Ceci Ferrara
December 4, 2017
Sports Writer
Sports Insider Weekly
The Dallas Cowboys dominated Washington 38-14 last Thursday to effectively put an end to the Redskins’ playoff hopes. It was a game that had high stakes for both teams. The Skins needed a victory to keep their floundering season alive, while a Cowboys loss or a tie would have handed the division crown to Philadelphia (10-1). The Eagles had another chance to clinch the title on Sunday, but their loss to Seattle delayed their celebration for at least another week.
Dallas entered the rival match-up on a three-game losing streak, during which they had struggled without star running-back Ezekiel Elliott who is currently serving a six-game suspension. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who had been crowned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, had been experiencing uncharacteristically inaccurate, throwing for a total of 500 yards and five interceptions over the past three-games.
In a game that had playoff implications for both division rivals, it was the Cowboys who came out on top.
Dallas (6-6) regained their footing against the Redskins, with Prescott throwing for two touchdowns. While it wasn’t one of his more impressive games, he kept the chains moving and protected the ball, which was key in their victory. The Dallas quarterback had help on the offensive front – highlighted by running back (and former Redskins) Alfred Morris who rushed for a season-high 127 yards on 27 carries.
“Today they did their talking out there,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game.
Kirk Cousins completed 26 of 37 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns, but turnovers–two interceptions and one lost fumble–made it hard to keep the Redskins in the game.
“It was just miscues,” Cousins said. “A dropped ball here, we had a nice drive down the field the second drive, just a tough turnover, and then it was one thing after another that were just mistakes. They happen, and we have to correct them.”
With the loss, Washington falls to 5-7, and now stands behind six other teams for the final wild-card spot. The Redskins are poised to enter their second consecutive off-season without a playoff berth. They narrowly missed the postseason last year, one year after winning the division before losing the Wild Card game to the Green Bay Packers.
As the Redskins’ sub-par season enters its final weeks, all fans can hope for is good and competitive football games, even if, in the grand scheme of things, they don’t mean much.