Cowboys 30-23 Commanders, Christmas Day game, summary: score, stats, highlights | NFL Week 17

Cowboys spoil Christmas in Washington, outlast Commanders 30–23 in rivalry slugfest

The NFL's Christmas Day trio of games kicked off with an NFC East rivalry that delivered chaos and momentum swings, and a vibe that made it feel like much more was at stake than actually was in reality. The Dallas Cowboys, already eliminated from playoff contention, played the role of spoiler and then some, holding off the Washington Commanders 30–23.

Dak Prescott opened the game with a methodical drive that ended in a 6-yard touchdown to Jake Ferguson, then later uncorked the play of the day - an 86-yard strike to KaVontae Turpin that instantly flipped the stadium and pushed the Cowboys ahead by 18 midway through the second quarter. Prescott finished with 307 passing yards and two touchdowns.

The Cowboys' commitment to aggression showed up everywhere. Dallas went for it on fourth down multiple times in the first half, converting key short-yardage situations that extended drives and wore down Washington’s defense. Javonte Williams powered in a short touchdown run, Malik Davis topped 100 rushing yards, and Dallas piled up 211 yards on the ground to complement Prescott’s arm.

Still, Washington refused to go without a fight, especially on Christmas, and especially against Dallas. With all three quarterbacks inactive, veteran Josh Johnson steadied things enough to keep the Commanders alive. But the real spark came from Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who ripped off a 72-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that reignited the crowd and cut Dallas’ lead to one score. Croskey-Merritt finished with 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging a staggering 9.5 yards per carry.

Deebo Samuel also made his presence known, breaking off a 41-yard run and helping Washington move the ball between the 20s. The problem for the Commanders was finishing the job. They reached the red zone multiple times but came away with field goals instead of touchdowns, settling for three Jake Moody kicks while Dallas continued to answer with points of their own.

Brandon Aubrey was a weapon again for Dallas, drilling field goals from 52 and 51 yards after missing from 58 earlier. His final make, a 51-yarder with under four minutes left, stretched the Cowboys’ lead to 30–20 and forced Washington into catch-up mode.

The Commanders responded with a long drive capped by another Moody field goal, cutting the deficit to seven and giving themselves one last hope. But Prescott slammed the door shut. After Dallas converted a key third-down pass to George Pickens, the Cowboys bled the final seconds off the clock, ending the game with a quarterback sneak that moved the chains and sealed the win.

The playoffs weren’t on the line, but pride was. And on Christmas Day, the Cowboys left Washington with bragging rights and a rivalry win.

Cowboys beat the Commanders 30-23

Prescott with the QB sneak, gains 3, gets the 1st....and gets the win! 

Luepke takes it down close to the marker, but they are calling it just short - 4th and 1 as the clock is winding down

Cowboys take final timeout

Luepke gains 4, stopped buy Kinlaw - 3rd and 2

Commanders take final timeout

Davis gains 4 yards - 2nd and 6

Commanders take second timeout

Prescott pass caught by Pickens for 21 yards - 1st down at the Commanders 43

Commanders take first timeout

Davis takes it up 3 yards - 3rd and 1

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

With 2 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys lead by one score, but there is still time for anything to happen. Dallas has the ball on their own 33 at 2nd and 4.

Cowboys have one timeout, Commanders have all three.

Davis gains 6 - 2nd and 4

Moody kicked to the Cowboys 3 and Turpin returned it to the 17

The Commanders decided to take the field goal with 2:09 left in the game so they could hope to give themselves a second opportunity to take the ball and score to even the game before the end. Moody made the 51-yard field goal and the Commanders trail by 7.

COMMANDERS FIELD GOAL!

Johnson spiked the ball to stop the clock - 3rd and 10

Moody will attempt from 51...

Johnson pass to McNichols is caught but Thomas takes him down immediately for no gain - 2nd and 10

Cowboys' Revel was injured on the play

Johnson pass caught by Sinnott for 9 yards - 1st down

Johnson pass caught by McNichols for 7 yards - 2nd and 3

Johnson pass to McLaurin caught for 12 yards - 1st down

Johnson pass complete to Sinnott for 12 yards - 1st down

Aubrey kicks to the Commanders 5 and Edmonds returns it to the 28

After missing a 58-yard field goal earlier, Aubrey made the 51-yard try to put the Cowboys ahead by 10 with 3:59 left to play in the game.

COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!

Luepke gains 3 - 4th and 5 at the Commanders 33

Cowboys take second timeout

Prescott avoided a sack, got the ball away but threw it into traffic and also somehow avoided a pick - 3rd and 8

Davis takes it up 2 yards, stopped by Luvu - 2nd and 8

Davis gains 4

Holding on Commanders' Newton - 5 yards, automatic 1st down

Prescott pass caught by Tolbert for 7 yards - 1st down at the Commanders 48

Prescott pass to Luepke caught for 14yards and the whole Washington offense had to come at him to stop him - 4th and 2 and Cowboys will obviously go for it

Prescott pass incomplete to Mingo - 3rd and 16

Prescott SACKED by Barber for a loss of 6 yards - 2nd and 16

Prescott with the QB sneak, gains 3 yards - 1st down

Commanders' Holmes was injured on the previous play

Luepke gains just 2, stopped by Jackson - 3rd and 1

Davis takes it again, gains 7 - 2nd and 3

Davis shoves through for a gain of 6 - 1st down

Prescott pass to Schoonmaker caught for 9 yards - 2nd and 6

Davis gained 3 yards but then was called for Illegal Shift - 5 yards, 1st and 15

Way punts to the 15 and Turpin makes the fair catch

False Start on Commanders' Coleman - 5 yards, 4th and 7

McNichols takes it this time but Murray and Clowney stop him for a loss of 2 yards - 4th and 3

Croskey-Merritt tackled by James and Houston for no gain - 3rd and 1

Commanders' Coleman is injured on the field

Croskey-Merritt takes it up 9 yards - 2nd and 1

Aubrey's 58-yard field goal attempt is NO GOOD! 

The Commanders will take over at their own 40

Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb - 4th and 7

Cowboys take first timeout

PRescott pass deep to Lamb tipped by Reaves - incomplete, 3rd and 7

Davis takes it up 3 yards - 2nd and 7

Prescott pass deep to Spann-Ford is CAUGHT for 31 yards - 1st down at the Commanders 43

END THIRD QUARTER

That'll take us to the end of the 3rd quarter. The Cowboys lead the Commanders 27-20 and have the ball at 2nd and 8 at their own 26.

Davis gains 2 - 2nd and 8

Moody kicked to the Cowboys 1 and Turpin returned it to the 24

The Commanders had a few big gains and penalty wins to get in the red zone, but the Cowboys defense made the sop before they could get in the end zone. Moody made the 23-yard field goal (although it didn't look great, went super far left) and they make it a 7-point game again with 16 seconds left in the 3rd quarter.

COMMANDERS FIELD GOAL!

Johnson pass incomplete to Burks - 4th and goal at the 5

Johnson faked the handoff but under pressure, he threw it away - 3rd and goal at the 5

Croskey-Merritt gains a yard - 2nd and goal at the 5

Croskey-Merritt gets yet another big gain of 13 yards and looked like he'd have taken it to the end zone but he slipped - 1st and goal at the 6

Johnson pass caught by Moore for 15 yards 

Cowboys' Revel was called for FaceMask - 15 yards, 1st down at the 19

Direct snap to Croskey-Merritt and he tossed it to Burks, but he had nowhere to go and was taken down by Clowney for a loss of a yard - 2nd and 11 

Johnson pass is CAUGHT by McLaurin for 16yards - 1st down

Johnson's pass NEARLY picked by Wlliams, bounced to the turf - incomplete, 3rd and 10

Johnson scrambles for 5 yards - 2nd and 10

False Start on the Commanders' Coleman - 5 yards, 1st and 15

Aubrey kicks to the Commanders 2 and Moore returns it to the 35

The Cowboys were able to put some points back on the board with a 52-yard field goal by Aubrey. It's now a 10-point game with 4:42 to go in the 3rd quarter.

COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!

Prescott pass to Tolbert was caught but he didn't get his feet in bounds to haul it in - incomplete, 4th and 8

Prescott pass deep to Lamb in the end zone is incomplete - 3rd and 8

Davis gains 2, stopped by Tuttle - 2nd and 8

Prescott tried to escape a sack and scramble but got tripped up and fell, but he was already down when Luvu hit him, so he was called for UnnecessaryRoughness and gave Dallas 17 yards on the automatic 1st down

Prescott pass tipped by Luvu, incomplete - 3rd and 9

Davis gains 6 - 2nd and 9

False Start on Cowboys' Smith - 5 yards, 1st and 15

Prescott pass to Lamb caught for a gain of 24 yards - 1st down at the Commanders 42

Prescott pass to Lamb complete for 7 yards - 3rd and 8

Prescott SACKED by Wagner and Newton for a loss of 5 yards - 2nd and 15

Prescott pass to Pickens caught and he runs for a gain of 19 yards - 1st down

Moody kicked to the Cowboys 4 and Turpin returned it to the 27

Illegal Blindside Block on Cowboys' Liafau - 14 yards

He cannot be stopped! 72-yard TD for the Commanders!

Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt took off for a huge run of 72 YARDS to get the Commanders in the end zone again and Moody's PAT was good to make it a one-score game with 9:34 to play in the 3rd quarter.

Anger punts to the Commanders 38 and Cracraft took it but was tackled right away by Goodwin

Illegal Block in the Back on Commanders' Owens - 10 yards 

False Start on Cowboys' Bell - 5 yards

Prescott pass incomplete to Pickens - 4th and 13 and Cowboys will finally punt for the first time today

Prescott pass complete to Pickens and he spins and gains 10 yards but he's called for an Offensive Pass Interference - 10 yards, 3rd and 13

Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb - 3rd and 3

Luepke picks up 7 more - 2nd and 3

Luepke runs it up 8 yards - 1st down

Prescott SACKED by Newton for a loss of 6 yards - 3rd and 8

Davis gains 8 yards - 2nd and 2

Way punts to the Cowboys 7 and Turpin makes the fair catch

Johnson pass incomplete deep to Sinnott - 4th and 8

Johnson scrambles for a gain of 5 - 3rd and 8

Croskey-Merritt taken back by Williams for a loss of 3 - 2nd and 13

Johnson pass to McLaurin caught for 12 yards - 1st down

And we're back!

Aubrey kicks to the 4 and Edmonds returns it to the Commanders 26

HALFTIME

That takes us to the end of the first half. The Cowboys have been aggressive on offense so far, going for it on 4th downs and getting down the field. The Commanders trail 24-10 after a score by Croskey-Marritt, though Samuel has been leading the offense. The Commanders will start on offense in the second half. 

False Start on Commanders (Samuel wasn't set) - 5 yards, 10-second runoff and that'll run out the clock

Johnson pass to McLaurin caught for 6 yards - 2nd and 4

Aubrey kicks to the end zone - touchback to Commanders 35

Brandon Aubrey made the 42-yard field goal easy. The Cowboys lead by 14 with the first half coming to an end, 19 seconds left. 

COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!

Commanders take final timeout

Prescott SACKED by Smith for a loss of 4 yards - 4th and 9

Cowboys take second timeout

Prescott pass to Tolbert complete for 5 yards - 3rd and 5

Prescott pass incomplete to Davis - 2nd and 10 

Prescott pass caught by Schoonmaker for 6 yards - 1st down

Cowboys take first timeout

Luepke takes it 5 yards - 2nd and 5

Prescott pass caught by Turpin for 14 yards - 1st down 

Prescott scrambles for 6 yards - 3rd and 4

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

That takes us to the 2-minute warning in the first half. The Cowboys lead the Commanders 21-10 and have the ball at 2nd and 10 on their own 44.

Davis gains 5, tripped by Miller - 2nd and 10

False Start on Cowboys' Schoonmaker - 5 yards, 1st and 15 

Prescott scrambles for a gain of 12 yards - 1st down 

Davis gains nothing, tackled by Kinlaw - 3rd and 5

Davis takes the ball up 5 yards - 2nd and 5

Moody kicks to the Cowboys 1 and Turpin returns it to the 26

Croskey-Merritt for Washington's first TD!

After another big gain by Deebo Samuel, Croskey-Merritt took the ball up the middle 10 yards for the Commanders' first touchdown. Moody's PAT was good and the Commanders get back in the game with 4:35 left in the first half. 

Johnson pass incomplete to Samuel but Cowboys' Steward was called for PassInterference - automatic 1st down at the 10

Johnson pass complete to McNichols for 6 yards - 3rd and 8

Direct snap to Samuel was caught right away, stopped for a loss of 4 by Clowney and Clark - 2nd and 14

Samuel carrying the Commanders!

Commanders' Biadasz was injured on the previous play

Croskey-Merritt got nowhere, but there was a Personal Foul, Horse Collar on Cowboys' Diggs - 15 yards, automatic 1st down

Commanders take second timeout

Johnson pass incomplete to McLaurin, blocked by Hooker - 2nd down

Samuel shoves through and takes off for yet another huge gain of 29yards - 1st down at the Cowboys 31

Aubrey kicked to the Commanders 27, short of the landing zone - penalty on Cowboys, ball placed at the Washington 40

86 yards at FULL SPEED!

Turpin with the Cowboys TD

Prescott made a deep pass to Turpin and it was CAUGHT and he took off 86 yards for the touchdown! Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys make it a 19-point game with 7 minutes left in the first half. 

Prescott toss to Lamb caught but he's taken down immediately by Magee for a loss of 1 - 3rd and 11

Prescott pass incomplete - 2nd and 10

Prescott pass to Lamb caught for 11 yards - 1st down

Davis gains a yard - 2nd and 9

Way punted to the Cowboys 2 and Butler downed it there

Johnson pass incomplete to Samuel, stopped by Steward - 4th and 7 and Washington will punt it back

Johnson pass complete to Sinnott for 8 yards - 3rd and 7

Johnson pass incomplete to McLaurin, blocked by Revel - 2nd and 15

Croskey-Merritt gained a yard but Commanders were called for IllegalFormation - 5 yards, 1st and 15

Joohnson pass complete to Samuel for a huge gain 27yards - 1st down at the Cowboys 46

Croskey-Merritt tackled by Wilson for a loss of 2 - 2nd and 12

Aubrey kicks to the Washington 1 and Edmonds returns it to the 29

Williams TD extends Dallas' lead!

Williams takes the ball into the end zone 4 yards for the touchdown. Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys extend the lead with 12:06 left in the first half.

Prescott pass to Pickens incomplete - he jumped up to make the catch between two defenders and Reaves' helmet came into contact with Lamb's

Unnecessary Roughness on Commanders' Reaves - 1st and goal just inside the 5

Prescott pass incomplete to Ferguson - 2nd and goal

Cowboys go for it again on 4th down for the third time, and Williams picks it up - 1st down and goal at the 9

Davis gains nothing, stopped by Luvu - 4th and 1 at the 10

Williams gains 9 yards - 3rd and 1

Prescott pass incomplete to Tolbert - 1st and 10 

Prescott pass to Tolbert complete for 4 yards - 1st down

Commanders take first timeout

Prescott pass incomplete to Tolbert in the end zone - 4th and 2

END FIRST QUARTER

That'll take us to the end of the first quarter. The Cowboys lead the Commanders 7-3 and have the ball on the Commanders 23 at 3rd down and 2.

Williams gains a yard, stopped by Newton - 3rd and 2

Williams picks up 7 yards - 2nd and 3

Prescott pass to Pickens caught for 19 yards - 1st down at the Commanders 31

Davis gains a yard, stopped by Luvu - 4th and 1

Prescott hands it off to Davis and he bursts through for 16yards - 3rd and 2

Prescott SACKED by Newton for a loss of 8 yards - 2nd and 18 at the 33

Prescott pass to Lamb incomplete

Pass Interference on Commanders' Jones - automatic 1st down at the Dallas 41

Williams picks up 3 - 2nd and 7

Williams shoves through for 4 yards

Unnecessary Roughness on Cowboys' Booker - 15 yards, 1st and 10 at the Cowboys 31

Prescott pass to Lamb caught for 5 yards - 2nd and 5

Moody kicks to the Dallas end zone - touchback to Cowboys 35

What a run by Deebo!

After that huge 41-yard run by Samuel, the Commanders didn't make it into the end zone thanks to a third-down sack by Jadeveon Clowney. Instead, Jake Moody made the 29-yard field goal to put Washington on the board with 4:44 to play in the first quarter.

COMMANDERS FIELD GOAL!

Johnson SACKED by Clowney for a loss of 8 yards to the Cowboys 11 - 4th and goal

Croskey-Merritt gains 2, then 1 - 3rd and goal at the 2

Johnson passes to Samuel and he BURSTS through for a huge gain of 41 YARDS, smashing Donovan Wilson on the way and causing his helmet to come off! 1st and goal at the Dallas 6!

Johnson pass complete to McLaurin for 16 yards - 1st down at the Dallas 47

Johnson pass complete to Burks for 11 yards - 1st down

Josh Johnson under center for Washington

He hands it off to Croskey-Merritt and he gains just 2 - 2nd and 8

Aubrey kicks to the 5 and Edmonds returns it to the 24

Ferguson TD to start the Christmas Day game!

The Cowboys started on offense and got downfield in about 5 minutes. Prescott's pass to TE Jake Ferguson was bobbled but then caught in the end zone for the 6-yard touchdown. Brandon Aubrey's PAT was good and Dallas takes the early lead with 9:42 to go in the first quarter.

Williams gains a yard - 2nd and goal from the 6

Prescott made the short pass to Pickens and he ran down the sidelines for a gain of 19yards - 1st and goal at the 7

Williams gains 5 - 3rd and 5

Prescott pass incomplete to Davis, stoppe d by Wagner - 2nd and 10

Davis bursts through and takes off for 21 yards! 1st down at the Commanders 31

Prescott pass deep to Lamb was incomplete, blocked by Harris - 2nd and 10

Prescott hands it off to Williams and he gains 4 yards for the 1st down

Prescott pass to Williams incomplete, stopped by Jones - 4th and 1

Williams gets a yard - 3rd and 1

Williams shoves through for 8 yards, knocking down Sainristil on the way! 2nd and 2

Prescott pass incomplete to Turpin, but Commanders' Igbinoghene is called for PassInterference - automatic 1st down

Prescott pass short to Williams was too high, incomplete - 3rd and 6

Javonte Williams gains 4 yards to put the Cowboys at 2nd and 6

Moody kicks to the Cowboys 1 and Turpin returns it to the 22

Game on!

Commanders won the toss and elected to defer. The Cowboys are starting us on offense here at Northwest Stadium. Let's go!

NFL

Who is singing the national anthem at the Cowboys vs Commanders game on Christmas Day?

Reality singing group SZN4 will perform at the Dallas-Washington game, bringing Netflix star power to the holiday matchup.

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Commanders vs Cowboys INJURY REPORT

Commanders Injury Report

Washington enters its Christmas Day matchup against Dallas severely shorthanded, particularly at quarterback and along the defensive front. The biggest blow is the absence of QB Jayden Daniels, who remains out as the Commanders continue to prioritize his long-term health in a lost season. Veteran Marcus Mariota and emergency QB Sam Hartman are also inactive, forcing Washington to turn to Josh Johnson under center. In the backfield, RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. was added late to the injury report with an illness and will not play, thinning an already unsettled running back rotation. On defense, the loss of DT Daron Payne removes a cornerstone of the interior line, limiting Washington's ability to control the trenches.

Commanders INACTIVES

QB Jayden Daniels

QB Marcus Mariota

QB Sam Hartman

RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.

LT Laremy Tunsil

LB Nick Bellore

DT Daron Payne

Cowboys Injury Report

Dallas is also dealing with notable absences. The Cowboys will be without LB DeMarvion Overshown, a key piece of their defensive rotation whose speed and range have been missed in recent weeks. Rookie RB Jaydon Blue is inactive, limiting Dallas’ backfield depth, while injuries in the secondary continue to test the Cowboys’ coverage units. With both teams eliminated from postseason contention, Dallas may lean more heavily on veterans already in the lineup while evaluating younger players in expanded roles.

Cowboys INACTIVES

LB DeMarvion Overshown

WR Ryan Flournoy

CB Caelen Carson

RB Jaydon Blue

DT Jay Toia

DT Perrion Winfrey

NFL

Who is performing at the halftime show of the Cowboys vs Commanders game on Christmas Day?

Christmas Day will begin with a pre-game performance by Kelly Clarkson, a big start to the NFL's slate of festive broadcasts. At time of writing, there is no halftime performer announced for the Cowboys - Commanders game. However the Netflix listing for the game does promise a "live halftime spectacle" so make sure you stick around for the entertainment.

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NFL

Commanders set to field 39-year-old quarterback, four years on from last start

The Washington Commanders are set to hand a rare NFL start to 39-year-old quarterback Josh Johnson following a string of injuries.

Johnson was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and has since been a member of a league-record 14 different NFL teams. However he has never been a regular starter, racking up just 10 starts across his long NFL career.

The last time Johnson started an NFL game was a Week 9 game for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. Only one of his ten previous starts has ended in a win, coming during a previous spell with Washington in 2018.

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The disappointing seasons of the Cowboys and Commanders

While the Commanders' season has been pretty consistently poor, the Cowboys got fans’ hopes up several times only to shatter them as they tend to do. But in the end, both have had disappointing seasons. For the Commanders, it’s a change from last season, when they made it to the NFC title game. For the Cowboys, it’s the second consecutive season missing the postseason. 

Here’s how they got here.

Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1)

The Cowboys enter Week 17 officially eliminated from playoff contention, a sobering reality after opening the season with postseason expectations. Dallas’ year was defined by inconsistency and defensive regression, particularly after losing Micah Parsons early in the season.

Without their defensive cornerstone, the Cowboys struggled to generate pressure and finished near the bottom of the league in scoring defense, often forcing Dak Prescott to pick up the slack. While the offense showed flashes under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, with Prescott surpassing 4,000 passing yards and CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens both topping 1,000 receiving yards, turnovers, red-zone inefficiency and a lack of balance ultimately doomed Dallas. Close losses and missed opportunities piled up, and by mid-December, the Cowboys found themselves mathematically out of the playoff race, extending the franchise’s Super Bowl drought to 30 years.

Washington Commanders (4-11)

The Commanders were officially eliminated weeks ago and arrive at Week 17 riding a disappointing record that reflects struggles on both sides of the ball. Injuries along the offensive line derailed any chance of consistency, while quarterback play rotated amid inconsistent performances. Terry McLaurin remained a bright spot in the passing game, but the lack of a reliable run game and frequent defensive breakdowns left Washington playing from behind far too often.

Defensively, the Commanders failed to capitalize on young talent, ranking near the bottom of the league in takeaways and third-down stops. With the season effectively over, Week 17 serves as an evaluation opportunity for Washington as it looks ahead to another offseason focused on roster overhaul and long-term development.

Hello everyone and a very Merry Christmas to you all! This year, Santa is bringing us a slate of NFL games starting with a juicy NFC East rivalry matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders. Although both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, this is a divisional rivalry on Christmas Day, so there is bound to be drama.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET from Northwest Stadium and AS USA will be here to bring you all the updates, scores, highlights and commentary all throughout the game and up to the final whistle.