ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Inside Jerry Jones’ massive stadium complex, the Washington Redskins kept finding themselves a step behind. The coaching staff made decisions that went wrong. The defense could not hold down the Dallas Cowboys. The team fell behind by double-digits, recovered to tighten the game, fell back again.
Down to 1:53 to find an unlikely solution for the win, Washington needed an onside kick to fall into its hands. Despite a huge game from quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Redskins trailed by five points. If Dallas recovered, the NFC East leader’s winning streak would be set to move to 10 games. The Redskins would drop to 6-4-1 and see any chance of winning the division title for the second consecutive season evaporate. Kicker Dustin Hopkins turned himself to his left and sent a bouncing ball toward the Dallas sideline. Bodies collided, but none into the ball. It went out of bounds. Dallas took over.
A Thanksgiving Day tradition in Dallas played out by a pair of decades-long rivals ended in a 31-26 Cowboys win. Cousins threw for 449 yards and three touchdowns, and six Washington receivers caught four or more passes. Yet, the offense could not do enough to pull off one more win in a daunting run of three games in 11 days.
Twice, the Redskins have lost to the conference-leading Cowboys this season. The first was a four-point loss. Thursday was a five-point loss that can largely be hung on the defense. That’s what left cornerback Josh Norman silent yet furious at his locker after the game. Shirtless, he stared ahead with his game pants still on. Later, he was initially reticent to talk, a loquacious man trying to lock down his words.
“Lost the football game,” Norman said. “Got to be better.”
Thirty-four points were scored in the fourth quarter after a scoreless third. Washington turned to tight end Jordan Reed, who had left the game early in the second quarter because of a left shoulder sprain. Reed caught a 33-yard pass up the sideline to pull the Redskins to the Dallas 3-yard line. After running back Robert Kelley was stuffed, Washington went back to Reed, who caught a 5-yard touchdown pass. His fourth catch of the day pulled Washington to within 17-12. Cousins’ pass on the 2-point conversion attempt failed.
Dallas quickly followed with a 75-yard drive that unflappable rookie quarterback Dak Prescott finished with a 6-yard touchdown run. The run vaulted the Cowboys’ lead back to double-digits, 24-12. Washington scored even faster. A 67-yard pass to DeSean Jackson up the sideline yanked the Redskins back to within five points. On third-and-2, Cousins decided to go for a score instead of a first down. The go-for-broke call worked. Jackson danced in the end zone. The Redskins had again made it a game, and coach Jay Gruden planned another surprise.
Hopkins turned his foot outward on the kickoff, like a soccer player making a pass, and nudged the ball off the tee. Dallas recovered as the onside kick attempt failed, as it would again later.
“We had the look exactly we wanted to, we just kicked it a little hard,” Gruden said. “Twelve-foot putt, we putted 15 feet, putted right to the break. We just kicked it too hard, unfortunately. Those are chances, if we see something that’s there, we practice it and we like it, we’ve got to take chances to do it. We think it could change the course of the game and momentum and everything.”
Less than three minutes later, Ezekiel Elliott was in the end zone celebrating. Dallas had again moved to a comfortable lead. This time, the clock only showed 6:29 left in the Redskins’ window to rally.
They moved to the Dallas 8-yard line with two minutes to play, trailing by 12, needing a touchdown and another onside kick. They got the touchdown from Reed. But, not the kick. Dallas ran out the clock and celebrated.
“We just got to credit Dallas, at hard as it is,” defensive end Chris Baker said. “We feel like we’re better than them.”
The first half ended in head-scratching fashion. The Redskins, down 17-3 despite controlling the clock and playing efficient offense, made their way to the Cowboys’ 2-yard line after a completion to Pierre Garcon just before the second quarter finished. Knowing the clock was running, Garcon stood up and immediately looked to hand the ball to a referee. The Redskins were down to one timeout after needing to burn one in the first quarter to avoid a delay-of-game penalty because of substitution confusion. They used a second timeout on the final drive. Garçon knew time was precious.
The clock ticked. The offense looked confused. Garçon was on his feet with 25 seconds remaining in the half, yet it took Washington until there were 11 seconds to play to call timeout. That lag cost them an option to possibly run the ball on third-and-2 from the 2-yard line. Cousins threw an incomplete pass. The Redskins settled for a 20-yard field goal and trailed, 17-6, at halftime.
The half in total was filled with curious management by Washington’s coaching staff. Stuck with a decision on fourth-and-8 from the Dallas 38-yard line, Gruden opted to attempt a 55-yard field goal. His kicker, Dustin Hopkins, has wobbled of late. The longest field goal of his career was a 54-yard kick in 2015. Gruden’s options were the field-goal attempt, to punt or go for it. The latter choice would utilize the third-best offense in the NFL and the team’s greatest weapon, which, if it failed, would give the ball to Dallas in worse field position than a missed field-goal attempt. A punt would push back Dallas, making the Cowboys cover substantial ground to score.
Hopkins missed. Dallas scored six plays later for a 17-3 lead.
“55-yard in a dome, with [Hopkins], I think he can make it,” Gruden said. “And, I think he can make it nine times out of 10, to be honest with you. I’ve got to take the points. … He’s got plenty of leg, he just pushed it.”
The Cowboys’ put together a stern opening drive for a prompt 7-0 lead. In less than four minutes, Dallas romped 75 yards. Elliott blew past Washington middle linebacker Will Compton twice. He finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Hopkins then missed a 43-yard field goal before Washington was able to stabilize itself. It forced a three-and-out, then put together a long drive that ended with Hopkins making a 24-yard field goal. Down just 7-3, and controlling the clock, the Redskins were in a good spot. But, a Dan Bailey field goal preceded Gruden’s decision to go for the long field goal. The miss turned the half around and the subsequent score put Dallas firmly in control in the game, and the division.
Washington, 6-4-1 and still in the thick of contention for a wild card slot in the NFC playoffs, now gets a 10-day break before a Dec. 4 date with the 4-5-1 Arizona Cardinals in Phoenix.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.