Good, Bad, Ugly: Red-zone offense dampens enthusiasm from Cowboys’ stellar defensive effort

Despite a shaky offensive effort, the Dallas Cowboys rode a great defense to a 27-20 victory over the Washington Football Team in Week 14. @BenGrimaldi breaks down what worked and what didn’t.

The Dallas Cowboys needed to go into Washington and earn a victory to gain separation in the tightening NFC East. Mission accomplished. The Cowboys limped their way to a 27-20 win over the Football Team and opened a three-game lead in the division with just four games to play.

After head coach Mike McCarthy declared his team would win the rivalry contest, the game took on more meaning and it was up to the Cowboys to make a prophet out of him. Dallas came out firing on all cylinders, putting up 18 points in the first quarter and taking a 24-0 lead into halftime. Yet the Cowboys had a difficult time putting Washington to bed in the final 30 minutes. It was an ugly and confusing second half of football where the Cowboys looked nothing like they did early on.

The Cowboys got the win in the end and now sport a 9-4 record and have won seven consecutive conference matchups. Here is the good, the bad and the ugly in the Week 14 win for the Cowboys.