How the Washington Commanders beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-6

The final regular season game certainly didn’t go as a the Cowboys planned.

Three first-half turnovers and a lackluster offense led Dallas to a 26-6 loss to Washington in a NFC East game at FedEx Field on Sunday.

The Cowboys (12-5) will play at NFC South champion Tampa Bay (8-9) in the first round of the playoffs next weekend.

Follow is Star-Telegram sports editor Dave Ammeneheuser’s running blog from the game. All notes are posted in reverse chronological order (latest action posted at top).

Scoring summary

FIRST QUARTER

WAS: Terry McLaurin, 16-yard pass from Sam Howell (Joey Slye kick). 11:08. Commanders lead 7-0

SECOND QUARTER

WAS: Kendall FUller, 29-yard interception return (kick failed). 12:38. Commanders lead 13-0

DAL: CeeDee Lamb, 15-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed). 0:06. Commanders lead 13-6

THIRD QUARTER

WAS: Sam Howell, 9-yard run (Joey Slye kick). 1:49. Commanders lead 20-6

FOURTH QUARTER

WAS: Joey Slye, 29-yard field goal. 14:19. Commanders lead 23-6.

WAS: Joey Slye, 22-yard field goal. 5:19. Commanders lead 26-6.

Fourth quarter notes

DAL 15th possession: With a lot of reserves in the lineup, the Cowboys simply run out the clock on a series of Malik Davis runs.

WAS 15th possession: Commanders take over at the WAS 13 with 4:07 left. Commanders again punt after a 3-and-out.

DAL 14th possession: Cooper Rush replaces Dak Prescott at quarterback. Makes no difference Cowboys go 3-and-out again.

WAS 14th possession: Start sat DAL 45. Aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty, the Commanders march to the DAL 4 where Joey Slaye boots a 22-yard field goal to push Washington lead to 26-6 with 5:19 left.

DAL 13th possession: Starts at DAL 9. Another quick 3-and-out. Took total of 9 seconds. Pint away to WAS 40.

WAS 13th possession: Starts at WAS 45. Commanders go 3-and-out. Punt to DAL 9.

DAL 12th possession: Starts at DAL 25. Cowboys break their 3-and-out streak, gaining their initial first down of the second half. Dallas moves the ball to WAS 45 where they go for it on 4th-and-1. However, Dak Prescott is stopped and Cowboys turn ball over on downs. 10:48 left.

WAS 12th possession continues: First down at DAL 15. Three plays later, Joey Slye boots a 29-yard field goal for a 23-6 Commanders lead with 14:19 left.

Third quarter notes

WAS 12th possession: Starts at WAS 33. Howell completion to McLaurin on the final play of the quarter to the DAL 15.

DAL 11th possession: Starts at DAL 28. Another Cowboys 3-and-out. That’s 7 today. Punt to WAS 33. 0:44 left in the quarter.

Cowboys are playing purely uninspired football.

WAS 11th possession: Starts at WAS 41. Commanders break the 3-and-out streak and pick up a first down. Several of them, in fact. Drive ends on a Sam Howell 9-yard touchdown run Joey Slye kicks the point to extend Commanders lead to 20-6 with 1:49 left in the quarter.

DAL 10th possession: Starts at DAL 14. Five straight 3-and-outs. Cowboys have a total of 3 yards in three second-half possessions. Punt to WAS 41.

WAS 10th possession: Starts at WAS 34. Fourth straight 3-and-out. Another punt. Double yawn.

DAL 9th possession: Starts at DAL 20. Another 3-and-out. Another punt. Yawn. That drive lasted 57 seconds.

WAS 9th possession: Starts at WAS 49. 3-and-out. Punt into end zone. 9:40 left in the quarter.

DAL 8th possession: Starts at DAL 23. Cowboys go 3-and-out. Punt ball away (nice return to WAS 49). 11:07 left in quarter.

WAS 8th possession: Starts at WAS 29. Commanders gain 7 yards before punting ball away.

First half key stats

▪ Washington has a 129-111 edge in total yardage

▪ Dallas has three turnovers (two fumbles, an interception)

▪ There have been four missed kicks (two extra points, two field goals)

▪ Tony Pollard has a team-high 18 rushing yards, thus going over the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for first time in hs career (he needed 12 yards)

▪ Dak Prescott is only 9 of 21 for 80 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He now has an interception in seven straight games

▪ Sam Howell is 6 for 10 for 66 yards and a touchdown and an interception for the Commanders.

▪ Jarrett Patterson has a game-high 31 rushing yards for Washington; Jahan Dotson had a game-high 30 receiving yards.

Second quarter notes

WAS 7th possession: Commanders kneel. Halftime. Washington leads 13-7.

DAL 7th possession starts at 23: Cowboys put together their best drive of the half, going 14 plays for 77 yards and scoring on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb with 6 seconds left in the half. Brett Maher’s misses extra point. Cowboys trail 13-6.

WAS 6th possession starts at WAS 17: Commanders pick up 21 yards on 6 plays before punting away to Cowboys.

DAL 6th possession starts at DAL 42: Another 3-and-out for Cowboys. Punt to WAS 17.

Prescott is just 2 of 9 for 14 yards; Cowboys have just 34 total yards. It’s been miserable if you are a Cowboys fan. The score could be much wider.

WAS 5th possession starts at WAS 18: Commanders drive to DAL 34 where Joey Slye misses another field goal (that’s two missed FGs and one missed EP today). Commanders remain ahead 13-0 with 7:32 left in the half.

DAL 5th possession begins at DAL 25: Another miserable series. Three-and-out. Cowboys punt away. 11:17 remains in half.

DAL 4th possession begins at DAL 20: OMG. Another Dallas turnover. Another Dak Prescott interception. Picked off by Commanders’ Kendall Fuller at the DAL 28 and returned for a pick 6. Slye misses the extra point; Commanders lead 13-0 with 12:38 left in the half.

Mistake-filled game. It’s as if neither team wants to play in this one. Probably true for some of them.

WAS 4th possession continues at DAL 8: Commanders waste another opportunity. Moving to first-and-goal at DAL 2, the Commanders turn the ball over on a Howell interception in the end zone. Malik Hooker picks off the pass.

First quarter notes

WAS 4th possession: Starts at WAS 33. Aided by a third-down pass interference penalty, the Commanders move into Cowboys territory. Quarter ends with Commanders at Cowboys 8-yard line on third-and-6.

What a sloppy start to this game. Meanwhile, the Eagles are ahead of the Giants 10-0 after first quarter. They just need a win to claim the NFC East.

DAL 3rd possession: Starts at DAL 20. Cowboys go three-and-out and punt to WAS 33. 4:45 left in quarter.

WAS 3rd possession: Starts at DAL 15. Commanders can’t take advantage of the second Cowboys miscue. After gaining just two yards in three plays, Joey Slye misses a 31-yard field goal (wide left). Commanders hold their 7-0 lead with 6:35 left in the quarter.

WAS 2nd possession: Starts at WAS 38. Three-and out, but disaster strikes on Cowboys special teams again. Kovantae Turpin muffs the punt and it is recovered by Commanders at DAL 15.

DAL 2nd possession: Starts at DAL 25. Three-and-out. Not a good start for Cowboys. 9:37 left in quarter.

WAS 1st possession: Starts at DAL 20. Commanders quickly take advantage of the turnover. On second play, Sam Howell connects with Terry McLaurin for a 16-yard touchdown. Slye’s extra point gives Commanders a 7-0 lead with 11:08 left in the quarter.

DAL 1st possession: Starts at DAL 10. Seven plays later, Cowboys fumble the punt and it is recovered by Commanders at DAL 20.

Inactives

Cowboys: QB Will Grier, WR Jalen Tolbert, S Israel Mukuamu, S Markquese Bell, LB Leighton Vander Esch, C Tyler Biadasz, DT Quinton Bohanna

Commanders: QB Carson Wentz, DT Jon Allen, S Kam Curl, G Andrew Norwell, DE James Smith-Williams, RT Cornelius Lucas

Cowboys pulling for TCU

Jerry Jones is pulling for TCU over Georgia in the college football championship. Dak Prescott loves the Horned Frogs, but the Mississippi State standout is still a SEC gan.

Pregame reads

Clarence Hill says the Cowboys have all of the edges

What to know about today’s game

Cowboys want first place, a bye and home playoff games

Jerry Jones says Dak Prescott is key to Cowboys’ success

Which former Cowboys have been nominated for the Hall of Fame?

Watch or listen

When: Sunday, 3:25 p.m.

Where: FedEx Field

TV: FOX

Radio: KRLD/105.3 FM