With the win over their NFC East rival, Dallas extended its home winning streak to 13 games. In fact, the Cowboys have yet to trail in a game played in the comfortable confines of AT&T Stadium this season.
Dak Prescott was once again spectacular, completing 68.8 percent of his passes for 331 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions for an impressive 142.1 passer rating. Ten different players made catches in the game, with Brandin Cooks leading the group with 72 receiving yards.
On the ground, Tony Pollard had 79 yards and the Cowboys finished with exactly 100 yards rushing. A total of five different players scored touchdowns, with both he and Rico Doodle reaching the end zone.
Meanwhile, Dallas' defense got stops when it needed to, but only scored 10 points, as Washington penetrated Cowboys territory eight times during the game. Three times Dallas was able to prevent the commanders from moving the chains on fourth down. In total, the unit recorded four sacks.
And this time, there was nothing wrong with hosting a brand appreciation party. Of course, it's Daron Brand. The star cornerback made a little history by not only leading the team with 10 tackles, but also setting an NFL record with his fifth pick-six of the season.
The Cowboys found their offensive rhythm on their second possession of the game as Dallas' defense continued to keep Washington in check. The drive got off to a flying start at their own 5-yard line when Prescott threw a perfect pass down the seam to tight end Jake Ferguson for a big 35-yard pickup.
The quarterback then hit Jalen Tolbert for 18 yards as well, and Pollard also had a 14-yard run as the teams headed toward the end zone. Doodle completed a short screen pass and ran 15 yards for a touchdown for an early 7-0 lead.
Washington got through the middle on both of its first two series, but in the end both visiting teams opted to punt rather than try. However, they managed to pick up a field goal on their third trip to Cowboys territory. Washington had gains of 30, 12 and 14 yards before reaching the 19-yard line. But there Dallas tightened even more, forcing the managers to settle for 43 yards on the field to get on the board.
However, the Cowboys wasted no time fighting back, traveling 75 yards in just six plays to pay the dirt. Prescott completed all four pass attempts for 63 yards and scrambled for another 10 yards. Cooks drove the final throw to the left pylon for a 31-yard touchdown.
But in an ominous trend, Washington again penetrated Dallas' territory on its next possession, stealing the ball with 8:27 left in the first half and methodically advancing field work on 13 plays with 6:36 left in the half. digested. This time, the manager crossed the goal line and Howell snuck in from right tackle to pull his team within four points.
But there was still nearly two minutes left on the clock, plenty of time for Prescott. He completed 3 of 4 passes for 63 yards, one of which bounced the ball off his intended target, Tolbert, and into the arms of teammate Jalen Brooks for a 24-yard gain.
Pollard then got a touchdown, hitting up the middle from seven yards left to score. Brandon Aubrey would miss his third extra point of the season, but the Cowboys still held a 20-10 advantage going into the break.
After Dallas punted on its first possession of the first half, the managers quickly hit back and, yes, crossed the 50-yard line again. It was a third-and-1 at the Cowboys' own 39-yard line, but then Stephon Gilmore broke up a deep pass attempt and the visitors decided to go for it on fourth down. Thankfully, Brian Robinson escaped a 2-yard loss, ending the threat.
The Cowboys are finally back on the offensive track. Starting at their own 17-yard line, Dallas quickly moved to the Washington 41 when Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for a 14-yard score on the final snap of the quarter.
Four plays in the final 15 minutes gave the Cowboys three more points. Pollard added just 6 yards before the drive stalled, but Aubrey split the uprights from 52 yards, further increasing the Commanders' lead.
The Cowboys then needed just three plays to find the end zone again when Jonathan Hankins sacked Howell on a fourth-and-1 at Washington's own 34-yard line for a 10-yard loss. Following a 1-yard run by Pollard and an 8-yard pass to Cooks, Prescott lofted a pass to Lamb in the end zone for a touchdown. The two later connected again for a two-point conversion, with Lamb initially ruled out of bounds on the catch, but a video review overturned the decision.
This may have decided the outcome, but it's not the end for the Cowboys. After another failed fourth-down attempt by the Commanders, Prescott brought on Kavonte Turpin and threw a 34-yard dart to the speedy wideout in the end zone.
But they may have saved the best for last. That's because Brand stepped in front of Howell's pass intended for Jahan Dotson for an interception before racing 63 yards for a touchdown. This set an NFL record and made him the fifth pick of the season.
The Cowboys, who are on a three-game winning streak, will face tougher competition in their next matchup as they host the Seattle Seahawks in a primetime night game on Thursday.
