The Washington Redskins had a lot on the line Monday night at home against their NFC East division rival Dallas Cowboys. The team would have the opportunity to have a solid hold on the division lead and hoped to put the Cowboys out of their misery. Last week against the New York Giants Washington came out and played a physical brand of football on defense as well as in the trenches along the offensive line. They hoped to do the same during a Monday Night Football appearance in front of the nation but it didn’t quite work out that way.
In the Redskins first offensive series the Cowboys defense came out displaying a heavy dose of pressure, getting to quarterback Kirk Cousins twice and forcing a three-and-out.
When Dallas’ offensive crew came onto the field, Washington’s defense picked up right where they left off the previous week, forcing a fumble on the first run play from scrimmage. Redskins’ safety Dashon Goldson would cause Cowboys running back Darren Mcfadden to fumble and would recover it, giving the Redskins’ offense great field position.
Unfortunately, Washington was unable to do anything with that turnover as the Cowboys defense continued to bring relentless pressure and clog up any run lanes. On Dallas’ second possession the Cowboys tried to take the ball down the field for the game’s first score but Washington’s defense held their ground and had none of it. It stuffed the run and brought pressure to force Cowboys backup quarterback Matt Cassel into an errant throw that forced them to punt the ball again.
Both teams put up defensive fights during the first half of the game and neither team could get into an offensive rhythm. The Redskins’ offensive line struggled picking up the different types of blitzes being thrown at them by Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, confusing the young players there in the trenches. The Burgundy and Gold defense however, blanketed the Cowboys wide receivers and crowded Cassel, forcing him to make some poor throws.
Late in the second quarter the Cowboys would break the scoring drought with a 10-play, 60-yard drive, taking up 5:17 on the clock. Tight end Jason Witten, making two key first-down catches plus a deep ball from Cassel to receiver Terrence Williams put them in position put three on the board with a field goal.
Cousins put together a drive of his own though, hitting both wide out Pierre Garçon and tight end Jordan Reed to convert some huge third downs. But penalties would once again stifle the drive. Eventually, Redskins young kicker Dustin Hopkins put three on the board to tie it up at the half.
The first half of football saw the Redskins struggle to develop a tempo and pace in moving the ball. They were only able to muster up 116 total yards of offense (34 rushing, 82 passing). Dallas struggled as well, finishing the first half with 89 total yards (27 rushing, 62 passing). Penalties would be the talk of the first half with 11 total penalties for 97 yards.
Washington seemed to be very conservative with their offensive play calling. There were not many aggressive plays called in the passing game and a lot of running on obvious downs, making them look predictable. Offensive coordinator Sean McVay seemed to have a restrictor plate on the offense, reluctant to put the ball in the air or take advantage of the man-to-man coverage being played during the Cowboys’ blitzes.
In the second half both defenses continued their battles in the trenches and the game became a field-goal-fest until late in the fourth quarter.
Dallas recovered a fumble made on a punt return from Redskins speedy receiver DeSean Jackson that would put the Cowboys’ offense in excellent position to score a touchdown and they did just that. The NFC East rival was able to capitalize on the turnover with a 2-play, 15-yard drive capped by a McFadden touchdown run.
Redskin wide receiver and kickoff returner Rashad Ross helped his team in a big way by giving his quarterback a short field to work with when he returned the Cowboys’ kickoff 41 yards. Cousins, with the opportunity to shine in a big moment, came through afterward. Gruden called Jackson’s number, giving him an opportunity to redeem himself after the fumble, and Cousins through a perfect ball to him. Jackson made the catch look easy, scoring a 28-yard touchdown tying the game up to 16-all.
Washington’s special teams would have a not-so-special moment at the wrong time then as the Cowboys Lucky Whitehead had a monster kick return for 46 yards to the Dallas 44 yard line. If not for the amazing come-from-behind tackle by fullback and special teams’ core player Darrel Young, Whitehead might have gone the distance. Afterward, Washington’s defense forced the Cowboys to take a 54-yard field goal to win the game and Dallas kicker Dan Bailey knocked it through the uprights with room to spare.
The Redskins suffered another loss in which the defensive unit gave the offense every chance to grab the bull by the horns and take the game over. But penalties and a failure to capitalize on turnovers came back to cost them as a team.
Despite the loss, Washington still leads the division due to tie breakers and the team’s next stop is on the road as it takes on the (5-7) Chicago Bears. Washington is winless on the road so far this season so it will look to start a road-game win streak this week.