The final 1:47 of the Cowboys Monday Night Football game in Washington had everything you could ask for in a football game. Most importantly, as the clock hit zero, it had a Dallas Cowboys win – moving them one game back in the NFC East.
The Cowboys lined up to punt to start this wild sequence of events, and game-breaker DeSean Jackson waited to receive. Jackson tried to do way too much, reversing field and going backwards before fumbling at the 15-yard line.
Chris Jones recovered the ball, and two plays later Darren McFadden was in the end zone for the first Dallas touchdown of the night – giving them a 16-9 lead.
With just over a minute to play, Washington would get the ball back with a final chance. Rashad Ross would give them great starting field position on the kick return, with fifteen yards added on due to a facemask penalty on J.J. Wilcox.
From the Cowboys 43, it took just four plays for Jackson to redeem himself, hauling in a game-tying 28-yard score from Kirk Cousins.
The Cowboys offense would come back out with 37 seconds to play, also starting in good field position thanks to Lucky Whitehead bringing the ball to the Dallas 44.
Dez Bryant made back to back receptions of twelve and eight yards, setting up an eventual Dan Bailey game-winning field goal from 54 yards out. The Cowboys escaped Washington, not without issues and injuries, with a 19-16 win.
DAN “THE MAN” BAILEY! 54-yard FG is GOOD!
Cowboys take the lead, 19-16! pic.twitter.com/nbQstQH75h— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 8, 2015
The last three possessions of this game saw each team put points on the board, while the first nine saw no points. After DeMarcus Lawrence recorded two sacks on the game’s first Redskins’ drive, Darren McFadden fumbled on just the second play for the Cowboys.
Continued pressure on Cousins forced another three and out, the first of four straight. Finally, the Cowboys first points came in the second quarter – on a historic drive for Jason Witten.
After a sack by former Cowboy Jason Hatcher forced Cassel into a third and long, he calmly found Witten for career catch #999. Three plays later, Witten had the coveted 1,000, joining Tony Gonzalez as the only tight end to reach that mark.
On the very next play, Terrance Williams got free down the sideline for 38 yards and the Cowboys were in business. However, as has been the theme without Romo this season, a Cowboys drive stalled in the red zone. Dan Bailey opened the scoring, giving them a 3-0 lead.
Washington would methodically tie the game to go into the locker room, converting 3 third downs in route to a 44-yard field goal in 14 plays. A half that was anything but pretty ended with a 3-3 tie.
Dallas would receive the second half kickoff, only to see McFadden turn it over once again with a fumble. The defense stepped up once again, stuffing a third and one rushing attempt with DeMarcus Lawrence to hold the Redskins to three points – and a 6 to 3 lead.
The field goal fest would then continue with two more consecutive kicks, tying the game at nine late in the fourth quarter. The tying Bailey field goal was set up by a Lucky Whitehead rush for 22 yards followed by a Bryant 42 yard reception down to the Washington three.
They would then force a punt, only to be forced to punt themselves – and we know what happened next.
It wasn’t pretty, but with what felt like an eternity since the last time we saw our Cowboys play, they were on the field with the bright lights on – and they won the game.
The 4-8 Cowboys will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers on Sunday. You can watch the game with our Cowboys Cast staff at Grapevine Craft Brewery!
The Redskins, in a three-way tie atop the division at 5-7, will play in Chicago against the Bears.
