The Dallas Cowboys continued their impressive home-winning streak, marking their 13th consecutive home victory in a 45-10 win against the Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving.
The last time the Cowboys lost a home game was in the 2022 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I credit a lot around me. The offensive line protected great. Look back at a couple of those touchdowns, and they gave us a lot of time. We are playing free." said Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who had 331 passing yards and four touchdowns.
The Cowboys (8-4) took an early lead at AT&T Stadium when Rico Dowdle scored a 15-yard touchdown with just 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Additional contributions from Brandin Cooks and Tony Pollard helped establish a 20-10 lead at halftime.
Despite a field goal by Joey Slye and a rushing touchdown from Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, who threw for 300 yards and completed 28 of 44 passes but faced four sacks, the visitors remained within striking distance.
A scoreless third quarter gave way to a decisive fourth-quarter surge by the Cowboys. Brandon Aubrey's field goal, CeeDee Lamb's sixth receiving touchdown of the season, and KaVontae Turpin's end zone grab secured a sixth-straight home game with Dallas scoring 30-plus points.
The historic moment of the game came from the defensive side, as Bland made NFL history with a pick-six under five minutes remaining. Intercepting a pass from Howell, Bland raced 63 yards downfield, securing his fifth pick-six of the season and breaking the record alongside Eric Allen, Jim Kearney and Ken Houston.
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With the win, Dallas climbed back to No. 6 in ESPN's NFL Power Rankings. The victory added to their momentum after a 33-10 win against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. Head coach Mike McCarthy has positioned the Cowboys for a potential third consecutive postseason appearance.
The Cowboys will face the Seattle Seahawks on November 30.
Commanders' struggles
The Commanders suffered their third consecutive defeat, falling to a 2-9 all-time record against the Dallas Cowboys. Starting against the Cowboys for the first time since his NFL debut in last year's regular-season finale, Howell showcased a commendable performance in the first half.
Howell's first-half statistics stood at 15 of 21 for 159 yards. He concluded a 13-play drive just before halftime with a one-yard touchdown run. A key moment came with a 15-yard completion to Jahan Dotson on third and long, setting the stage for the touchdown.
Despite these efforts, the Commanders faced defensive challenges. Playing without Montez Sweat and Chase Young since the trade deadline, they ended the game without a sack for the second time in four matches. Howell endured four sacks, with Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons delivering the final blow in the fourth quarter.
Washington opted for a run-heavy strategy in the first half, enjoying a seven-minute advantage in time of possession through two quarters. However, this approach failed to yield consistent offensive movement. Brian Robinson Jr. carried the ball 15 times but managed only 53 yards by the end of the game.
With the loss, the Commanders have now dropped eight of their last ten games. Sources reveal that owner Josh Harris may reconsider in-season changes to the coaching staff.
The Commanders' next challenge awaits them against the Miami Dolphins on December 3.