LANDOVER, MD — The Dallas Cowboys’ first win since the beginning of October was over the Washington Commanders, 34-26.
Only a combined six points in the first half, then a combined 41 points in the fourth quarter made for quite the viewing experience.
The first quarter started with Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey’s 35-yard field goal attempt getting blocked on Dallas’ first drive.
The Commanders ended their first drive with their kicker, Austin Seibert, making his first FG back after being out the last two games with a hip injury. That kick came after running back Brian Robinson Jr.’s leg rolled under defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa while he was being brought down on the first play of the drive. Robinson was able to walk off the field on his own power, and would return to the game soon after.
It’s not common for Aubrey to miss FGs, let alone two-in-a-row. He missed wide on his FG attempt on the next drive.
When Robinson returned to the field, his first play got a first down for the Commanders on a seven-yard rush. Seibert then went on to miss his next FG attempt.
The next drive was a short lived one for Dallas: RB Rico Dowdle was stripped by Washignton’s linebacker Bobby Wagner on the opening play; and nothing really followed on the next two drives.
Bryan Anger’s punt went awry soon into the second quarter. Commanders would get the ball, and Cowboys defensive end Chauncey Golston, who’s return to the game at one point was questionable due to dehydration, intercepted his first career pass on the next drive. The last Cowboys defensive lineman with an interception was also against Washington: DeMarcus Lawrence’s 40-yard pick-six in 2021.
In the last drive before the half, quarterback Cooper Rush found wide receiver Jalen Brooks deep on a 45-yard catch, which set up Aubrey for a 46-yard game-tying field goal heading into the half.
The day’s first touchdown came from QB Jayden Daniels on a 17-yard rush in the third quarter, but the extra point was no good; it was Seibert’s first missed point after touchdown of the season.
Then, WR Jalen Tolbert scored his own touchdown, Dallas’ first in the third quarter this year, and Aubrey’s PAT gave the Cowboys a 10-9 lead.
And then came the fourth quarter, where we would see a combined 41 points scored.
Aubrey made another FG, and then the Cowboys went up 20-9 with just over five minutes left in the fourth when tight end Luke Schoonmaker found himself wide open to add another touchdown to the scoreline—Aubrey’s PAT was good.
Parsons sacked Daniels in the next drive, before Daniels found TE Zach Ertz in the end zone and scored himself on the two-point conversion afterwards, to make it a three-point game with just over three minutes to go.
WR KaVontae Turpin bobbled the kick that followed, hit a spin move and took it all the way to the house to put Dallas back up by 10 on a kick-return touchdown. It was the first kickoff return TD for the Cowboys in 50 games, dating all the way back to Week 12 in 2021 against the Raiders.
Seibert scored a FG from more than 50-yards out afterwards.
Then, Daniels found WR Terry McLaurin for an 86-yard TD, but Seibert would miss the tying field goal; Cowboys still with a 27-26 lead.
Dallas’ safety Juanyeh Thomas caught a one-hopper and quickly took it to the house on the next drive and Aubrey’s PAT was good.
But the Commanders could not get anything else going with what time remained on the clock.
Cowboys win 34-26, the first game in the Super Bowl era with two missed PATs, two kickoff returns for TDs and one blocked punt.
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