As Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott chased down Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat after lobbing the football right into the defender's hands, every fan in the stadium and watching on TV felt the same thing:

A round one, liver-shot knockout punch as the scoreboard at AT&T Stadium changed to 10-0, Eagles.

Except it wasn't really a knockout punch. Not for a Cowboys squad that embraces adversity.

"I misjudged his length," Prescott told reporters following the Cowboys' 11th win of the season. "I was thinking 'is this happening again?' […] Let me get back on the field to get this thing back rolling. No ifs, ands, or buts about that."

That he did. The Cowboys quarterback led his offense to two consecutive touchdown drives followed by one ending in a field goal. Prescott himself completed 27-of-35 passes for 347 total yards (9.9 yards per attempt), three touchdowns, and a 124.3 passer rating.

Twice, the Cowboys faced 10-point deficits in the game. But according to head coach Mike McCarthy, the team never wavered.

"There really wasn't any blink," the Cowboys head coach told reporters postgame. "We lost the penalty battle up there earlier in the year, so it was important for us to play with very high discipline and focus. I thought our guys did that. You would’ve never known what the score was based on the behavior of the sideline.”

"This is a bunch of guys that are focused as hell, taking it one play at a time," Prescott said noting that any play can be the difference maker in the game. Just ask T.Y. Hilton about his 52-yard grab on third and 30. 

But while it's understandable for us to be talking and analyzing the one big play or potential in-game adjustments that made the two comebacks possible, the reality is the ability to be resilient starts well before the Cowboys even take the field on game day.

McCarthy uses his quarterback as the perfect example of that.

"Adversity is something that (Dak) eats for lunch," said the head coach when asked about the Cowboys quarterback's mental toughness. "This guy, Dak’s the same person every day, in the fire, at practice. I just think it speaks volumes about his approach."

But give the Cowboys coaching staff some credit, too. The organization has made a conscious effort to train the team for high-leverage moments like Saturday's by involving mental conditioning consultant Chad Bohling, for example.

Prescott once more mentioned the under-the-radar personality in his press conference.

"We have Chad, a great coach, who talks about staying neutral- the good, the bad, or whatever it is. Just thinking about and controlling the next. That’s all you can really do."

That's some stoic wisdom right there from the Cowboys. For many, that can sound like some cheesy coachspeak but it shows up in moments like this weekend. And sometimes, it can matter even more than a game plan adjustment.

It's a people business after all, as McCarthy calls it.

Featured image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports