IRVING, Texas -- There were 124 plays in the Cowboys' 34-31 come-from-behind win over the St. Louis Rams. They weren't all created equal. It's never that way. While the touchdowns and interceptions get most of the attention, who wins or loses is often determined by plays that get lost in shadow of those that command the most attention.
Here are five plays that shaped the Cowboys' win:
Play: Jason Witten reception
Situation: Third-and-3 from Dallas 27
Score: St. Louis leads, 21-0
Time: 4:42 left in second quarter
Taylor's Take: Every comeback needs that first play that gets the comeback going. Jason Witten provided it. Lined up in the slot, Witten ran a quick out and caught an 8-yard pass from Tony Romo no different than he's probably done a thousand times if we're counting practices. Six plays and four first downs later, the Cowboys scored their first touchdown.
Play: Henry Melton fumble recovery
Situation: Third-and-1 from Dallas 44
Score: St. Louis leads, 21-7
Time: :42 left in second quarter
Taylor's Take: The Rams were going for the kill as they should have, and a first down would've allowed St. Louis to end the first half with no worse than a field goal attempt. Instead, center Scott Wells snapped the ball as though quarterback Austin Davis was under center instead of the shotgun. Melton's recovery led to a field goal in the final seconds on the first half, giving the Cowboys hope -- the most important element of any comeback.
Play: Jared Cook drop
Situation: Third-and-3 from Dallas 10
Score: St. Louis leads, 21-20
Time: 13:37 left in fourth quarter
Taylor's Take: You don't rally from a 21-point deficit without help from the opponent. Cook provided it in the fourth quarter. After going in motion, he ran a nice corner route against J.J. Wilcox and was wide open. Quarterback Austin Davis led him perfectly, but the ball bounced off Cook's hands. He tried to corral it with his left, but it ricocheted off his facemask and onto the ground. The Rams kicked a field goal, but that didn't do enough to stem the Cowboys' momentum.
Play: Tony Romo run
Situation: Third-and-13 from Dallas 13
Score: St. Louis leads, 24-21
Time: 11:47 left in fourth quarter
Taylor's Take: For a guy who's had two back surgeries in the last year, Romo isn't that interested in running. But with the Cowboys in an empty backfield against a three-man rush, Romo couldn't find an open receiver. Finally, he took off. Romo eluded linebacker Alec Ogletree after about 10 yards and picked up the first down. It was his longest run since a 17-yard run in 2011 against New England.
Play: Anthony Hitchens tackle
Situation: Fourth-and-1 from Dallas 15
Score: St. Louis leads, 21-17
Time: 7:11 left in third quarter
Taylor's Take: The Cowboys had scored 17 points in less than five minutes of game action and the Rams needed points in the worst way. Coach Jeff Fisher wanted a touchdown -- not a field goal -- so he went for it on fourth down. The Rams ran a slow-developing play that involved a pulling guard. Fourth-round pick Anthony Hitchens sprinted behind the guard and hit Zac Stacy in the backfield, dropping him for a 1-yard loss.