The Sports Xchange
Sep 18, 2016
WASHINGTON -- Alfred Morris scored on a 4-yard run with 4:45 left to help the Dallas Cowboys defeat his former team, the Washington Redskins, 27-23 on Sunday.
Morris capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that came after Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins was intercepted throwing into triple coverage in the end zone as the Redskins appeared on the verge of taking a 10-point lead.
Quarterback Dak Prescott hit passes of 12 yards to Cole Beasley and eight yards to Jason Witten to set up second-and-goal on the 4. The drive was also aided by a roughing the passer penalty.
On the Redskins next possession, Cousins' pass to Pierre Garcon on fourth-and-1 from their own 44 was tipped by a defender and incomplete. Washington got the ball back with 1:30 left and no timeouts. A 37-yard completion on third down to Chris Thompson got them to midfield, but a desperation Hail Mary on the final play landed out of the back of the end zone.
Prescott was sacked four times but finished 22 of 30 for 292 yards with no turnovers. Fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliot carried 21 times for 83 yards and a touchdown, but spent the crucial drives down the stretch on the sideline because of two fumbles, one in the fourth quarter that Dallas recovered. Dez Bryant, held to one reception in Week 1, had seven catches for 102 yards.
Cousins struggled with his accuracy and completed 28 of 46 passes for 364 yards, with one touchdown and the interception. Tight end Jordan Reed had five catches for 70 yards.
The game was turnover free until Washington's Josh Norman stripped Elliot and Washington recovered at the Dallas 34 with 1:39 left in the third quarter. The Redskins had first-and-goal at the 9, but settled for a Dustin Hopkins field goal and a 23-20 lead after three quarters.
Washington took a 17-13 lead when it got the second-half kick and went 75 yards in eight plays. Cousins completed five of his six passes on the drive, including a decisive bullet for an 11-yard score to Jamison Crowder in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.
Dallas quickly regained the lead. On third-and-11 from the Redskins 23, Prescott found Bryant for 16 yards. Two plays later Prescott scrambled six yards for the touchdown with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
The Redskins made the most of a botched onside kick and came away with a field goal, tying the game at 20.
The Cowboys opened the game by driving inside the Washington 10. Prescott found Bryant twice on third down for 18 and 17 yards, then Beasley on a slant for 28 yards to the 5. Dallas couldn't punch it and Dan Bailey's 22-yarder made it 3-0.
After Cousins overthrew an open Jamison Crowder for what would have been a touchdown on Washington's first possession, a punt pinned Dallas at its own 6-yard line. The Cowboys went 94 yards in nine plays to make it 10-0.
The key play came on fourth-and-1 at the Washington 30 when Prescott faked the handoff, rolled right and found tight end Geoff Swaim for a 28-yard catch and run. Smith soon bulled in from the 1 with 1:39 left in the first quarter.
The Redskins made it 10-7 when Cousins hit Reed over the middle for 25-yards on the first play, and later found Jackson for 12 yards to the Dallas 14. On the next play, Jones ran left and, as he was tackled, extended the ball across the goal line for the touchdown.
NOTES: The Cowboys have won four straight at Washington. ... Cowboys RB Alfred Morris had five carries for seven yards and a touchdown. He spent his first four seasons with Washington and ranks fifth on the team's all-time rushing list with 4,713 yards. ... Dan Bailey (150) became just the second Dallas kicker to reach 150 career field goals. Rafael Septien made 162. ... Cowboys RT Doug Free made his 100th career start. ... Redskins TE Vernon Davis played his 150th career game. .. The Redskins are 0-2 for the first time since 2013, when they started 0-3.