NFL
NFL Week 17
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The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders are squaring off in an NFC East rivalry matchup for the first of three Christmas Day NFL games.
The Cowboys lead 24-17 in the third quarter. Follow for play-by-play updates and analysis on today's game.
Q3 5:45 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 17
The Commanders get a sack on third down, but Frankie Luvu is called for a late hit on Dallas QB Dak Prescott, and the Cowboys get a free first down.
Q3 7:24 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 17
Dak Prescott with back-to-back connections with CeeDee Lamb to get the Cowboys’ next drive going, and they have crossed midfield into the Commanders’ territory. This feels like a huge drive for the Washington defense.
Q3 9:34 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 17
Jacory Croskey-Merritt goes the distance on the Commanders’ first play, and they are right back in this game. A 72-yard touchdown run for the rookie.
Q3 9:53 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 10
The Commanders get a bit of help from a pass interference call on third down against George Pickens, and then Pickens drops the pass on the second third-down attempt.
Dallas punts for the first time. Washington will take over from its 29-yard line after a Commanders penalty on the punt return.
Q3 12:55 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 10
Dallas’ defense forces a punt after one first down on Washington’s initial drive of the second half. The Cowboys will start their first drive from their 6-yard line.
Deebo Samuel had two catches for 68 yards in the first half for Washington, and he added two rushes for 25 yards. So he has four touches for 93 yards, an average of 23.3 yards per touch.
Q3 15:00 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 10
Washington gets the ball first and needs some momentum.
Josh Johnson has been fine at quarterback in the first half for Washington, completing 7-of-10 passes for 116 yards. But he needs a little help from the defense and the running game.
Washington has just 38 yards rushing, and its defense didn’t have a stop in the first two quarters.
That’s the type of first-half you should expect from the Cowboys’ offense, one of the NFL’s best, against that Commanders’ defense, one of the league’s worst. And without Jayden Daniels on the field, Washington doesn’t have much of an answer. The Cowboys scored three touchdowns on their first three possessions. They already have 289 total yards and have converted on all four fourth-down attempts. As bad as Dallas’ defense has been this season, even they have some answers against a Josh Johnson-led offense. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked on the Netflix broadcast about being aggressive offensively in the first half. “We trust our guys,” he said. “We trust Dak (Prescott). We got playmakers everywhere. That's the way we’re gonna play the rest of the year."
Legendary former Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith on the Netflix broadcast talking about the current Cowboys: "For the first time in a long time, for me, I feel like we're heading in the right direction."
Dak Prescott threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, finding six receivers in the first two quarters.
CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Tolbert led the receivers with three catches each.
Dallas was 4-of-9 on third down in the first half, and it converted four of the five failed third-down tries on fourth down. The Cowboys were 4-for-4 on fourth down in the first half.
Washington doesn’t have a conversion, going 0-for-2 in the first two quarters.
Dallas’ offense was nearly perfect in the first half, and a lot of that has to do with its balance. The Cowboys have 162 yards passing and 127 yards rushing (Washington has just 38 yards rushing).
Washington ran 24 plays in the first half. Dallas had 17 first downs. That shows how much the Cowboys have dominated the first two quarters.
KaVontae Turpin's career-long 86-yard touchdown reception is the Cowboys' longest play of the season and longest since CeeDee Lamb's 92-yard touchdown against the Lions in 2023.
Total Yards
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
First Downs
Turnovers
Possession Time
Q2 0:00 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 10
The game heads to halftime. Dallas scored on all four of its first-half drives.
Javonte Williams was having a big game — 13 carries, 54 yards and a TD — but his day might be complete.
Q2 0:19 – Cowboys 24, Commanders 10
Preston Smith with a big sack of Dak Prescott, and Dallas has to settle for a field goal. Brandon Aubrey knocks it in from 42 yards.
Q2 0:35 – Cowboys 21, Commanders 10
Dak Prescott has been on point since a slow start to this game, and he is just picking apart this Washington defense. The Cowboys are nearing the red zone again.
