USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys needed to pull out all the stops as they scraped past the Houston Texans 27-23 on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

And what was the game-winning in-the-huddle advice given by the team leader?

"I told them we're going to win this game," Prescott said.

Down three points after a Prescott interception late in the fourth quarter, coordinator Dan Quinn's unit stopped the Texans at the goal line on fourth down to give Prescott the ball back.

Despite being well below their best, Prescott never lost faith in his high-scoring offense. What ensued was an 11-play, 98-yard game-winning drive from Prescott (18th of his career) as he produced his best moment of the season. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for the go-ahead touchdown with a mere 40 seconds remaining.

"I told them we're going to win this game," Prescott said. "Honestly, I said it after the interception. Just having faith and trusting the defense knowing that those guys were going to go out there and make a play, and then once they did that. It's something that I always remind the guys don't blink and none of those guys did. 

"You could tell in their eyes that they believed it."

With the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the New York Giants, a win for Dallas was imperative to any slender hope of catching their rivals for the division title.

Down late in the fourth quarter was not in the script, as Dallas was the overwhelming favorite heading into the game.

While the Texans were arguably the better team through three and a half quarters, when it mattered most, Prescott stood tall.

"Obviously it's the NFL, it's a tough game," Prescott said. "We didn't play our best by any means. We had an opportunity right there, two minutes left, and went and got it done, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about is capturing wins.''

The win ensures Dallas remains hot on the trails of the Eagles as the Christmas Eve showdown looms large. 

After a sloppy three and a half quarters, when the Cowboys needed to stand up and be counted, Prescott earned every bit of his $40 million APY as he led his team to its 10th win and an escape from jail at AT&T Stadium. ... all driven by a "Don't Blink'' confidence in his huddle.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Cowboys?

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Tiger Woods blames one big factor for missing the cut at PGA Championship
Giants All-Star pitcher suffers setback in recovery from injury
Watch: Juan Soto's first multi-homer game as a Yankee
'Ain't good enough': Draymond Green claims Celtics must 'win it all' or it's a 'failure'
Raptors expected to flip former NBA champion during the offseason
MLB insider reveals Mets' massive extension offer that Pete Alonso turned down
Celtics legend provides update after gruesome finger injury
Bulls hire former NBA head coach as top assistant
Chiefs move on from young running back
20-year MLB veteran working out, unsure about playing future
USA Hockey names HC for 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026 Olympics
Key Knicks forward ruled out for Game 7 vs. Pacers
Pacers' Pascal Siakam leads team to Game 6 win vs. Knicks
Watch: Matt Duchene's 2OT winner sends Stars to conference final
Scottie Scheffler shoots improbable 66 after warming up for PGA Championship in a jail cell
Report: Tua Tagovailoa away from Dolphins amid contract chatter
Nuggets star has worrying comment about latest injury
Paul Skenes makes incredible Wrigley Field history in second-career MLB start
Giants rookie CF to undergo season-ending labrum surgery
Yankees' Juan Soto reacts to Hal Steinbrenner contract talk