Game Recap – Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders – Week 18

Cowboys Rout Commanders 38-10

January 8, 2024

[EDITOR’S NOTE:

According to ESPN’s John Keim and others, Washington head coach and general manager Ron Rivera was fired this morning. We will have more on this development soon.]

By Noonefromtampa

First Quarter

Dallas won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Commanders started on offense and started with a big run by Curtis Samuel for 15 yards on a jet sweep. Brian Robinson ran for 9 yards and picked up 11 yards on a catch on fourth down to the Dallas 40 yard line. Washington picked up nine more yards but on fourth down lost 2 yards, forcing a turnover on downs.

On Dallas’ first possession, Brandin Cooks caught a 15 yard pass from Dak Prescott. This was just the start of a Dallas march down the field. Tony Pollard ran for 6 yards and CeeDee Lamb ran for 15 yards on a short pass and followed that up with a 9 yard catch. Dallas ran twice for 7 yards and Pollard caught a 12 yard reception down to the Washington 3 yard line. Jalen Tolbert scored on a 3 yard catch. The extra point was good. Cowboys 7, Commanders 0.

After the kickoff, Robinson was stripped of the ball on a run and the Cowboys recovered at the Washington 31 yard line. Dallas ran twice for 8 yards but had an incompletion on third down. Dallas elected to run a play on fourth down with Jake Ferguson catching an 8 yard pass. Washington’s defense was able to hold and keep Dallas out of the end zone. The Brandon Aubrey field was blocked and then returned 51 yards by Jace Whittaker.

Starting at the Dallas 20 yard line, Washington picked up a first down with a 10 yard catch by Alex Armah on a third down pass from Sam Howell. Robinson gained 1 yard on a run. Dyami Brown had a 4 yard reception and Howell scrambled for 4 yards. Robinson caught a 1 yard touchdown pass. Joey Slye converted the extra point. Cowboys 7, Commanders 7.

Second Quarter

On the subsequent possession, Pollard gained a first down on two 5 yard runs. Lamb ran for 7 yards. Prescott then made three straight completions, 4 yards to Cooks, 11 yards to Ferguson and 4 yards to Pollard. Jalen Harris was able to tip the ball on Prescott’s throw and Quan Martin intercepted it.

Starting on Washington’s own 45, Logan Thomas caught a 9 yard pass. On fourth down and 1, Robinson rushed for two yards. Howell then threw a 19 yard pass to Terry McLaurin. Samuel caught a 9 yard pass. Samuel landed with one foot out-of-bounds on what could have been a 16 yard touchdown catch. Two consecutive false start penalties made it third and eleven. Jamison Crowder picked up 8 yards on a catch. Slye converted the 36-yard field goal. Commanders 10, Dallas 7.

Washington’s makeshift defense showed it was not up to the task. Mixing two passes, four runs an a 15 yard penalty, Dallas moved down the field and Pollard scored on a 1 yard run. Cowboys 14, Commanders 10.

Washington’s offense gained a couple of first downs on the next drive behind a 11 yard catch by Jahan Dotson and 13 yard catch by McLaurin. However, Howell was hit as he was throwing to Samuel, which resulted in a Donovan Wilson interception.

It took Dallas 6 plays to score another touchdown. Rico Dowdle gained 32 yards on a check down throw. Lamb picked up 15 yards and 6 yards on two catches. Cooks gained 8 yards and Lamb scored the 4 yard touchdown. Cowboys 21, Commanders 10.

Washington ran out the clock to end the half.

Third Quarter

The rout continued in the second half. Dallas took the second half kickoff and drove 75 yards down the field for a touchdown. Lamb was heavily featured on the drive, catching a 7 yard pass, a 10 yard pass, and a 6 yard touchdown pass. The big play on the drive was a 20 yard run by Dowdle. Cowboys 28, Commanders 10.

Washington answered that with a three and out, including a third down sack and the bonus of a blocked punt.

Dallas delayed the inevitable by getting called for two offensive holding calls before Cooks caught a nicely thrown fade corner route for the 5 yard touchdown. Ferguson had the big play on the drive with a 16 yard. Cowboys 35, Commanders 10.

Antonio Gibson caught two passes on the next drive for 13 yards and 12 yards. Howell was then hit on a deep throw to McLaurin which made the ball end up short which was intercepted by DaRon Bland.

Fourth Quarter

Incredibly, Prescott remained in the game. Ferguson and Dowdle had 15 yard receptions.  Also, Emmanuel Forbes was called for unnecessary roughness on an incompletion where he actually whiffed on the tackle. Hey, the officials have to make a mistake at least once a game, right? The drive petered out and Aubrey missed a 36 yard field goal, hitting the left upright.

On their next drive, Washington picked up a first down, but two sacks of Howell negated the drive. Tress Way had a successful punt this time. The best part of the drive was that it took nearly 4 minutes off the game clock.

Cooper Rush came in for Prescott on the next drive. The offense did not suffer much with the substitution. They were able to move into Washington territory, mainly behind a 24 yard completion to Peyton Hendershot, who leaped over an attempted shoulder tackle by Forbes. The drive died at the Washington 32 yard line and Aubrey nailed a 50 yard field goal. Cowboys 38, Commanders 10.

Thoughts

The mid-season trade of both starting defensive ends killed the pass rush for the remainder of the season.

Sam Howell had no time to throw on any 5-step or 7-step drops. Both interceptions came from being hit while trying to step into the throw.

Someone needs to teach Emmanuel Forbes how to wrap up and tackle a player.

Class move to get Terry McLaurin his 1,000 yard season at the end of the game.

Looks like Washington locked the number two draft pick. Free agency will determine what the team does in the draft. The offensive line is a shambles and will have to be rebuilt. The defensive line is not too far behind them either.