It might be time to start taking the Dallas Cowboys seriously as Super Bowl contenders. Because they’ve never looked better in the Dak Prescott era, and their quarterback has never played better. The knock that’s trailed the Cowboys throughout this season — their lack of a signature victory over a legit contender — was silenced quite convincingly Sunday night. Dallas whupped the Philadelphia Eagles 33-13 in a game the Cowboys were in control of from the start. That means there’s a three-team tie atop the NFC, with the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles all 10-3. San Francisco owns tiebreakers over both due to head-to-head victories this season, and the Cowboys’ 4-1 division record gives them a slight edge over the Eagles, who are 3-1 in the NFC East. But with four games to play, plenty can change. Dallas has won 15 straight at home and owns a 171-point differential over opponents at AT&T Stadium this season. The biggest reason? Prescott. He furthered his MVP candidacy Sunday with a 271-yard, two-touchdown, no-pick performance, and the defense forced Philly into three turnovers, never allowing Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense to get in sync. Prescott’s last seven games: 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions. And a 6-1 record. In Kansas City earlier Sunday, a Kadarius Toney penalty — he lined up offsides before a pivotal fourth-quarter snap — cost the Chiefs the play of the year, allowing the Bills to escape with a much-needed 20-17 win that keeps their playoff hopes alive. Patrick Mahomes was irate after the loss, screaming and slamming his helmet on the sideline, then venting in his postgame news conference. Suddenly, improbably, the defending Super Bowl champs have dropped three of four, and Mahomes faces the likely prospect of playing the first road playoff game of his career come January. On a rain-soaked afternoon in Baltimore, Lamar Jackson thrilled the home crowd with a 13-play touchdown drive late, then Tylan Wallace — returning the first punt of his regular-season career — added the exclamation point in overtime, taking back a Rams’ punt for a 76-yard, walk-off score. With the 37-31 victory, the Ravens are the AFC’s first team to 10 wins, though the Dolphins (9-3) can match them Monday night, when they host the Titans. With Kansas City and Jacksonville losing Sunday, it’s looking like the top seed — and the coveted first-round bye — will come down to Baltimore or Miami. In Cleveland, Joe Flacco proved he’s here to stay — at least for the rest of the season, leading the Browns to an upset of the Jaguars. In Los Angeles, the Chargers’ fourth loss in five games was further dampened by the news that franchise quarterback Justin Herbert fractured his right index finger. His season could be done; the Chargers’ playoff hopes already are. In Las Vegas, the Vikings managed just a measly field goal — and that was still enough to beat the Raiders, who lost their third straight. It was th.
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