Players like Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs are becoming stars, and the defense is playing like a different unit to the 2020 version.

This isn't the Legion of Boom defense that Quinn oversaw in 2013 and 2014 with the Seattle Seahawks, but it's good enough to make Dallas a legitimate contender.