The Dallas Cowboys grinded out a 30-23 victory against the Washington Commanders on Christmas. The victory was probably closer than it should’ve been.
Dallas led 24-10 at halftime, but the offense sputtered out in the second half, producing just six total points. Defensively, the Cowboys surrendered a 72-yard touchdown run to Jacory Croskey-Merritt that gave the Commanders some life.
Ultimately, Brandon Aubrey iced the win with a late field goal, and Dak Prescott was able to run out the clock to break the Cowboys’ three-game losing streak.
In the midst of a physical game, Dallas had a couple of players forced to exit due to injuries.
Latest On Javonte Williams, Shavon Revel Jr.
Following the win, head coach Brian Schottenheimer provided an update on running back Javonte Williams and cornerback Shavon Revel Jr.
Williams left with a shoulder injury in the first half, finishing with 13 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown. He apparently reaggravated an ailment that he’s been dealing with for a few weeks.
Revel Jr. went down in the fourth quarter for an extended period. The rookie defender tied for the team lead with six tackles and a pass deflection. He’ll be going into concussion protocol.
“Revel’s got concussion protocol and then Javonte, shoulder, stinger, same thing that he had,” Schottenheimer said on Thursday night.
It’s worth wondering if Dallas will consider sitting Williams in the regular season finale. Malik Davis had an admirable performance, totaling a career-high 103 yards on 20 carries.
Revel Jr. recovered from an ACL injury and made his debut last month. He’s one of the few bodies at a position of need as the team has been banged up at cornerback all year.
Schottenheimer compared the Cowboys’ win over the Commanders to a title fight. It was a gritty game from beginning to end, especially with both teams on a short week.
“We knew we had to play a physical game,” Schottenheimer said. “When you guys go in there, you’ll see a few of the guys look like they were literally just in a heavyweight title fight. Malik Davis’ arms are all beat up and bloody, his eyes swollen. We were running out of bodies there at the end on offense. 80 something plays, 38 minutes time of possession. At the end of the day, it was a physical, physical game, and I’m just really proud of these guys.”
Dallas will get a little extra rest before its final game of the season against the New York Giants. The contest is a flex game that could be scheduled on January 3 or January 4.
