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The Playoffs – Cowboys take no notice and run over Washington on ‘Sunday Night Football’

The Dallas Cowboys hosted the Washington Football Team at AT&T Stadium and delivered a historic “rout” to their division rivals by winning 56-14 on Sunday Night Football this Sunday (26).

The 56 points became the franchise’s highest single-game score since 1980 and the highest single-team score since 2009, when the New England Patriots scored 59 points against the Tennessee Titans.

The dominance was so great that Dallas had already scored 42 points in the first half alone. With the match already defined, the holders didn’t even act in the last quarter. On top of that, the team still secured the NFC East title and continues to fight for the conference’s first overall position, now with an 11-4 record. Washington, on the other hand, practically says goodbye to any possibility of playoffs after knowing their ninth defeat in 15 games (6-9).

Dak Prescott played an almost perfect game. The quarterback completed 28 of 39 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 37 yards in nine attempts and scored two TDs, one on the floor and the other on his only catch of the game for five yards. Amari Cooper (seven catches for 85 yards and one touchdown), Dalton Schultz (eight catches, 82 yards and a TD) and Malik Turner (three catches for 82 yards and a touchdown) were the leaders of the Cowboys air strike.

On the other side, the attack of the team commanded by Ron Rivera produced little. Taylor Heinicke completed just seven of 22 passes for a total of 121 yards, a TD and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Antonio Gibson led the backfield with 29 ground yards and Dyami Brown had the most air yards with 53 from two catches.

THE GAME

Dallas’ first offensive campaign came to nothing, even with a creative move to surprise Washington’s defense. Then Taylor Heinicke was intercepted by Trevon Diggs in his first pass attempt of the match. It was the cornerback’s 11th interception of the season, the league leader in the field. The Cowboys capitalized on their opponent’s error and scored the first TD of the night when Dak Prescott found Ezekiel Elliott alone on the edge of the end zone, putting 7-0 on the scoreboard.

Washington’s attack had its second chance in the game but failed to stay on the field for long. The team’s offensive line struggled to hold the opponent’s pass rush and couldn’t protect Heinicke, who had practically no time to plant and scan the field. Dallas received the ball again and repeated the feat with another great drive from the attack, finishing in a touchdown by Dalton Schultz in a play similar to the previous TD.

The nightmare for Washington had no end. Still in the first quarter, Heinicke was intercepted for the second time, releasing a pick six into the hands of Demarcus Lawrence, who read the QB’s eyes and managed the intercept at the scrimmage line, putting Dallas ahead 21-0.

The visiting team finally managed to produce something in offense after a 48-yard big play on a Dyami Brown catch. The play put Washington close to the opposing red zone and was enough to boost morale for the team, who reached the end of the field with an eight-yard TD taken from Antonio Gibson.

The visitors’ touchdown did not shake Dallas. The team continued to dominate the attack, advancing with ease across the field. Dak continued to play an almost perfect game, missing just eight passes in the first half in 35 attempts.

The Cowboys had three more touchdowns before the end of the first half. One with Zeke running the ball, the second with a catch from offensive lineman Terence Steele, in a play action on the one-yard line that fooled everyone, and the last in the fourth pass to Prescott’s TD who found Amari Cooper alone in the end zone. The first half ended with an unbelievable 42 points scored by Dallas, against just seven by Washington.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys’ attack seemed to have “taken it off,” but the team’s special teams wanted more. It was their first scorer of the period after Washington had the punt blocked at the one-yard line. The ball bounced into the end zone and offered into Goldston’s hands to put another seven points on the scoreboard.

The last period was a great opportunity for the reserves to show their value. The Cowboys had the luxury of sparing all of their starters, while Washington did the same down the stretch. Dallas still scored another TD on a pass from Cooper Rush to Malik Turner. Washington even narrowed the gap in the final minutes, ending the “salty” account with a score of 56 to 14.

Photo: Reproduction Twitter/Dallas Cowboys

NFL 2021 – SEMANA 16

Thursday (12/23)

San Francisco 49ers 17 @ 20 Tennessee Titans

Saturday (12/25)

Cleveland Browns 22 @ 24 Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts 22 @ 16 Arizona Cardinals

Sunday (12/26)

Detroit Lions 16 @ 20 Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens 21 @ 41 Cincinnati Bengals
Los Angeles Rams 30 @ 23 Minnesota Vikings
Buffalo Bills 33 @ 21 New England Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars 21 @ 26 New York Jets
New York Giants 10 @ 34 Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32 @ 6 Carolina Panthers
Los Angeles Chargers 29 @ 41 Houston Texans
Chicago Bears 25 @ 24 Seattle Seahawks
Pittsburgh Steelers 10 @ 36 Kansas City Chiefs
Denver Broncos 13 @ 17 Las Vegas Raiders
Washington Football Team 14 @ 56 Dallas Cowboys

Monday (12/27)

22h15 – Miami Dolphins @ New Orleans Saints

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