Much like the season itself, the Dallas Cowboys showed promise and even gave their fans some hope. In the end, though, the result was a disappointing one.
Although holding a slim 19-16 lead late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys couldn't get the stop they needed as the Washington Commanders came away with a 23-19 victory. Despite the loss, it was an exciting finish to the 2024 season.
In these two teams' first matchup, back on Nov. 24 in Washington, the game was also a rather pedestrian affair through three quarters. But over the final 15 minutes, the pair combined for 41 points with Dallas coming out on top, 34-26.
Would we be treated to more of the same in this one? Indeed, the first three quarters weren't exactly memorable as the Cowboys trailed 10-9, but although 24 points were racked up in the final frame, this time Dallas came up short on the scoreboard.
Some buzz was created when it was announced before the game that quarterback Trey Lance would be making his first regular-season start for the Cowboys. And the youngster, who is the same age as Washington's rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, 24, played well in his opportunity, throwing for 244 yards with no interceptions. He found a connection with Jalen Tolbert, the wideout hauling in four catches for a game-high 98 yards.
Lance also got some help from his ground game as the Cowboys' running attack totaled 150 rushing yards. But the team just couldn't get into the end zone often enough, crossing the goal line only one time on six trips to the red zone.
Meanwhile, the Dallas defense largely made life miserable for Daniels, who totaled only 38 yards passing and was sacked four times. But the unit struggled against backup Marcus Mariota, who took over in the second half and led Washington to three scores, throwing two touchdowns and running for another.
Otherwise, the Cowboys outgained the Commanders, 378 yards to 269, and dominated the time of possession, 37:03 to 22:57. In the end, though, having to settle for field goals proved to be their undoing.
First Quarter
The Cowboys got off to a good start with the defense first forcing a three-and-out that saw Micah Parsons record a pair off sacks. With that, he became just the fourth NFL player since sacks became an official stat in 1982 to post at least 10 in his first four seasons.
Following that outburst, Lance took the field and guided his troops into enemy territory, doing so with three consecutive passes of 31, 33 and 13 yards. But while the drive stalled, Brandon Aubrey continued his Pro Bowl play with a 34-yard field goal to give Dallas an early 3-0 lead. That was also his 37th of the season, a new team record that broke the original mark he set just last year.
Second Quarter
Just as the first quarter started with a bang, so too did the second frame. On the second snap of the quarter, Washington return man Jamison Crowder muffed the punt with Cowboys special teams ace C.J. Goodwin recovering the fumble at the Commanders' 22-yard line. A sack of Lance killed any chance of getting across the goal line, though, so Aubrey did his thing with a 41-yard field goal to up the score to 6-0.
The Commanders finally got on the board thanks to a 47-yard field goal with 4:41 left in the half. But the Cowboys were lucky they didn't find themselves down by one. Washington pulled out its bag of tricks with a reverse to wideout Dyami Brown, who then threw a deep pass to Olamide Zaccheaus. However, despite being alone in the end zone, the receiver dropped the ball, the home side catching a break while keeping the 6-3 advantage.
Dallas nearly got across the goal line just before the end of the half after going on a 15-play drive that ate up all but the final 17 seconds of the quarter. But deciding to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line, Lance escaped the Commanders' pass rush, only to have his throw to Rico Dowdle in the end zone fall short, incomplete.
Third Quarter
The Cowboys may not have put any points on the board on their last possession of the first half, but they did manage to do so on their first possession of the second half. The offense worked itself into the red zone again – the big play coming on a 28-yard pass from Lance to Tolbert – but it couldn't score the game's first touchdown. Instead, Aubrey provided a 36-yard field goal to up the margin back to six, 9-3.
With Daniels calling it a day, out came Marcus Mariota, who promptly led the visitors on an eight-play, 70-yard drive to the end zone. The backup completed all five of his passes for 60 yards, his final 4-yard connection to tight end Zach Ertz providing the touchdown and giving Washington its first lead, 10-9.
Fourth Quarter
With Deuce Vaughn handling the load at running back during this series, the Cowboys came right back with their third trip to the red zone, marching 66 yards in 15 plays to the Washington 4. And tight end Jake Ferguson nearly made a spectacular touchdown catch in the back of the end zone but couldn't quite get his toes down in bounds. Instead, the drive ended with another Aubrey field goal, a chip-shot 22-yarder, to go back in front, 12-10.
Of course, what the Cowboys needed were touchdowns, especially when Mariota made it two scores on two straight possessions at the helm. The Commanders quarterback got the scoring honors himself, wrapping up the eight-play, 70-yard drive with a 5-yard run off left end to the goal line.
The deficit now four, a field goal wouldn't do. And once again, Lance led the offense back into the red zone, this time lining up for a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line after a pass interference penalty in the end zone on Washington. Thankfully, the third time was the charm as Dowdle slipped his way through the big bodies to pay dirt, his second rushing touchdown of the season.
When the Commanders got the ball back with 3:18 remaining in the game, the score was still 19-16 Dallas. Could the Cowboys defense get the stop? Unfortunately not. On fourth-and-1 at the Dallas 49-yard line, Mariota faked the handoff and kept the ball himself, scampering 33 yards for the first down.
Three snaps later, with six seconds left, wideout Terry McLaurin made a leaping grab in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown, 23-19, breaking the hearts of Cowboys fans and closing the books on the 2024 season.
