SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 30, 2012
Redskins 28, Cowboys 18: Rookie Alfred Morris ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns as host Washington clinched the NFC East title with its seventh consecutive victory.
Robert Griffin III was 9-of-18 for 100 yards but rushed six times for 63 yards and a score for the Redskins (10-6), who captured their first division crown since 1999. Washington will host Seattle in a first-round playoff matchup next Sunday.
Tony Romo completed 20 of 37 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns but threw three interceptions for Dallas (8-8), which has lost the regular-season finale with the division title on the line each of the last two seasons.
The game was scoreless after one quarter as Redskins kicker Kai Forbath's 37-yard field-goal attempt with 6:59 remaining hit the right upright. Dallas fared no better in the period as Romo was intercepted on each of the Cowboys' first two possessions, with both picks occurring in Washington territory.
Dallas took the lead with 7:59 left in the second, when Romo connected with Jason Witten for a 9-yard touchdown on third-and-goal despite the fact the play clock appeared to expire before the ball was snapped. The Redskins answered on their next possession as Morris scored on a 17-yard run and took a 14-7 lead when Griffin found the end zone from 10 yards out with 3:10 to play in the third.
Following a 48-yard field goal by Dallas' Dan Bailey in the first minute of the fourth, Morris ran for a 32-yard touchdown to make it 21-10. The Cowboys cut the deficit to three as Romo threw a 10-yard TD pass to Kevin Ogletree and hit Dwayne Harris for the two-point conversion with 5:50 on the clock.
But Romo was intercepted a third time by Rob Jackson with three minutes remaining, and Morris sealed the win with a 1-yard TD run with 1:09 to play.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Dallas WR Miles Austin suffered a left ankle injury in the first half but returned after halftime. Fellow WR Dez Bryant exited in the fourth quarter with an apparent back injury. ... The game was penalty-free until the Cowboys were called for holding with 8:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. The penalty was declined by Washington as LB London Fletcher sacked Tony Romo for an 18-yard loss on the play. ... Morris finished the season with 1,612 yards, breaking the franchise record previously held by Clinton Portis, who was in attendance.