LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Commanders’ skid to three games.
Seibert, who missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt following a low snap. Thomas then took the kick back 43 yards as the Cowboys (4-7) ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion.
Part of that was the play of backup Cooper Rush, who threw for 247 yards and two TDs in his third start in place of starter Dak Prescott. Part was also the defense forcing two turnovers, as Chauncey Golston ripped the ball out of Brian Robinson Jr.’s hands for what was called an interception of Daniels in the second quarter, and Donovan Wilson stripped John Bates midway through the fourth.
KaVonte Turpin provided the fireworks with a spinning, 99-yard kickoff return TD seconds after Daniels found Zach Ertz in the end zone and scored on a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three with 3:02 left. In the final three minutes alone, the Commanders (7-5) scored 10 points and allowed Thomas’ TD.
All that after the score was 10-9 through three quarters before madness ensued.
Washington’s playoff hopes that looked solid not long ago are now in serious jeopardy after losing to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Dallas. Before the scoring outburst late, much of this defeat had to do with Daniels and the offense not being able to find any kind of a rhythm.
The Cowboys did, despite playing without their two best offensive linemen, top cornerback and starting tight end. Rush’s 6-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert was Dallas’ first third-quarter TD of the season, and his 22-yarder to Luke Schoonmaker came after Wilson’s forced fumble.
Daniels finished 25 of 38 for 274 yards, including his second interception of the game on a failed Hail Mary as the clock expired. Rico Dowdle ran 19 times for 86 yards to spring the upset for the Cowboys, who were 10 1/2-point underdogs on BetMGM Sportsbook.
Injuries
Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. … RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game.
Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was injured on a kickoff return in the final seconds. … Robinson left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. … RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. … C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. … CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game since being acquired at the trade deadline from New Orleans.
Up next
Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas.
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