Cowboys Defeat Commanders In Thriller NFC East Showdown (11-24-24)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: Washington Commanders
LANDOVER, MD – The Washington Commanders lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 34-27 on Sunday at Northwest Stadium. Dallas (4-7) snapped a five-game losing streak and Washington (7-5) has dropped three straight since defeating the New York Giants on November 3rd.
Speedy returner KaVontae Turpin swung the game in Dallas’s favor after bobbling a kickoff return down to the Dallas one-yard line, scooping it up and making a beautiful spin move on the Washington defenders to return the kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown giving the Cowboys a 27-17 lead with 2:49 left in the game.
Washington responded with a quick field goal to make it a one-score game with 1:40 remaining and preserve their final two timeouts. The Commanders were able to force a three-and-out and regain possession of the ball with 21 seconds left.
Jayden Daniels lined up in the shotgun formation and found receiver Terry McLaurin working up the sideline for a 30-40 yard pass, outrunning the Cowboys’ defenders for an 86-yard touchdown, to make it a 27-26 game pending the extra point attempt.
What followed was one of the many shocking moments of the game.
Kicker Austin Seibert had missed the previous two contests with a hip injury and made his return in Sunday’s matchup. Seibert had already missed a 51-yard field goal and extra point attempt earlier in the game. Unfortunately, Seibert missed the extra point attempt to tie the game wide to the left, after the exchange on the snap was low but quickly recovered by holder Tress Way.
With only 14 seconds left, Washington was forced to attempt an onside kick, which Juanyeh Thomas returned up the middle for a touchdown, all but ending the game.
Key Play Of The Game
In the fourth quarter, Dallas kicked a field goal to lead 13-9 with 8:11 left. The previous four drives for Washington went touchdown-punt-punt-punt. Their offense was having struggles and they were looking for a sustaining drive to reclaim the lead and get the momentum back. On the very first play of the drive, Daniels threw a strike to tight-end John Bates up the middle for 13 yards. Bates was brought to the ground by safety Donovan Wilson who punched the ball out and was recovered by linebacker Erik Kendricks giving Dallas possession of the ball on the Washington 30. The Cowboys took advantage to score a 22-yard touchdown on third down to take a two-score lead.
Dallas and Washington Player Of The Game
● CB Josh Butler: Butler had a great showing on Sunday. He was involved in nearly every play and was a key component behind Dallas’s strong defensive showing. He finished the game with 12 total tackles (10 solo), one sack, and three pass deflections.
● WR Terry McLaurin: No, he didn’t have his best performance of the day, and the 86-yard touchdown reception made up the bulk of his yards. But as he has done in the past, when his team needs him to make a play Scary-Terry comes through.
Go For a Two-Point Conversion?
Some fans questioned why head coach Dan Quinn didn’t go for the potential game-winning two-point conversion when McLaurin found the endzone late in that crazy fourth quarter. It’s funny because only a few minutes earlier in the fourth, Quinn’s team needed a two-point to cut it to a one-score game after scoring to make it a 20-15 game. Daniels ran it into the right side of the endzone with ease on a designed run making it a 20-17 ballgame. With the success and momentum that the offense was having at the time of the game, going for it on a defense that was on its heels should’ve been an option.
Up Next
Washington hosts the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at 1 p.m. before their bye week. Dallas returns home against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving football at 4:25 p.m.
