ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Having scored at least 40 points in all three home games this season, the Dallas Cowboys win this one 44-22 over NFC East rival, the Washington Commanders, and secure second place in the division.
A touchdown for Dallas on the first drive, thanks to running back Javontae Williams 2-yard drive and kicker Brandon Aubrey’s PAT, put the Cowboys on the board first.
The Commanders went for it on fourth down on their first drive, but a false start pushed them back before punting it back to the Cowboys.
Williams was dropped back into the end zone on Dallas’ second drive for a safety—a two-point play for the Commanders. Shortly after, wide receiver Chris Moore put Washington in scoring position, and two plays after his 44-yard catch, quarterback Jayden Daniels found tight end Zach Ertz all alone at the top of the end zone for another score. But corner back DaRon Bland stopped Daniels’ rush for the 2-point try, to keep Washington’s scoring drive to just 6 points.
Aubrey’s 47-yard field goal made it 10-8 in favor of Dallas, before forcing Washington to go three-and-out on its next drive.
QB Dak Prescott found WR CeeDee Lamb for a 74-yard touchdown to extend the lead 17-8 with just under five minutes to go in the quarter.
After a few drives with no score to show for either team to begin the second quarter, Aubrey hit a 61-yard field goal—his fifth career 60 yard or more field goal, the most 60 yard field goals of a single kicker, ever—making it 20-8, Dallas.
Daniels brought the Commanders within a score after his 1-yard TD run before the end of the half, and kicker Matt Gay’s PAT good: 20-15 Cowboys still led with 40 seconds to go before heading back into the locker room.
The scoring didn’t end there before the half came to a close: TE Jake Ferguson caught a quick catch from Prescott, after a 44-yard rocket to WR George Pickens and a 33-yard rush from Williams put the Cowboys in scoring position. With 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Dallas increased its lead to 27-15; Ferguson’s touchdown reception in four consecutive games joins Jason Witten as the only two TEs with a TD catch in as many games in franchise history.
To open the third quarter, linebacker Shemar James forced a fumble and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney recovered it—in the same play, Daniels had to be helped off the field, grabbing at the back of his right leg, and was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a hamstring injury. Daniels finished the game 12 of 22 for 156 and one TD.
On the Cowboys drive afterwards, Ferguson’s second TD of the day extended Dallas’ lead to 34-15. Ferguson’s career-high six TD receptions are the most receiving TDs by a Cowboys TE in the first seven games of a season, and made him the first TE in NFL history with at least 50 receptions and six receiving TDs in the first seven games of the season, too.
The next Commanders drive didn’t feature the likes of Daniels, but instead, Marcus Mariota at QB. His second pass was picked off by CB DaRon Bland—who was staring into the infamous AT&T Stadium sun glare—and taken to the house for another Cowboys TD, doubling as head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s favorite moment of the game.
Gay and Aubrey traded field goals to make the final score 44-22.
Prescott went 21 of 30 for 264 yards and 3 TDs. Since 1970, Prescott is when it comes to a win percentage against his own division, only behind Patrick Mahomes. He also has the longest active streak in the league, and is tied for the longest streak in Cowboys’ franchise history, having thrown for at least three touchdowns in four consecutive games—his last time doing such a thing was back in 2021.
As for Cowboys WRs 1A and 1B, Lamb’s 5 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown, and Pickens’ 4 receptions for 82 yards paired nicely with Ferguson’s record-setting day and Williams’ 19 carries for 116 yards.
Lamb said this is the best offense he’s been part of as a Dallas Cowboy, and Prescott said, “I don’t think I’ve ever had any more fun with an offense than this one;” that this team’s chemistry, comradery, emotions and passions have earned the confidence they deserve to have.
The Cowboys are at Denver to play the Broncos, next Sunday.
