Commanders 10-45 Cowboys, summary: score, stats, highlights | NFL Week 12

Happy Thanksgiving!

COWBOYS BEAT COMMANDERS

And that's game, the Cowboys beat NFC East foes Commanders 45-10 on Thanksgiving Day.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage of the Cowboys vs Commanders game today. We'll be signing off now and wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

Rodriguez gets 5 yards - 3rd and 5

Rodriguez no gain

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

Two minutes to play, but this game is over.

Rodriguez takes it up 13 yards for another 1st down

The Commanders are just handing it off to Gibson now. He gets 3, 4, then 5 to finally get the 1st down for Washington

Bland making history with FIFTH pick-6 in the seeason

Howell's pass intended for Dotson was INTERCEPTED by Bland, who ran it back 63 yards to the end zone after dodging defenders in impressive fashion. This was his fifth pick-6 of the season, breaking the record for most in a single season. Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys take a ridiculous lead with 4:39 to go in the game.

Howell incomplete to Brown - 2nd and 10

Howell pass was tipped but then caught by Turner for a huge 29 yards - 1st down

Howell pass incomplete to Gibson - 3rd and 7

Howell to Gibson for 3 yards, 2nd and 7

Aubrey kicks 65 yards, touchback

Turpin TD time!

Prescott passed deep to Turpin, 34 yards in the end zone for a touchdown. Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys are up even more with just under 6 minutes left to play.

Dowdle gets another 2 - 3rd and 6

Dowdle gets 2 - 2nd and 8

Pollard breaks away, gets a huge gain of 27 yards, to the Commanders 38 - 1st down

Prescott to Lamb for no gain - 2nd and 10

Commanders turn it over on downs - Cowboys will take over on their own 35

Commanders go for it on 4th down and 3 - Howell passes to McLaurin and it's incomplete

Howell pass incomplete to McLaurin - 4th and 3

Howell to McLaurin for 7 yards - 3rd and 3

Howell pass incomplete to Thomas - 2nd and 10

Howell pass deep to McLaurin for a big gain of 24 - 1st down

Howell pass to Samuel for 10 yards - 1st down

Prescott pass to Lamb 15 yards in the end zone complete to give Cowboys another TD over the Commanders. They went for 2 instead of the extra point and it was Lamb again who caught the ball to give the Cowboys a 19-point lead with 10:32 left to play.

COWBOYS 2-POINT CONVERSION SUCCESS!

Pollard picks up a yard

Howell SACKED again, this time by Hankins for a loss of 10 on a critical 4th down - Cowboys take over at the Commanders 24

Howell pass deep to Pringle for 16 yards, just short of the 1st down - looks like they'll go for it on 4th and 1

Howell pass NEARLY picked by Bell - incomplete - 3rd and 17

Howell SACKED by Parsons for a loss of 7 - 2nd and 17

The Cowboys are held out of the end zone, but don't give up on getting points. They manage to get a 52-yard field goal from Aubrey and extend their lead to 13 points with 13:36 left to play.

COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!

Prescott pass incomplete to Schoonmaker, 4th and 3 and Dallas will go for the field goal instead of the TD 

On the next play, Pollard catches the ball on the ground for a gain of just a yard - 3rd and 3

Pollard picks up 6 yards - 2nd and 4

END THIRD QUARTER

And that'll bring us to the end of the 3rd quarter!

The Cowboys are leading the Commanders, 20-10. When we come back for the final quarter, the Cowboys are on offense with the ball on the Commanders 41 on 1st down.

Prescott pass complete to Lamb for 14 yards for the 1st down

Prescott ran it up for the 1st down, but Dallas got called for an Illegal Motion on McKeon for a 5-yard penalty - 3rd and 6

Prescott pass to Dowdle is too high, incomplete - 3rd and 1

Pollard breaks through for 9 yards, just short of the 1st down

Prescott pass deep to Cooks is caught for 25 yards to the Cowboys 41 - 1st down

Prescott pass incomplete to Ferguson - 3rd and 11

Pollard gets taken down by Allen for a loss of 1 - 2nd and 11

Turpin returns the punt for 5 yards to the Cowboys 17 

Howell pass broken up by Lewis - incomplete. The Commanders will punt it at 4th and 13 at their own 31

Robinson taken down immediately by Odighizuwa, 3rd and 13

False Start on Commanders' Thomas - 5 yards - 2nd and 13

Gibson picks up 2 - 2nd and 8

Howell to Samuel for 5 yards and the 1st down 

Gibson gets nowhere - 3rd and 1

Howell to Samuel for 9 yards - 2nd and 1

Crowder returns the punt 9 yards to the Commanders 20

Prescott pass deep to Ferguson and he nearly caught it but was hit hard at the end and it came loose - the Cowboys punt it back at 4th and 11

Prescott pass to Pollard but he's taken down by Barton for a loss of 5 - 3rd and 11

Pollard takes it up 4 yards - 2nd and 6

At 4th and 1, the Commanders go for it but Robinson is swallowed up and pushed back 2 yards by Odighizuwa and Wilson - Cowboys will get the ball back on downs at their own 41

Howell went deep, passed to McLaurin, broken up by Gilmore and it's incomplete - 4th and 1 

Washington calls first timeout 

Dotson gets 8, Robinson gets 1 - 3rd and 1

Howell to Samuel for 11 yards and another 1st down at the Cowboys 48

Howell to Dotson for 7 yards - 2nd and 3

Howell somehow managed to twirl around and escape a difficult situation and ended up with a 12-yard scramble for the first down

Robinson taken down by Wilson and Hooker for just 3 this time - 2nd and 7

Robinson picks up 11 yards for the Commanders 1st down

Anger punts 50 yards to the Commanders 8, Crowder calls the fair catch

Prescott barely escapes, gets the ball to Pollard, but it's short - 4th and 3

Prescott pass deep to Lamb but he bobbles it and it's incomplete with St-Juste all over him - 3rd and 11 

This time, Payne takes down Pollard for a loss of 1 - 2nd and 11 at the Cowboys 34

And we're back!

Cowboys start us off with a Prescott pass to Pollard for 10 yards and a first down

77 and she's still got it!

The setup

Pretty cool to see all that goes into setting up a show like this so quickly

What. An. Icon.

But Cowboys responded with a Pollard TD right away

Cowboys extend lead to 20-10 before halftime

Howell put Commanders back in the game with this TD before halftime

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HALFTIME

Robinson takes it up 7 yards and that'll bring us to halftime.

Cowboys lead 20-10 as we end the first half.

Howell gets it away to Thomas but are called for Holding on Leno for a 10-yard penalty 

Commanders take first timeout

Howell pass complete to Pringle for 11 yards and the 1st down

Howell escapes a sack but pass is incomplete - 2nd down

Aubrey punts 65 yards to the end zone - Touchback.

After two big plays of 24 yards and then 31 yards, Pollard takes the ball 7 yards into the end zone to put the Cowboys back up by 10 before halftime. Aubrey has sun in his face and misses the PAT. 

Prescott pass deep to Tolbert for 31 yards - 1st and goal Cowboys

Prescott escaped pressure, gets the ball away, tries to throw it to Lamb but it pops up and instead is caught by Brooks for 24 yards!

Prescott pass incomplete, tipped by Payne - 2nd and 10

Prescott pass complete to Cooks for 8 yards and the 1st down

After the punt, Commanders' Allen is called for Encroachment - 5 yards, 1st and 5

The Commanders took a while to get there, but they got there. In 6 and a half minutes, they went 75 yards to finally end up with a 1-yard touchdown by Howell himself. Slye's PAT is good and the Commanders are just 4 behind the Cowboys with just under 2 minutes to play in the first half.

Howell pass to Samuel for 13 yards to the Cowboys 1 - 1st and goal Commanders

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

After a critical pickup of 15 yards to get a 1st down, the Commanders have the ball at the Cowboys 14 as the clock winds down to the 2-minute warning.

Howell gets the ball away under pressure to Dotson for a gain of 15 yards and the 1st down

Robinson gets just 1 yard, followed by an incomplete pass, Commanders are at 3rd and 11

Howell SACKED by Fowler and Parsons for a loss of 7 yards - 2nd and 12

Howell throws too high, but an Offsides call on Cowboys' Fowler gives Commanders the automatic 1st down

Gibson picks up 3 and gets the 1st down

Howell to Samuel for 8 yards to the Cowboys 42 - 2nd and 2

Commanders' Robinson was injured on the play

Howell pass incomplete to Samuel but Dallas is called for Pass Interference on Wilson - automatic 1st down

Gibson gets 6 yards this time - 3rd and 1

Robinson picks up 3 - 2nd and 7

Howell pass complete to Thomas for 13 yards - 1st down

Howell pass incomplete deep to McLaurin

Cooks 31-yard TD extends Cowboys lead

Prescott passes deep to Cooks and he's right where he needs to be, in the end zone. He gets the 31-yard TD and the Cowboys extend their lead with 8:27 left to play in the first half.

Prescott pass complete to Lamb for 16 yards to the Commanders 31 and the 1st down

Pollard picks up 2 - 2nd and 8

Prescott to Schoonmaker for a pickup of 12 yards to the Commanders 49 and the 1st down

Prescott scrambles away and picks up 10 yards to the Cowboys 39 before sliding - 1st down

Prescott pass complete to Pollard for 5 yards - 2nd and 5

Slye punts 65 yards into the Dallas end zone - Touchback

The Commanders get points on the board with a 43-yard field goal by Slye. They had a big 33-yard pickup by Samuel but were stopped and taken back on a 2nd down that made it impossible for them to get into the red zone. They settled for the field goal and trail by 4 with 11:27 to play in the first half.

COMMANDERS FIELD GOAL!

Howell pass complete to Thomas for just 2 yards - 4th down and Washington will go for the field goal at the Cowboys 25

Howell tries to set up a screen but Robinson is taken back 8 yards instead by Clark - 3rd and 18

Robinson taken down by Armstrong, no gain - 2nd and 10

Cowboys' Bell was injured on the play

Robinson picks up another 1st down on a 14-yard run

Howell pass complete to Dotson for a gain of 12yards and another 1st down

END FIRST QUARTER

Howell pass complete to Samuel for a huge pickup of 33 yards to the Cowboys 45 and that takes us to the end of the 1st quarter.

Howell pass incomplete to McLaurin - 3rd and 10

Howell to Robinson and he gets nowhere, taken down by Clark - 2nd and 10

Dowdle's 15-yard TD to put Cowboys ahead

The Cowboys had a few penalties set them back on this drive, which started out with a 35-yard catch by Ferguson. They were able to make it down into Washington territory and into the end zone. It was Dowdle who ran the ball 15 yards for the touchdown. Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys take the lead with just 46 seconds left in the first quarter.

Prescott pass incomplete with St-Juste all over Lamb in the end zone - 2nd and 10

Dallas takes first timeout

Dowdle takes off with it this time for another 7yards to the Commanders 15 - 1st down

Pollard picks up another 6 - 2nd and 4

Pollard gets away and picks up 14 yards to get the 1st down and then some

Prescott pass complete to Tolbert for a gain of 19 yards and the Commanders are called for Offsides on Payne and Cowboys decline it - 3rd and 5

False Start on Cowboys' Lamb - 2nd and 25

Dowdle picked up 11 yards but Lamb was called for Holding, 10-yard penalty - 2nd and 20

Prescott pass incomplete to Cooks who can't hang onto it - 2nd and 10

Prescott pass caughy by Lamb for a gain of 8 for the 1st down to the Commanders 46

Pollard taken down by Payne for a loss of 3 yards - 3rd and 4

Pollard picks up another 9 yards - 2nd and 1 at the Cowboys 49

Prescott pass deep to Ferguson is caught for 35 yards to the Cowboys 40

FalseStart on Cowboys' Martin, 5 yards

Way punts 34 yards to the Cowboys 10, Turpin calls for the fair catch

Howell under pressure by Odighizuwa, throws it away - 4th and 2 and they punt it away

Howell pass bobbled and dropped by Robinson - incomplete, 3rd and 2

Howell pass complete to Samuel for 7 yards - 2nd and 2 at the Commanders 49

Howell to Dotson for a pickup of 10 and the 1st down

Howell pass complete to Samuel for 6 yards

Howell escapes pressure and gets the ball away to McLaurin for 8 yards and the 1st down

The Commanders are relying on the run against the Cowboys - they hand it to Robinson again and he gets another 5 - 3rd and 3

Howell hands it off to Robinson but he gets just 1 yard, taken down by Bell and Clarke

Anger punts it 58 yards to the 4 and Crowder went to take it back but was taken down immediately by Williams. Too bad for him and the Cowboys though, he was called for a clear FaceMask penalty, giving the Commanders 15 yards.

Prescott goes deep again but again, it's incomplete. At their own 38, Dallas will punt it back.

Prescott overthrows deep to Lamb and it's incomplete - 3rd and 5

Pollard picks up 5

Prescott pass incomplete but it was an IllegalContact call on Commanders' St-Juste gives Dallas the automatic 1st down

Prescott pass complete to Gallup for a gain of 13yards to start the Cowboys offense off on the right foot

Way punts 29 yards to the Cowboys 15. Turpin calls the fair catch.

Howell gets the ball away to Gibson and he gets a gain of 11 to the Cowboys 44, but it's not enough to try for a field goal so Commanders punt it away 

Howell throws it away before he's taken down again by Armstrong - 3rd and 18

Howell SACKED by Hankins for a loss of 8

Robinson takes it up again and gets a big gain of 19 yards, 1st down 

Robinson tries to take it up again, but he's stopped by Parsons for no gain - 3rd down and 2

Robinson gets 8 yards to start, 2nd and 2

GAME TIME!

Cowboys have won the toss and elected to defer. Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders will start us off on offense. Let's go!

Ron Rivera on the hot seat

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera hit a new low last week when they lost at home to the lowly New York Giants. They've lost seven of their last nine games and now Rivera is on the hot seat and today's game could determine his future. 

I think a lot of people feel like the season’s kinda winding down. It’s like, ‘Nah, we still got the meat of our season left.’ The real football starts at Thanksgiving."

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Remembering last year's Commanders victory over Cowboys

In Week 18 of the NFL season last year, the Cowboys had their ugliest loss of the season - a 26-6 blowout to the Commanders. They went into the game as touchdown favorites 

New year, new teams?

The Cowboys have not forgotten about that upset, and will be looking to avoid a repeat at all costs. They are currently on a 12-game win streak at home and will certainly be looking to continue that trend today. They're also about to go on a difficult five-game stretch after this...they need an easy win.

Howell's passing yards a threat?

As we mentioned earlier, Howell is the NFL leader in passing yards. Last season, his only start for the Commanders came in that win over the Cowboys, when he threw for 11-of-19 for 169 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and one rushing touchdown. 

Fortunately for Dallas, their defense is one of the best in the NFL, holding quarterbacks to a 78.2 passer rating and no NFC team is allowing fewer passing yards than Dallas (157 per game).

More from around the NFL:

Michael Irvin says Dallas win is not a given

A stat that doesn't look goof for Washington...

The Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell is the NFL's leader in sacks taken (51).

The Dallas Cowboys are tied for sixth with the most sacks (33). Linebacker Micah Parsons is tied for seventh in sacks with 10 total this season. 

As much as Howell's been sacked, he also leads the league in a much more positive category - passing yards (3,038). But he must be careful not to throw any passes near Dallas' cornerback DaRon Bland. Last week, Bland came away with his fourth pick-6 of the season, tying a record for single-season interceptions returned for a touchdown. 

Dallas hosts 56th Thanksgiving Day game

Today's game will make the Cowboys' 56th annual Thanksgiving Day football game. They are 32-22-1 on Thanksgiving games.

The Commanders have played the Cowboys 10 times on this holiday, and the Cowboys have a huge 8-2 lead. However, the Commanders won their most recent turkey day matchup in 2020, which was a 41-16 blowout with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott injured on the sidelines. 

Prescott's record on Thanksgiving is 3-3, which includes two wins over the Commanders (in 2016 and 2018).

INACTIVES: Cowboys vs Commanders

Washington Commanders INACTIVES:

CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr.

RB Jonathan Williams

FB Alex Armah

G Julian Good-Jones

TE Curtis Hodges

WR Mitchell Tinsley

DE James Smith-Willams

Dallas Cowboys INACTIVES:

S Jayron Kearse

RB Deuce Vaughn 

OL Asim Richards 

CB Noah Igbinoghene 

CB Eric Scott 

QB Trey Lance

Commanders and Cowboys this season

The Cowboys are coming into this game after dominating their last two opponents (Panthers and Giants) and are now 7-3 on the season.

On the other hand, the Commanders are coming off two straight losses to the Giants and Seahawks and have lost four of their last five games with a 4-7 record. 

Dallas has been dominating the weaker opponents and Washington is certainly that. Still, the Commanders can surprise - they put up 31 points against fellow NFC East rivals Eagles, who now hold the best record in the league.

Still, the Cowboys are heavy favorites to win this Thanksgiving Day.

Hello everyone and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

As always, the Dallas Cowboys will host the second Thanksgiving game and this year, they'll be taking on NFC East opponents Washington Commanders.

Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium and we'll be here to bring you all the latest stats, highlights, and commentary.