ARLINGTON, Texas – In a season of gut-wrenching plays, the Cowboys wrapped up the 2024 schedule with another tough loss.
Washington's game-winning pass to Terry McLaurin will be the highlight of the game, but there were plenty of chances for Dallas to change the outcome. Here are five that might've helped the Cowboys along the way.
Lance misfires to Dowdle in end zone – The Cowboys had a 6-3 lead and had a great chance to score before halftime, with possession of the ball to start the third quarter. But on two straight plays inside the 3-yard line, the Cowboys called two passes for Trey Lance. One was out of the end zone incomplete, but then instead of taking the field goal for three points, the offense went back to Lance, who scrambled away from a sack to find an open Rico Dowdle. But Lance's pass was way short, keeping the game 6-3.
Dowdle loses 3 yards in red zone – The Cowboys got a chance to add to their lead to start the third quarter as Lance led the offense on a drive into the red zone. But on first-and-goal from the 10, Dowdle was dropped for a 3-yard loss. The Cowboys were again backed up and couldn't score, settling for another field goal. It wasn't just the third- and fourth-down plays that struggled in the red zone, but even those on first down.
Ferguson's missed TD in the back of the end zone – Down 10-9, the Cowboys were on the verge of scoring their first touchdown of the game. But on second-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Lance lofted a pass to tight end Jake Ferguson in the back of the end zone. Ferguson was able to tip the ball to himself and get his first foot down, but before the second toe could touch, the first foot rolled out of bounds. The pass was ruled incomplete but was close enough for the challenge flag, although the call stood. The incompletion brought third down, and the Cowboys didn't convert, leading to a fourth field goal by Brandon Aubrey.
Wilson called for facemask – With the Commanders back ahead in the final few minutes, safety Donovan Wilson blitzed quarterback Marcus Mariota and sacked him for a 10-yard loss to the 5. But the referees called Wilson for a facemask, although it appeared he only grabbed the top of the quarterback's helmet. The play isn't reviewable and the call stood, wiping out a third-and-14 from the 5, and giving Washington a first down. That drive continued with the eventual game-winning score.
Mariota's scramble on third-and-2 – The play before Mariota ripped off a huge 33-yard run that put them in position to score, he used his ability to avoid a sack on third down. He was nearly dropped in the backfield, which would've set up about fourth-and-10, but he managed to get a yard to set up fourth-and-short. Without that scramble, it might've been tough for the Commanders to win the game in regulation, perhaps having to settle for a game-tying field goal at best.
