On the heels of an emotional win in Minnesota, followed by the tragic and sudden death of strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul, it was hard to predict the outcome of Thursday's game in Washington.
Even head coach Mike McCarthy admitted he wasn't sure how his team would perform.
While they battled for three quarters, the Cowboys fell apart in the fourth and dropped a 41-16 game to Washington.
Before we turn the page, let's take one last further review at the key players, moments, milestones and stats from this game.
An emotional week for the Cowboys, who were playing with heavy hearts, didn't end with a victory. Let's recap how and why things fell apart in the fourth quarter and what it means moving forward.
Player of the Game: Antonio Gibson has been a problem for the Cowboys in both of his games against Dallas this year. The rookie scored three more touchdowns on Thursday, including two rushing scores in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Gibson rushed for 115 yards, the second-most of his career, behind only the 128 rushing yards he racked up against the Cowboys on Oct. 25.
Nemesis: Other players on that defensive line might get more accolades, including Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick this year. But Montez Sweat has been a difference-maker in both wins over the Cowboys. He had two sacks the first time around and on Thursday, he made a spectacular interception for a touchdown to seal the game in the fourth quarter.
Unsung Hero:Despite the loss, it was a great performance for Randy Gregory, who posted his first multi-sack game of his career. Gregory has been on a long road back after being out all of last season with a suspension, along with the first six games.
Turning Point: Lots of options to pick from here, including a couple of fourth-down miscues. But when the Cowboys didn't score a touchdown after Jaylon Smith's interception, it seemed to take the life out of the team and give momentum back to Washington. Smith was stopped at the 4-yard line. The Cowboys didn't get a touchdown after that and settled for a field goal to cut the lead to 20-16.
Need More From ... Once again, the Cowboys need more from their top running back – Ezekiel Elliott. After he recorded his first 100-yard game of the season last Sunday against the Vikings, Zeke came back with another tough performance. Elliott rushed for just 31 yards and lost a fumble in the third quarter on the Cowboys' opening possession. The team struggled to run the ball all day, including down by the goal line.
Don't Forget ...The Cowboys actually had another costly fourth-down gamble in the first half. With the game tied 10-10 and the offense facing fourth-and-1 at their own 34, the Cowboys opted to go for it and threw an incomplete pass to CeeDee Lamb. Washington took over and marched for a touchdown, taking a 17-10 lead.
So, That Happened: The fake punt is the most discussed play from the game and one of the most puzzling plays from the entire season. The Cowboys were down 20-16 and faced a fourth-and-10 at their own 24. The team opted to run a fake to give the ball to Cedrick Wilson, who came around on a reverse, either looking to run or pass to punter Hunter Niswander or C.J. Goodwin. But Wilson never got a pass off and was tackled for a 1-yard line. On the next play, Washington scored a touchdown to push the lead out to 27-16.
Milestone:Amari Cooper was one of the few bright spots from the game. He caught six passes for 112 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season and his 22nd 100-yard game of his career.
Stat of the Game:Washington's average starting field position was its own 40-yard line, including four times to get the ball inside the Cowboys' territory. Of those possessions, Washington scored a touchdown, field goal and touchdown before kneeling out the clock on the final drive when they took over at the Cowboys' 44.
