3 Takeaways from Cowboys' Week 8 Win

No Dak Prescott, no problem. At least, that's how things played out for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. While the Cowboys don't want to be without the two-time Pro Bowler for long, they managed to survive against a good Minnesota Vikings team without him.

Dallas decided to sit Prescott, who is dealing with a calf injury, to ensure that he can be at 100 percent the next time he takes the field.

"It's more than just one game. We're obviously in our seventh game, so there is a ton of football left to play," head coach Mike McCarthy said, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.

Riding with backup quarterback Cooper Rush, Dallas got enough offense to offset an inconsistent defensive performance and multiple penalties in a game that felt more like a shootout than the final score might indicate.

The Cowboys and Vikings combined for 697 yards of offense but only 36 points.

Dallas has now won six in a row and is unquestionably one of the favorites to come out of the NFC. Here's what we learned during Sunday night's critical win against Minnesota.

Dallas Is Playing the Long Game in 2021

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

The Cowboys made a huge statement before the game even started. Prescott appeared to be healthy during pregame warmups, and if this were a key divisional game or a postseason contest, there's little doubt that he would have played.

However, by resting their star quarterback, the Cowboys showed they have their sights set on a deep postseason run.

Being 6-1 feels a lot better than being 5-2, but Dallas was willing to take a loss if it meant protecting Prescott from a setback. Dallas also didn't play wide receiver Michael Gallup (calf), who was designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the week.

The Cowboys have gotten plenty out of their receiving corps without Gallup—they rank third in passing yards this season—and they got enough on Sunday without Prescott to win.

Dallas is playing the long game when it comes to player health, and that's the right approach for a team with championship aspirations. Having a healthy roster in January will be far more important than picking up a late-October win—though, of course, Dallas did that anyway.

Cooper Rush Is a Great Insurance Policy

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

Dallas isn't sitting at 6-1 today without a standout performance from Rush. He wasn't perfect on the evening—he had one interception and one lost fumble—but with the game on the line, the fourth-year signal-caller delivered.

Rush led an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with fewer than three minutes remaining in the game after Minnesota kicked a go-ahead field goal. He completed three passes to wideout Amari Cooper on the drive, including a beautiful touchdown strike in the back of the end zone.

In all, Rush went 24-of-40 for 325 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and a 92.2 passer rating. It was the first start of his NFL career, and he did it against a Vikings defense ranked 12th in scoring defense.

While there isn't a quarterback controversy brewing in Dallas, Rush showed he can beat a quality opponent on a big stage if that's what the Cowboys require. That's huge, and the Cowboys will be better for it.

Dallas is better with Prescott on the field, but it now knows that it can still be dangerous without him.

The Defense Doesn't Have to Be a Turnover Machine to Win

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

No one is going to mistake the Dallas defense for an elite unit. The Cowboys rank 28th in passing yards allowed, 19th in total defense and 16th in points allowed. However, the defense has thrived off turnovers throughout the early goings of 2021.

Coming into Sunday night's game, the Cowboys defense had logged 14 takeaways and at least two in every contest. Turnovers were not to be found against Minnesota, however—and Trevon Diggs' interception streak ended at six games.

Yet, the Cowboys were able to overcome the lack of turnovers and multiple personal foul calls—Dallas was flagged 11 times for 96 yards in total—and did enough to come away with the win.

The Vikings found the end zone on their opening drive but were kept out of it the rest of the way.

This is another big development for Dallas. It was fair to wonder if the defense could hold when it wasn't forcing turnovers. On Sunday, we saw a bend-but-don't-break defense that was effective for most of the game. Dalvin Cook was held to just 78 scrimmage yards, and the Vikings were 1-of-13 on third down.

Takeaways are a good thing, but the Dallas defense isn't going to live or die by them.