FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys needed a break.
Playing their third game in 12 days last Thursday, they were emotionally spent after the 27-17 win against the New Orleans Saints. They were a team without its head coach because of COVID-19. Five other coaches, including offensive line coach Joe Philbin and assistant offensive line coach Jeff Blasko, and two players (Terence Steele and Nahshon Wright) also missed the game. They had lost the first two games of the stretch and faced questions as to their legitimacy in the NFC after a hot 6-1 start.