LANDOVER, Md. – The Dallas Cowboys secured a 27-20 victory over the Washington Football Team and improve to 9-4. Despite another abysmal offensive output, the defense guided the team to a road win, denying Washington’s comeback bid. The Cowboys now have a three-game lead in the NFC East division race.
The Cowboys took a 24-0 lead due to an impressive first-half performance by the defense. They held Washington to 0-6 on third down and 29 total offensive yards in the first half. Dan Quinn’s formidable unit finished with four takeawys and five sacks to snap Washington’s four-game winning streak.
In the first quarter, Randy Gregory picked off Taylor Heinicke that led to eight points for Dallas. On the ensuing drive for the defense, Micah Parsons flashed his rare closing speed. He sacked Heinicke and forced the ball out. Dorance Armstrong recovered and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys took an early 18-0 lead over their divisional nemesis.
Parsons finished the game with two sacks and Gregory later forced a fumble on backup quarterback Kyle Allen to materialize head coach Mike McCarthy’s publicized statement.
Leading into the Week 14 matchup, McCarthy stated, “We’re going to win this game. I’m confident in that.” The defense took that emboldening comment to heart and powered the team to a Week 14 victory. Gregory and Neville Gallimore wreaked havoc at the line of scrimmage and Parsons made his case for Defensive Player of the Year.
Dallas led 27-8 at the end of the third quarter and then the nightmare began. Washington found their groove. Kyle Allen replaced Heinicke after he sustained a knee injury and sparked a 73-yard scoring drive, culminating in a one-yard touchdown rush by Jonathan Williams. Two plays later, Dak Prescott’s pass intended for Dalton Schultz was intercepted by Cole Holcomb and returned 31 yards for a Washington score. WFT’s comeback came to a close when Allen fumbled the football with 2:24 remaining on the clock. Gregory sacked Allen and knocked the ball out. Jayron Kearse recovered the football, and the defense saved the day for Dallas at FedEx Field.
Dak Prescott completed 22 of 39 attempts for 211 yards, a touchdown to Amari Cooper and two interceptions (58.8 QBR). Ezekiel Elliott ran 12 times for 45 yards and Cooper finished with 51 yards on five receptions, and a touchdown. The defense closed out Washington, but every game cannot solely rely on the dominant crew. The stat sheet cannot fully convey the miscommunication errors and off-decision making by the man under center. The offense mustered one touchdown in facing a defense ravaged by injuries, settling for four field goals as the embattled unit went 1-5 in the red zone. The Cowboys escape and fly home victorious, but it is back to the drawing board for Kellen Moore’s squad.
