Cowboys vs. Commanders score, live updates: Dallas, Washington face off to open NFL Christmas Day action

Brandon Aubrey’s 58-yard attempt sails wide right, and Washington remains within one score.

It’s become a close game as these teams are trading blows. Can the Cowboys put this one away in the final quarter?

Washington drove all the way to the Cowboys 5-yard line but settled for a short kick. It’s back to a one-possession game.

Cowboys 27, Commanders 20

Brandon Aubrey hits from 52 yards to put the Cowboys back up by 10. The late hit penalty on Washington results in 3 points.

Cowboys 27, Commander 17

Washington had Dak Prescott sacked for a big loss in 3rd-and-9, but Frankie Luvu inexplicably hit Prescott after he was down and was flagged for a late hit. The Dallas drive continues.

This is how you get back into the game. Jacory Croskey-Merritt just broke off a 72-yard touchdown run on the first play of the drive, and the Commanders have cut their deficit to one possession.

Croskey-Merritt’s second touchdown of the game has cut the Cowboys’ lead to 24-17.

Javonte Williams did not play at the end of the first half and is still out to start the third quarter. He’s questionable to return with a shoulder injury.

Hunter Luepke carried the ball for the Cowboys to start the third quarter, and they punted for the first time on fourth-and-18 after gaining just 2 yards on the drive. Washington has a chance to cut its deficit to one possession.

Not a good start to the half for the Commanders.

Josh Johnson threw deep and incomplete into triple-coverage on third-and-8 and overlooked a wide-open Deebo Samuel beyond the line to gain, and the Commanders have punted to the Cowboys after running four plays.

Dallas gets the ball back with a 24-10 lead.

Deebo Samuel has given the Washington offense life, but it’s otherwise all Cowboys after a dominant first half of Dallas offense.

Javonte Williams barreled for 54 rushing yards to set up the Cowboys passing game for multiple explosive plays, including an 86-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to KaVontae Turpin. The Cowboys have 17 first downs, and the Commanders have 18 total offensive plays as Washington’s defense can’t get off the field.

The good news for the Commanders is that they will start with the ball first.

Cowboys
Dak Prescott: 11 of 20 for 174 yards, 2 TDs, 0 turnovers
Javonte Williams: 13 carries for 54 yards, 1 TD
KaVontae Turpin: 1 catch for 86 yards, 1 TD
Jake Ferguson: 1 catch for 6 yards, 1 TD
George Pickens: 2 catches for 38 yards
CeeDee Lamb: 3 catches for 15 yards

Commanders
Josh Johnson: 7 of 10 for 116 yards, 0 TDs, 0 turnovers
Deebo Samuel: 2 catches for 68 yards, 2 carries for 25 yards
Jacory Croskey-Merritt: 5 catches for 13 yards

Cowboys total offense: 290 yards on 6.3 yards per play, 17 first downs
Commanders total offense: 146 yards on 8.1 yards per play, 8 first downs

The Commanders tried to get into field-goal range with their final 19 seconds of the half. But they completed a pass inbounds without a timeout, then got flagged for a false start with 4 seconds remaining after failing to get set while trying to spike the ball near midfield.

The penalty resulted in a 10-second runoff, and the Cowboys go into halftime with a 24-10 lead after a dominant first half of offense.

The Cowboys scored for the fourth time on a fourth possessions. But for the Commanders, at least it wasn’t a touchdown.

Preston Smith sacked Dak Prescott on third-and-4, and the Cowboys settled for a 42-yard field goal that Brandon Aubrey put through the uprights.

The Commanders will have the ball back with 19 seconds remaining before halftime. They took a timeout after Smith’s sack, so they’ll be looking to move the ball if they can get decent field position on the kickoff.

Washington’s offense so far has consisted largely of big plays by Deebo Samuel. He took a screen pass 41 yards on Washington’s opening drive and broke off a 29-yard run on their third.

That play set up a 10-yard Jacory Croskey-Merritt touchdown run. The Commanders have signs of life and have cut their deficit to 21-10 in the second quarter.

This is the last thing a struggling offense down to its third quarterback needs. Washington center Tyler Biadasz just left the game with an apparent leg injury.

The severity’s not clear, but it took him a while to get up, and he was limping gingerly with the help of two trainers on the sideline once he got up. It doesn’t look good.

The Commanders finally had a chance to force a punt with the Cowboys at third-and-11 deep in Dallas territory.

Instead, they jumped offside and let Dak Prescott find Kavontae Turpin wide open deep downfield for an 86-yard touchdown. It’s 21-3, Cowboys, and this one’s out of hand midway through the second quarter.

The Commanders offense is functional so far with Josh Johnson, but not much more than that. They picked up one first down on their second possession, but punted after Johnson threw incomplete to Deebo Samuel on fourth-and-7.

The Cowboys have the ball back with a 14-3 lead and are showing no signs of letting off the gas. Pride is the only thing at stake today, but that matters in these rivalries.

Netflix is ignoring the action on the field for an awkward interview with Emmitt Smith. Why do networks keep insisting on in-game interviews?

The Cowboys’ kicking units won’t be getting much work today. After going for it on fourth down on their opening drive, they did it again three times on their second — once at midfield, again at the Washington 23 on fourth-and-2 and again at the 10 on fourth-and-1.

They turned those conversions into a 4-yard Javonte Williams touchdown run for a 14-3 lead, capping off a season-high 17-play drive. Washington’s defense can’t get off the field.

With Jayden Daniels shut down for the season and Marcus Mariota injured (hand/quad), the Commanders are down to third-string quarterback Josh Johnson.

Johnson connected with Deebo Samuel on Washington’s opening drive for a physical 41-yard catch and run that was capped by a Samuel stiff-arm that stripped safety Donovan Wilson of his helmet. It did not, however, set up a touchdown. Washington settled for a field goal in the red zone, and it’s 7-3 Cowboys after one possession for each team.

Nobody has anything to lose in this one, and the Cowboys gambled and won with a fourth-and-1 conversion in their own territory on their first drive.

It eventually paid off with a 78-yard touchdown drive capped by a juggling catch in the end zone by Jake Ferguson to secure an early 7-0 Cowboys lead.

Christmas football is underway. The Commanders have kicked off, and the Cowboys have the ball first.