The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Commanders 38-10 on Sunday to capture the NFC East for the second time in three years. Dallas is a 12-5 playoff squad for the third time in three years.
And perhaps for a day or two at most, head coach Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys have earned a break from the haters who have strangely concentrated on whatever it is they believe Dallas is incapable of accomplishing.
And yeah, it means that until — well, maybe Tuesday — the silly national media won’t be demanding and/or forecasting McCarthy’s ouster.
Thanks to a Dak Prescott interception and a blocked field goal by Brandon Aubrey, the Cowboys took a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter and scored 28 points in a row to turn the game into a farce. Even though the Commanders are not the most intimidating foe, the Cowboys, who have had difficulty traveling throughout the season, must be happy with their victory.
Overall, Dallas’ success was the result of a flawless team effort. The defense forced three turnovers and limited Washington to only 180 yards while the offense amassed 440 yards for the day.
Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Cowboys, may not have a great chance of winning MVP, but he made a positive mark on the game. The veteran Dallas player completely dominated the hopeless Washington defense, finishing 31 of 36 passes for 279 yards, four touchdowns, and only one interception to cap off one of his best regular seasons to date.
The Cowboys’ other skill players were not to be outdone, even though Prescott stole the show. CeeDee Lamb improved his case for Offensive Player of the Year after catching 13 passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns—his second consecutive game with at least that many receptions. Rico Dowdle contributed 46 yards of his own rushing, while Tony Pollard ran for 70 yards and a touchdown.
The Cowboys’ regular stars on defense once again shone. Micah Parsons has a career-high 14 sacks this season after recording one of the day’s four Dallas sacks. DaRon Bland, meanwhile, recorded his ninth interception of the season, leading the league; Donovan Wilson also picked off a pass, while Jourdan Lewis recovered a fumble.
To reiterate: With the victory, the Cowboys secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC and finish 12-5 for the third consecutive year. Next Sunday, they will host the Green Bay Packers to start their playoff run.
Dallas will be the favorite to win the game because they have won 16 straight at AT&T Stadium. However, is McCarthy coaching the Packers, his former team? Unfortunately, the Cowboys are also favored to draw criticism from those who don’t appreciate what is being done here.
