The Dallas Cowboys entered Week 17 without any hope of making the playoffs. The club had a huge lead at one point, but they lost two of their top four offensive weapons as RB Javonte Williams and TE Jake Ferguson exited in the first half.
With Dan Quinn figuring out how to pressure Dak Prescott with six sacks, the Cowboys had to rely on the legs of Brandon Aubrey to solidify their status as the dominant team. After scoring touchdowns on the first three possessions of the game, Dallas needed three kicks from Aubrey to prevent the Commanders from winning 30-23.
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The win improved Dallas’ record on the year to 7-8-1, giving them a chance to finish above .500 if they can win in Week 18 against the New York Giants.
Although Prescott didn’t have his best game, he finished the game with 307 passing yards, two scores and a 97.5 passer rating. Throughout the process, and under pressure, there were several missteps and miscommunications. His two top receivers, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, didn’t have great games despite the defense’s many issues throughout the year.
Things became extremely difficult when Ferguson (calf) and Williams (shoulder) were forced to leave the game after the team’s first two touchdowns. While Malik Davis (20 carries, 104 yards) made up for Williams’ lack of rushing, it was the back-to-back blocking blunders of the offensive line and friends that kept the game close.
The 14-point lead was cut to seven when Commander quarterback Bill Crosky-Merritt rushed 72 yards for a score. From that point on, the teams’ field goals varied and the Cowboys eventually ran out the clock.
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Washington was without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and backup Marcus Mariota, with Josh Johnson starting. Johnson was one of the few quarterbacks who struggled against Matt Eberfus’ defense.
This article originally appeared in Cowboys Wire: Aubrey FG helps Cowboys prevent Commander’s Christmas comeback, 30-23
