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ARLINGTON – Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones celebrated his 71st birthday in winning fashion.
Dwayne Harris returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown and set up another score with a 90-yard kickoff return, Tony Romo threw a touchdown pass and a rejuvenated defense paved the way for a crucial fourth-quarter TD with a strip sack of Robert Griffin III in the Cowboys’ 31-16 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night.
In snapping a two-game skid that included last week’s gut-wrenching 51-48 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Cowboys (3-3) set up a showdown with the Eagles (3-3) next weekend in Philadelphia for the NFC East lead.
The Commanders, who swept the Cowboys last season, are 1-4.
“We knew this was an important game at our place against a division rival, a dangerous team,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said. “All three phases stepped up. It’s exciting when everyone is involved, but we will put this one away quickly and get ready for the Eagles.”
The win represented a bounce-back game by Monte Kiffin’s defense, which had surrendered a combined 81 points and more than 1,000 yards during the losing streak.
But in limiting Washington to one TD and three field goals, the Cowboys sacked Griffin three times and intercepted him in the fourth quarter when cornerback Orlando Scandrick made an uncontested grab in the end zone.
The biggest defensive play by Dallas came about five minutes earlier when end Kyle Wilber took the ball away from Griffin at the Commanders’ 3-yard line. Two plays later, rookie tailback Joseph Randle powered his way into the end zone from one yard out to give Dallas the lead by the final score with 8:49 left.
“We put a lot of work in (last week),” Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said of the defense. “We were disgraced with our performance (against Denver) and we went out tonight and played well.
“We have a lot of guys that have been working behind the scene trying to get better. They came in and made a ton of plays for us. It really was the difference in the game.”
Said cornerback Brandon Carr, “That disappointing performance last week left a bitter taste in our mouth. But everyone came to work with a chip on their shoulder and ready to perform for 60 minutes of hard work and sticking together.”
Dallas overcame the losses of running back DeMarco Murray and defensive end DeMarcus Ware to injuries in the first half. Murray (sprained left knee) and Ware (right quadriceps strain) did not play in the second half and their status for Philadelphia is uncertain.
Harris’ score gave Dallas a 14-3 lead with 2:26 left in the first half. It was the fifth-longest punt return in franchise history.
After the Commanders pulled within 14-9 on a Kai Forbath’s 33-yard field goal, Harris came to the rescue again with his long kickoff return. Two plays later, Romo escaped a blitz to loft the ball into the end zone, where rookie Terrance Williams made an over-the-shoulder grab in the corner with 9:03 left in the third quarter.
“Dwayne did a fantastic job,” Garrett said. “Talk about making difference-making plays.”
Romo was 18 of 30 for 170 yards with one interception. Last week against Denver, he passed for a club-record 506 yards and four scores, but his fourth-quarter interception allowed the Broncos to kick the winning field goal as time expired.
“When you win, it feels much better,” Romo said. “All that matters is the ‘W.’ ”
Griffin finished 19 of 39 for 246 yards with one interception.
It was a far cry from his 311-yard, four-TD effort as a rookie last season in leading the Commanders to a 38-31 win on Thanksgiving Day in Arlington.
The Cowboys are 4-1 when playing on Jones’ birthday.
Continue reading...
Dwayne Harris returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown and set up another score with a 90-yard kickoff return, Tony Romo threw a touchdown pass and a rejuvenated defense paved the way for a crucial fourth-quarter TD with a strip sack of Robert Griffin III in the Cowboys’ 31-16 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night.
In snapping a two-game skid that included last week’s gut-wrenching 51-48 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Cowboys (3-3) set up a showdown with the Eagles (3-3) next weekend in Philadelphia for the NFC East lead.
The Commanders, who swept the Cowboys last season, are 1-4.
“We knew this was an important game at our place against a division rival, a dangerous team,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said. “All three phases stepped up. It’s exciting when everyone is involved, but we will put this one away quickly and get ready for the Eagles.”
The win represented a bounce-back game by Monte Kiffin’s defense, which had surrendered a combined 81 points and more than 1,000 yards during the losing streak.
But in limiting Washington to one TD and three field goals, the Cowboys sacked Griffin three times and intercepted him in the fourth quarter when cornerback Orlando Scandrick made an uncontested grab in the end zone.
The biggest defensive play by Dallas came about five minutes earlier when end Kyle Wilber took the ball away from Griffin at the Commanders’ 3-yard line. Two plays later, rookie tailback Joseph Randle powered his way into the end zone from one yard out to give Dallas the lead by the final score with 8:49 left.
“We put a lot of work in (last week),” Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said of the defense. “We were disgraced with our performance (against Denver) and we went out tonight and played well.
“We have a lot of guys that have been working behind the scene trying to get better. They came in and made a ton of plays for us. It really was the difference in the game.”
Said cornerback Brandon Carr, “That disappointing performance last week left a bitter taste in our mouth. But everyone came to work with a chip on their shoulder and ready to perform for 60 minutes of hard work and sticking together.”
Dallas overcame the losses of running back DeMarco Murray and defensive end DeMarcus Ware to injuries in the first half. Murray (sprained left knee) and Ware (right quadriceps strain) did not play in the second half and their status for Philadelphia is uncertain.
Harris’ score gave Dallas a 14-3 lead with 2:26 left in the first half. It was the fifth-longest punt return in franchise history.
After the Commanders pulled within 14-9 on a Kai Forbath’s 33-yard field goal, Harris came to the rescue again with his long kickoff return. Two plays later, Romo escaped a blitz to loft the ball into the end zone, where rookie Terrance Williams made an over-the-shoulder grab in the corner with 9:03 left in the third quarter.
“Dwayne did a fantastic job,” Garrett said. “Talk about making difference-making plays.”
Romo was 18 of 30 for 170 yards with one interception. Last week against Denver, he passed for a club-record 506 yards and four scores, but his fourth-quarter interception allowed the Broncos to kick the winning field goal as time expired.
“When you win, it feels much better,” Romo said. “All that matters is the ‘W.’ ”
Griffin finished 19 of 39 for 246 yards with one interception.
It was a far cry from his 311-yard, four-TD effort as a rookie last season in leading the Commanders to a 38-31 win on Thanksgiving Day in Arlington.
The Cowboys are 4-1 when playing on Jones’ birthday.
Continue reading...