Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush passed for two touchdowns while watching his team return two kicks for additional scores and Dallas held off the Washington Commanders in a wild fourth quarter for a 34-26 win on Sunday afternoon in Landover, Md.
Dallas led 10-9 after three quarters.
With his team trailing 27-20, Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels hit Terry McLaurin for an 86-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game to prevent the Commanders from drawing even.
Juanyeh Thomas of the Cowboys then returned an onside kick 43 yards for a touchdown to complete the scoring.
Rush completed 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards for Dallas (4-7), which snapped a five-game losing streak. Rico Dowdle ran 19 times for 86 yards, and CeeDee Lamb had 10 catches for 67 yards.
Daniels was 25-of-38 passing for 275 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for reeling Washington (7-5), which has lost three straight games. Daniels ran for 74 yards and one score. McLaurin had five catches for 102 yards.
Trailing 20-9 late in the fourth quarter, Washington drove 69 yards in nine plays, and Daniels hit Zach Ertz for a 4-yard touchdown. Daniels ran for two points, and Washington trailed 20-17 with 3:02 remaining.
KaVontae Turpin muffed the ensuing kickoff, picked it up at his own 1 and raced 99 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-17.
Seibert’s 51-yard field goal pulled the Commanders within 27-20 with 1:40 left.
With the score tied 3-3, Washington started with the ball in the second half and went 60 yards in 10 plays. On third-and-3 from the Dallas 17, Daniels faked a handoff, ran left and scored his first rushing touchdown since Week 4. Seibert missed the point after, and Washington led 9-3.
Dallas answered with an 80-yard drive. A 24-yard pass interference penalty gave the Cowboys a first-and-goal at the 3. Two plays later, Rush found Jalen Tolbert in the end zone for a 6-yard score, and the ensuing extra point made it 10-9.
Brandon Aubrey’s 48-yard field goal made it 13-9 with 8:11 remaining in the game.
On the next play from scrimmage, Daniels hit John Bates for 13 yards, but Donovan Wilson forced a fumble and Dallas recovered at the Washington 44. Five plays later, Rush found Luke Schoonmaker down the middle for a 22-yard touchdown and a 20-9 advantage with 5:16 left.
The first quarter was all about field goals. Aubrey’s field-goal attempt was blocked on the opening drive, and Michael Davis returned it to the Dallas 40. Washington later settled for Seibert’s 41-yard field goal.
On the next Dallas drive, Aubrey hit the right upright from 42 yards out, and then Seibert missed from 51 yards.
Aubrey connected from 46 yards out to tie the game with three seconds left in the first half.
–Field Level Media
