Tag: Thanksgiving Day

When they last met: Commanders and Cowboys

The Commanders kept it close until the Cowboys blew it open in the 4th quarter.

“When they last met” is an ongoing series during the NFL season, recalling the preceding game between Washington and the next opponent on the Commanders’ schedule.

Dallas 45, Washington 10 – Week 12, November 23, 2023

Washington had trimmed the Dallas lead to four points with 1:51 remaining in the half and still managed to lose 45-10 in a Thanksgiving Day massacre at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Dak Prescott passed for four touchdown passes, Tony Pollard ran for a touchdown, and DaRon Bland intercepted a Sam Howell pass, returning it 63 yards for the game’s final touchdown.

Washington entered the game already written off by the NFL fans as the Cowboys were a 13.5-point favorite at kickoff.

Washington scored on Sam Howell’s one-yard run with 1:51 remaining in the half, narrowing the Commanders deficit to four points (14-10). However, the Washington defense permitted the Cowboys to drive 75 yards to a virtually uncontested touchdown drive, extending the Dallas lead to 20-10.

The Dallas pass rush hurried Howell most of the day, eventually sacking the former Tar Hell quarterback four times. Howell’s pick-six was the only turnover of the day for either team.

Washington actually owned the time of possession statistic holding the ball for 36:54 seconds to only 23:06, being the time the Cowboys had possession of the ball.

However, what the statistic does not reveal is how easily and quickly the Cowboys scored on three of their possessions.

Brian Robinson rushed for 53 yards on 15 carries, while Curtis Samuel collected 100 receiving yards on his nine receptions.

Prescott finished 22 of 32 for 331 yards and his four touchdown passes to no interceptions nor sacks. Pollard accumulated 79 rushing yards on 13 carries. Brandin Cooks, CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Tolbert generated 72, 53 and 49 receiving yards, respectively.

Washington fell to 4-8, while Dallas raised its record to 8-3.

Commanders with another historic feat in humiliating defeat

The Commanders continue to break records in defeat.

In last week’s loss to the New York Giants, the Commanders finished with nine sacks yet lost by 12 points. It was such an odd statistic that it had to be a first.

It wasn’t a first, but it was close. Per CBS Sports, Washington was the first NFL team since 1984 to have nine or more sacks and lose by double digits.

How could that happen? The Commanders turned the ball over six times, and the Giants turned those into 24 points. It was actually remarkable Washington still had a chance to win the game with under two minutes remaining.

Just four days later, Washington set another record for futility.

According to X User “OptaSTATS,” the Commanders were the first NFL team in the last 25 years to lose after doing these five things:

  • 100+ rushing yards
  • 250+ passing yards
  • 35:00+ time of possession
  • no more than 25 penalty yards
  • no more than 1 turnover

Another record set by the 2023 Washington Commanders.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott eating turkey leg during the game was planned in advance

Remember when Dak Prescott was eating a turkey leg during the game? That was the plan. Tells you how little the Cowboys respected the Commanders.

The lasting image of the Washington Commanders’ 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day was quarterback Dak Prescott eating a turkey leg — during the game.

Midway through the fourth quarter, once Dallas had opened up a 38-10 lead by that point, cameras showed Prescott on the sideline eating the turkey leg.

Eating a turkey leg after the Thanksgiving Day games has been a longtime NFL tradition the legendary John Madden started. But it was always after the game when the players spoke on the field in postgame interviews.

As it turns out, eating the turkey while the game was going on was always the plan, according to Prescott.

“Team effort, team idea,” Prescott said after the game. “We talked about as probably a two, three-day long process of whether it be a 15-yard penalty and whether coach would accept it. And I’ll tell you, I actually go talk to coach before every game, and sure enough, I caught him as he was talking to [Cowboys owner] Jerry [Jones], and so I mentioned it. Of course, Jerry liked it, so yeah. At that point, my direction was just make sure we’re up, and the game was in hand, and so the touchdown to CeeDee [Lamb] and the following two-point conversion, if you watch, I’m kinda like, is it time? Can we do it? I’m like, no, we’ll get another one. Sure enough, right after I threw that one to Turp [KaVontae Turpin], I was like, yeah, let’s go for it. And so, and it was good.”

It was clearly planned, as the Cowboys had turkey wrapped in to-go containers in the Salvation Army baskets around the field, per Ben Standig of The Athletic.

That tells you everything you need to know about how the Cowboys view the Commanders. Every Washington player should be outraged. Every player should be ticked off. Why? Because the Cowboys knew they’d be up big when they planned this stunt.

Yet another slap in the face of the 2023 Washington Commanders. Hey, if you don’t want it to happen, beat them. Easier said than done, for sure.

It would be entertaining to hear someone ask Ron Rivera what he thought about this. Would he say,” That’s interesting, but it’s not important.” Or, would he say, “The truth of the matter is……..”

Regardless, the image of Prescott eating a turkey leg during the game is one Washington fans will remember for a while. Do you believe the players who’ll return next year will remember that image and want some retribution?

 

Commanders embarrassed and embarrassing

The Commanders were embarrassed by the Cowboys and, in the process, embarrassing for the fan base.

The Commanders were a 13.5-point underdog Thursday, and they didn’t disappoint the oddsmakers, but they sure did disappoint Washington fans, getting embarrassed 45-10.

The Commanders defense actually forced a punt on the Cowboys’ first possession. However, the Commanders then proceeded to surrender drives of 90, 75 and 75 yards.

Washington had their own 13-play 75-yard drive, culminating in Sam Howell’s one-yard touchdown run over right tackle, narrowing the Dallas lead to 14-10. Commanders fans were encouraged, the Commanders were back in this game.

Dallas then took the ball with 1:51 remaining in the first half and completely punctured any hope the Commanders fan base possessed. It was mystifying to watch how the Cowboys only needed a mere five plays to drive 75 yards for a wide-open touchdown pass to extend their lead to 20-10.

Watching those five plays raised questions of how much fight was in the Commanders’ defense. How much despising of losing really exists anymore? There was no resistance whatsoever on that drive!

The defense, for the most part, following the Sam Howell touchdown to make it 14-10 Dallas, simply couldn’t cover any eligible receiver and couldn’t get to Dak Prescott if their life depended upon it.

Offensively? It was good Howell targeted Terry McLaurin 11 times today. But only four times did the two actually connect on receptions. In the third quarter, still trailing 20-10, Washington drove 53 yards when Howell went for McLaurin on 3rd & 1, but the ball, which was a bit low, then appeared to go right through both of McLaurin’s hands.

On 4th & 1, Howell was again in the shotgun, and Brian Robinson was dropped for a 2-yard loss. Jahan Dotson was in motion and in the wrong place at the snap. Or perhaps the snap was early? I don’t know, but it looked horribly unprepared, even comical for fans of other teams.

At that point, Dallas took over the game completely. The Cowboys then scored on three consecutive possessions on drives of 49, 24 and 65 yards.

Things were extremely ugly by now. Then a pick-6 by Dallas defensive back DaRon Bland was returned 63 yards for a touchdown. Even worse, it was Bland’s fifth interception return for a touchdown this season, setting a new NFL record.

The Commanders were not only embarrassed Thursday by the Cowboys, they were embarrassing for their own fan base.

Cowboys humiliate Commanders 45-10 on Thanksgiving Day

Another fun afternoon of Washington football.

The Washington Commanders looked like they were up for the challenge for a while. Unfortunately for Washington, the fourth quarter happened, and the Dallas Cowboys scored 25 points en route to a relatively easy 45-10 win.

When Washington quarterback Sam Howell scored on a one-yard touchdown run with under two minutes remaining in the first half, it cut the Dallas lead to 14-10.

However, Washington’s defense allowed Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott to march down the field quickly for another touchdown just before halftime.

In the third quarter, Washington’s defense actually forced back-to-back punts, but the Commanders offense failed in short yardage time after time. Their short-yardage failures proved to be their undoing on Thursday afternoon.

Everything completely fell apart in the fourth quarter.

After Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey opened the scoring with a 52-yard field goal, Washington’s offense couldn’t stay on the field, and Prescott had seen enough.

Prescott threw back-to-back touchdown passes to CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin to make it a 38-10 game. As Howell had driven the Commanders into Dallas territory, he was intercepted by Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who returned it for his record-breaking fifth touchdown of the season.

It was that type of day for Washington.

Prescott passed for touchdowns, and Dallas did not turn the ball over. The Commanders applied zero pressure.

Howell finished the day completing 28 of 44 passes for 300 yards with an interception. Brian Robinson Jr. led the Commanders with 53 rushing yards.

Washington gets a few days off before it begins preparation for the Miami Dolphins in Week 13. Buckle up.

Cowboys lead Commanders 20-10 at halftime

The Cowboys lead the Commanders after another rough half from the defense.

The Dallas Cowboys lead the Washington Commanders 20-10 at halftime of their Week 12 Thanksgiving Day showdown.

Washington was moving the ball on its first possession and faced a fourth-and-2 in Dallas territory, but head coach Ron Rivera opted for the punt instead of going for it.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott immediately targeted Washington cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, but fortunately for the Commanders, Prescott missed two deep balls, and Dallas punted.

After another Commanders’ punt, Prescott led an impressive drive that he capped off with a touchdown pass to running back Rico Dowdle.

Washington responded with a field goal. Prescott then found wide receiver Brandin Cooks on a 31-yard touchdown, increasing the Cowboys lead to 14-3.

Commanders QB Sam Howell answered with several big-time throws, finishing the drive with a tough one-yard touchdown run. Unfortunately, Washington left too much time on the clock, and Prescott quickly marched the Cowboys back down the field. Running back Tony Pollard scored from seven yards out to make it a 20-10 game.

Howell completed 16 of 23 passes for 170 yards. Brian Robinson Jr. carried the ball 10 times for 40 yards and also had a 19-yard reception. Curtis Samuel led Washington with five receptions for 65 yards.

Washington’s defense allowed 272 total yards in the first half and came nowhere close to putting pressure on Prescott.

Dallas will receive the second-half kickoff.

How has Washington fared on Thanksgiving Day throughout franchise history?

A look back at each Washington game on Thanksgiving Day in franchise history.

The Washington Commanders (4-7) meet the Dallas Cowboys (7-3) on Thanksgiving Day. It’s the first time the two NFC East rivals have met on Thanksgiving Day since 2020, which was embattled head coach Ron Rivera’s first season on the sideline in Washington.

This meeting is between two teams going in opposite directions. The Cowboys are undefeated at AT&T Stadium, while the Commanders have lost two straight and seven of their last nine.

The Cowboys and Lions are the two teams who traditionally play every Thanksgiving. Who has Dallas played the most on Thanksgiving? That would be Washington. While the Cowboys have dominated the Thanksgiving matchups, things have been better lately.

Washington is 4-8 all-time on Thanksgiving Day. Let’s take a look back at Washington’s history on Turkey Day.

 

Thanksgiving best bets: One wager to make for every team playing on Thursday

We have a special Thanksgiving edition of best bets, with one wager to make for every team playing on Thursday

This is a special week in the NFL, with six teams playing on Thursday as part of the Thanksgiving football tradition. Of course, the Cowboys and Lions will each play home games against the Commanders and Packers, respectively, while the NFC West also joins the spotlight with a Thursday night showdown between the 49ers and Seahawks.

All three are divisional matchups, which only adds to the fun.

Rather than doing our traditional Week 12 best bets, we have a special Thanksgiving edition this week. Our NFL editors each picked their favorite bet for their respective teams this Thanksgiving, including an exact-score bet that pays $30,000 for a $100 wager.

Here are our best bets for Thursday’s slate in Week 12. All odds courtesy of BetMGM.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

Commanders’ Ron Rivera believes Sam Howell will bounce back

Rivera believes Howell will bounce back with a good performance against the Cowboys.

Sam Howell had really improved his level of play for the last three weeks.

Then came the second New York Giants game of the season at FedEx Field and a 31-19 Commanders’ loss. The Giants swept the Commanders by a combined 19 points in a four-week span.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has not lost faith in Howell. Rivera told the media Tuesday he still believes Howell has come a long way and is going to bounce back well Thursday in Dallas against the Cowboys.

“Oh, I just think because he learns, he learns from those mistakes. I mean, you think about it too. He stacked several good games in a row, so somewhere along the line, he was going to have one that he was going to struggle with. So, just anticipating him to get an opportunity to reset himself and get himself ready to go and just got a lot of confidence in who he is.”

Rivera knows, first of all, that Howell’s (bad) game Sunday was much better than the first NY Giants’ game. In that game, Howell only completed 52.4 % of his passes, 22 of 42.

Sunday, in the second Giants contest for 2023, Howell completed 31 of 45 passes for 68.9%. Howell did, however, throw 3 interceptions Sunday, including the last score of the game to Isaiah Simmons for a pick-six touchdown for the Giants.

It’s the second time this season the Commander must bounce back quickly, being ready to play a Thursday game. Earlier, after losing a hard-fought game in Philadelphia (34-31 OT), the Commanders then seemed unprepared as the winless Bears came to FedEx and slaughtered Washington 40-20.

Rivera conveyed there is some different type of preparation being put into place for this game, Thursday, in Dallas.

“Yeah, different thought process as far as I’m concerned in my messaging with the players, hopefully it’s the right one. I think our guys have gotten the message. I think they’ve come in and they had a good day today. They really seemed focused and brought some energy. They seem to be in a good place right now.”

“I think the biggest thing more than anything else is this is a divisional game and it’s against probably our archrival. So, it’s a different kind of messaging, it’s a different kind of outlook and approach, more so than anything else.”

 

Commanders’ Week 12 injury report vs. Cowboys

Seven players were either limited or missed practice for the Commanders on Tuesday.

The Washington Commanders were back on the practice field Tuesday as they prepare for a Thanksgiving Day clash with the Dallas Cowboys. The Commanders are coming off an embarrassing 31-19 loss to the New York Giants, where they turned the ball over six times.

The Commanders opened the 21-day practice window for starting linebacker Cody Barton on Monday, and head coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday that Barton would be activated ahead of Thursday’s game.

In other injury news, Washington did officially place defensive end Efe Obada on season-ending IR. Obada suffered multiple leg fractures on Sunday.

Here’s Washington’s official injury report for Tuesday:

  • FB Alex Armah: DNP (hamstring)
  • CB Emmanuel Forbes: DNP (elbow)
  • LB De’Jon Harris: DNP (quad)
  • LB Khaleke Hudson: DNP (back)
  • DE James Smith-Willians: DNP (hamstring)
  • RB Antonio Gibson: Limited (toe)
  • DB Quan Martin: Limited (shoulder)
  • LB Cody Barton: Full (ankle)
  • RG Sam Cosmi: Full (chest)
  • WR Curtis Samuel: Full (toe)

The Cowboys had four players miss practice, including starting left tackle Tyron Smith, but his absence was a scheduled day of rest for the longtime starter.

  • WR Rico Dowdle: DNP (ankle)
  • WR Michael Gallup: DNP (NIR-personal)
  • S Jayron Kearse: DNP (back)
  • LT Tyron Smith: DNP (NIR vet rest)
  • TE Peyton Hendershot: Full (ankle)
  • WR CeeDee Lamb: Full (ankle)
  • DT Osa Odighizuwa: Full (hamstring)
  • OT Terence Steele: Full (ankle)
  • WR KaVontae Turpin: Full (shoulder)