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DAL |
WAS |
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys win the NFC East by beating the Commanders 38-10
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) After Dak Prescott connected with CeeDee Lamb on a touchdown pass late in the first half Sunday to help the Dallas Cowboys clinch the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed in the conference, the QB swung his right fist and then ran to the end zone to meet his star wideout for a handshake and a hug.
All the while, thousands of Dallas fans filling the Washington Commanders’ stadium chanted, “Let’s go, Cowboys!”
The mood, the performance and the atmosphere were decidedly improved for Prescott, his club and their supporters compared to a year ago. Unlike in Week 18 last time, when they finished the regular season with a loss at Washington, Prescott, Lamb and the Cowboys did what they set out to do Sunday against the rival Commanders by charging into the postseason with a 38-10 victory.
“Look at last year - the way we came into this place and didn't finish the season the way we wanted to - to where we are now," said Prescott, who threw two of his four TDs passes to Lamb and finished 31 for 36 for 279 yards. "The growth. The coaching staff. The players. The accountability. The communication. The transparency. And both sides of the ball holding their own.”
Dallas went 12-5 for the third consecutive year and will host the Green Bay Packers - a team current Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy once led to a Super Bowl championship - on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. EST.
That’s a big deal for a club that went 8-0 in Dallas this season and has won 16 games in a row there.
“The drama of it - I'm sure you guys will love that,” McCarthy told reporters about facing Green Bay.
Last-place Washington (4-13 overall, 0-6 in the NFC East) and expected-to-be-gone Ron Rivera are at the other end of the spectrum after tying a franchise mark for most losses in a season.
Rivera figures he'll meet with owner Josh Harris on Monday.
“We’ll have a conversation and go from there,” Rivera said.
The Commanders’ losing streak reached eight games. That includes going 0-6 since Rivera fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and made himself the play-caller on that side of the ball.
The good news for the Commanders? Sunday’s result assured them of owning the No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft, when they might seek a replacement for quarterback Sam Howell, who was intercepted twice Sunday and led the NFL with 21 picks this season. He also was sacked four times to raise his league-worst total to 65.
Last season, Prescott led the NFL with 15 interceptions, and had 23 touchdown tosses. This season? He topped the league with 36 TD throws to only nine picks.
“He's playing better than I’ve ever seen him play,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
And Prescott's connection with Lamb is truly elite. Lamb's 13 catches Sunday - on 13 targets - lifted him to an NFL-high 135 receptions.
“I don't think there's another quarterback and receiver that has put in much time as me and CeeDee have, going back into the offseason,” Prescott said. “Understanding what I expect of him. Him understanding where I'm going to put the ball. Him understanding the belief that I have in him. I've told you I think he's the best receiver in the game.”
In the season ender last year, also in Landover, the Cowboys came in needing a win for a shot at the division title but lost 26-6 to Washington and Howell, who made his NFL debut that day. Prescott went just 14 of 37 for 128 yards with a pick-6.
Dallas was not at its best early this time.
In the second quarter, Commanders defensive lineman Jalen Harris deflected a pass by Prescott, allowing rookie defensive back Quan Martin to grab the interception, which the Commanders turned into a field goal for a 10-7 lead.
“When we had the turnover, you just saw all kinds of ghosts, Darth Vader, all that kind of stuff. Grim Reaper. Whatever you want to call it,” Jones said. “The main thing is how proud I am of these guys for enduring.”
Indeed, Prescott and the Cowboys soon were back on track, scoring 31 unanswered points.
“Just staying locked in,” Lamb said.
As he spoke, Lamb wore a silver baseball hat with a blue patch featuring a Cowboys star and proclaiming them NFC East champions.
Prescott's postgame headwear was, instead, a black wool cap - the better, he joked, to brace against the evening's 40-degree chill.
“Focus is ahead. Simple as that,” Prescott said. “I want something better.”
INJURIES
Cowboys: CB Stephon Gilmore left in the second quarter with a hurt shoulder and did not return. ... RG Zack Martin was a late scratch because of illness; Brock Hoffman started in his place.
UP NEXT
Cowboys: Host Green Bay next week.
Commanders: Likely a complete overhaul of the coaching staff and roster.
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Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
Time of Pos | 33:55 | 26:05 |
1st Downs | 31 | 12 |
Rushing | 6 | 3 |
Passing | 23 | 9 |
Penalty | 2 | 0 |
3rd Down Conv | 6-10 | 2-10 |
4th Down Conv | 1-1 | 3-4 |
Total Net Yards | 440 | 180 |
Total Plays | 69 | 49 |
Avg Gain | 6.4 | 3.7 |
Net Yards Rushing | 131 | 50 |
Rush Attempts | 29 | 17 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.5 | 2.9 |
Net Yards Passing | 309 | 130 |
Comp. - Att. | 34-40 | 20-28 |
Yards Per Pass | 7.7 | 4.1 |
Penalties - Yards | 2-20 | 4-39 |
Touchdowns | 5 | 1 |
Rushing TDs | 1 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 4 | 1 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 1-1 |
Int. Thrown | 1 | 2 |
Punts - Avg | 0-0.0 | 2-25.0 |
Return Yards | 33 | 84 |
Punts - Returns | 1-4 | 0-0 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 1-29 | 3-77 |
Int. - Returns | 2-0 | 1-7 |
Red Zone Eff. | 5-7 -71% | 1-2 -50% |
Goal to Go Eff. | 5-5 -100% | 1-1 -100% |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
D. Prescott
4 QB
33 FPTS
|
D. Prescott | 31/36 | 279 | 4 | 1 | 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Rush
10 QB
1 FPTS
|
C. Rush | 3/4 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
T. Pollard
20 RB
16 FPTS
|
T. Pollard | 17 | 70 | 1 | 12 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Dowdle
23 RB
12 FPTS
|
R. Dowdle | 9 | 46 | 0 | 20 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Lamb
88 WR
34 FPTS
|
C. Lamb | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Turpin
9 WR
0 FPTS
|
K. Turpin | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Cooks
3 WR
15 FPTS
|
B. Cooks | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
C. Lamb
88 WR
34 FPTS
|
C. Lamb | 13 | 13 | 98 | 2 | 15 | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ferguson
87 TE
12 FPTS
|
J. Ferguson | 6 | 6 | 69 | 0 | 16 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Dowdle
23 RB
12 FPTS
|
R. Dowdle | 4 | 3 | 54 | 0 | 32 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Cooks
3 WR
15 FPTS
|
B. Cooks | 8 | 6 | 39 | 1 | 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
P. Hendershot
89 TE
3 FPTS
|
P. Hendershot | 1 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Pollard
20 RB
16 FPTS
|
T. Pollard | 2 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Tolbert
18 WR
8 FPTS
|
J. Tolbert | 3 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Brooks
83 WR
1 FPTS
|
J. Brooks | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Gallup
13 WR
0 FPTS
|
M. Gallup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | FF |
S. Gilmore
21 CB
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S. Gilmore | 6-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Parsons
11 LB
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M. Parsons | 4-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Wilson
6 SAF
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D. Wilson | 3-2 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Clark
33 LB
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D. Clark | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Johnson
45 LB
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B. Johnson | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Lewis
2 CB
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J. Lewis | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Armstrong
92 DE
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D. Armstrong | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Kearse
1 SS
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J. Kearse | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Bland
26 CB
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D. Bland | 2-1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Williams
54 DE
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S. Williams | 2-1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Lawrence
90 DE
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D. Lawrence | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Bell
14 DB
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M. Bell | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Biadasz
63 C
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T. Biadasz | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Golston
99 DE
|
C. Golston | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Fowler
56 DE
|
D. Fowler | 1-1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Wright
25 CB
|
N. Wright | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
P. Hendershot
89 TE
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P. Hendershot | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Hankins
95 DT
|
J. Hankins | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Thomas
30 DB
|
J. Thomas | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
B. Aubrey
17 K
8 FPTS
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B. Aubrey | 1/3 | 50 | 5/5 | 8 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
K. Turpin
9 WR
0 FPTS
|
K. Turpin | 1 | 29.0 | 29 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
K. Turpin 9 WR
0 FPTS
|
K. Turpin | 1 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
B. Robinson Jr.
8 RB
10 FPTS
|
B. Robinson Jr. | 9 | 25 | 0 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Samuel
4 WR
4 FPTS
|
C. Samuel | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Gibson
24 RB
5 FPTS
|
A. Gibson | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Gore
38 RB
0 FPTS
|
D. Gore | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Howell
14 QB
9 FPTS
|
S. Howell | 4 | -1 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
T. McLaurin
17 WR
11 FPTS
|
T. McLaurin | 8 | 6 | 56 | 0 | 19 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Gibson
24 RB
5 FPTS
|
A. Gibson | 4 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 13 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Dotson
1 WR
3 FPTS
|
J. Dotson | 3 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Samuel
4 WR
4 FPTS
|
C. Samuel | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Robinson Jr.
8 RB
10 FPTS
|
B. Robinson Jr. | 3 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Armah
40 RB
2 FPTS
|
A. Armah | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Thomas
82 TE
1 FPTS
|