By dominating on home turf, Dallas Cowboys provide clarity regarding their identity

ARLINGTON — It’s hard to remember the last time a sporting event of this magnitude took place on these streets.

Oh, wait. You count the World Series?

Well, then this late October regular season game against a losing team from Los Angeles doesn’t quite live up to the stakes of Rangers-Diamondbacks at this particular moment. But don’t dismiss the significance of what Dallas did on this unusually chilly and rainy Sunday afternoon.

A 43-20 win over the Rams at AT&T Stadium was the ideal warm-up for next week’s showdown in Philadelphia. The offense got untracked, the defense continued its season-long feeding frenzy and the special teams contributed several big plays.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and the players have fielded questions about the identity of this team in what has been an erratic 5-2 start. Some clarity has been provided.

Sunday marked the Cowboys’ fourth victory by 20 or more points in the first seven games of the season. The 23-point margin was only their third biggest win of the young season.

Apologies to Micah Parsons and his lion analogies, but these Cowboys are at their aggressive best when they get off to a quick start and smell blood in the water. One phase of the game builds on the other.

“The identity is complementary football,’’ McCarthy said. “Our complementary football was excellent.

“As a coach, you love these kind of weeks not only because you won a game, but you took a step.’’

Fast start? Dallas held a 26-3 lead with 12:45 left in the second quarter. The Cowboys are 13-1 the last two seasons when they carry a lead into the locker room at the half.

A Cowboys team that once had a negligible home-field advantage at AT&T Stadium has evolved into something more. Dallas now boasts of a league-high home winning streak of 11 consecutive games.

This franchise last won 11 consecutive home games during the 1991-92 seasons at Texas Stadium.

“Win at home is one of the oldest formulas in pro football,’’ McCarthy said. “If you take care of your home turf, you’re probably going to be where you want to be at the end of the year.’’

The Cowboys have outscored opponents 111-33 in three games here this season for an average margin of victory of 26 points.

“We’re trying to work for something,’’ quarterback Dak Prescott said. “The last thing we want to do is let somebody come in our house and take that from us.’’

You want an idea of the Cowboys’ dominance? Here you go.

Prescott with three touchdown passes.

CeeDee Lamb with two of those scores and 122 yards receiving.

KaVontae Turpin with a 63-yard punt return.

Brandon Aubrey with a 58-yard field goal.

DaRon Bland with his third pick six of the young season.

“I don’t even know what to say,’’ the corner who replaced Trevon Diggs said. “I keep finding the ball.’’

Parsons with a sack.

Sam Williams powers through the middle to block a punt for a safety.

And then?

Well, the second half started.

“All three phases,’’ Prescott said.

Prescott completed 80.6 percent of his passes for 304 yards. His last 300-yard-plus passing game came against Philadelphia on Christmas Eve. His four touchdown passes was the most he’s had since he had five in the final game of the 2021 regular season against Philadelphia.

Who do the Cowboys play next week? The Eagles?

“Yeah, for sure,’’ Prescott said. “Excited for it.’’

Lamb finished with 12 receptions for 158 yards receiving. Both are career highs.

Parsons now has 32.5 sacks, the ninth most through the first 40 games of his career in NFL history.

Aubrey’s 18 consecutive field goals to start a career without a miss ties the best start in league history.

The Cowboys are on the road next week for their NFC East smackdown against Philadelphia. After that, it’s back home for four of the next five games.

“If you can control home field, you’re guaranteeing yourself a spot in the playoffs,’’ defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said. “We just want to make sure that anybody that comes in here already knows our mission.

“We’re going to protect our house.’’

Catch David Moore and co-host Robert Wilonsky on Intentional Grounding on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) every Wednesday night at 7 o’clock through the Super Bowl.

Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN

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