Washington Commanders vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats: The Full Story, Every Stat, Every Moment

Quick Facts

Detail	Washington Commanders	Dallas Cowboys
Home Stadium	Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD	AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Head Coach (2024)	Dan Quinn	Mike McCarthy
Key QB (2024)	Jayden Daniels (Rookie)	Cooper Rush / Dak Prescott
Top WR	Terry McLaurin (#17)	CeeDee Lamb (#88)
Division	NFC East	NFC East
2024 Week 12 Result	Lost 26–34	Won 34–26
Rivalry Games Played	132 total meetings	132 total meetings
All-Time Series Leader	Cowboys lead 81–49–2	Cowboys lead 81–49–2
Postseason Head-to-Head	Washington leads 2–1	Cowboys trail 1–2
Biggest Win in Series	Washington 35–7 (2005)	Dallas 56–14 (2021)

The Rivalry That Never Gets Old

Every time these two teams meet, something happens you end up talking about for weeks.

If one team is having trouble, it doesn’t matter. What the standings say is irrelevant. When Washington plays Dallas, the game has its own energy.

This is one of the oldest, most heated fights in all of football. They have been going at it since 1960. That’s over six decades of grudges, big plays, and broken hearts.

Dallas holds the edge in the all-time record. The Cowboys have beaten Washington 81 times. Washington has come out on top 49 times. Two games ended in a tie. But those numbers only tell part of the story.

In the playoffs, Washington actually has the better record — winning two NFC Championship games against Dallas. Those wins still sting for Cowboys fans.

The rivalry lives in the NFC East. Both teams play each other twice every season. Division pride is on the line every single time.

See also “Denver Broncos vs Philadelphia Eagles Match Player Stats and Full Match Breakdown“

Setting the Scene: Week 12, November 24, 2024

Let’s talk about the game everyone was buzzing about.

It was a Sunday afternoon at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The Washington Commanders came in at 7–4. They were a good team. They had won seven of their first eleven games.

But they had just lost two in a row. They needed a bounce-back win badly.

The Dallas Cowboys? They were a mess. Their record was 3–7. They had lost five straight games. Their star quarterback Dak Prescott was out for the season with a hamstring injury.

Everything pointed to a Washington win. Vegas made the Commanders 10.5-point favorites. Almost nobody gave Dallas a chance.

Then the game started.

A Slow, Boring First Half

The first half was not pretty football.

Both teams struggled to move the ball. The defenses were tight. The offenses looked confused.

At halftime, the score was 3–3. A field goal each. That was it.

Nobody had pulled away. Nobody had done anything special. The crowd at Northwest Stadium had to be wondering what was going on.

This was supposed to be Washington rolling. Instead, it felt like two teams were afraid to make a mistake.

Then the second half began — and everything changed.

The Fourth Quarter Nobody Will Ever Forget

This is where the game became something else entirely.

In the final four minutes, the two teams combined for 31 points. Think about that. Thirty-one points in less than four minutes.

That is the second-highest combined fourth-quarter point total in an NFL game since the year 2000. Only one game in the last 25 years had more late chaos than this one.

Here is how it unfolded, moment by moment.

Dallas led 20–9 heading into the final stretch. They appeared to have everything under control. 

Then Washington came roaring back. Running back Zach Ertz caught a touchdown. Jayden Daniels ran in a two-point conversion. Suddenly it was 20–17.

Washington was alive.

Then KaVonte Turpin happened.

Turpin took the kickoff at his own 1-yard line. The ball had actually bounced between his legs first — a muffed kick that terrified everyone in the stadium. But he grabbed it, started upfield, spun through two defenders at the 10-yard line, found an open lane, and was gone.

Ninety-nine yards. Touchdown. Cowboys up 27–17.

The crowd went silent.

But Jayden Daniels wasn’t done. Washington scored again. Cut it to 27–25 after a missed extra point.

Then Terry McLaurin happened.

With 21 seconds left, Daniels threw deep down the field. McLaurin went up and caught it for an 86-yard touchdown. Northwest Stadium exploded. It was 27–26.

Washington just needed one extra point to tie it. Kicker Austin Seibert — who had missed the past two games with a hip injury — lined up and kicked wide left.

He missed.

Dallas was still up 27–26. Twenty-one seconds left. Washington kicked off, hoping to stop Dallas or get the ball back.

But the onside kick bounced straight to Cowboys defensive back Juanyeh Thomas. And Thomas — instead of just falling on it — picked it up and ran it back 43 yards for a touchdown.

Game over. Dallas wins 34–26.

It was one of the wildest endings in recent NFL history. Washington lost a game they led by four points with less than two minutes to play.

Jayden Daniels: The Rookie Showing the World

Even in the loss, you could not help but watch this kid and shake your head in amazement.

Daniels finished the game completing 25 of 38 passes for 275 yards. He threw three total touchdowns. He also rushed seven times for 74 yards and added a rushing touchdown.

He was everywhere. He was making throws, making runs, keeping drives alive with his legs.

He became just the second player in NFL history — joining Robert Griffin III — to surpass both 2,500 passing yards and 500 rushing yards at that point in a rookie season.

The 86-yard touchdown pass to McLaurin with 21 seconds left was pure magic. Most young quarterbacks would have panicked. Daniels stood in the pocket and delivered a perfect ball.

He just could not control the kicker. And he could not control Turpin’s 99-yard sprint.

“Any time you lose — especially in that fashion — it hurts,” Daniels said afterward. “But it never comes down to just one play.”

He was right. Small moments added up. That is football.

Cooper Rush: The Backup Who Won the Game

Nobody expected much from Cooper Rush that day.

He was a backup quarterback filling in for the injured Dak Prescott. Dallas fans had been dreaming of a miracle. Nobody thought Rush could pull this off.

But he was calm, accurate, and smart all afternoon.

Rush finished 24 of 32 for 247 passing yards. Two touchdown passes. Zero turnovers. His completion rate of 75 percent was outstanding.

He found Jalen Tolbert for a 6-yard score. He hit tight end Luke Schoonmaker for a 22-yard touchdown. He was never overly ambitious. 

Schoonmaker himself had a solid day — three catches for 55 yards.

Rush made the plays when they counted. He did not force anything. He managed the game like a veteran.

For a team that had lost five straight games, it was exactly what Dallas needed.

Terry McLaurin: Always the Bright Light

Terry McLaurin has been catching footballs in Washington for years. He never quits. He never fades.

In this game, he had 5 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. That 86-yarder at the end was the stuff of highlight reels.

But here is something even more interesting. McLaurin has now caught 55 passes in his career against Dallas. That puts him tied for seventh in franchise history for receptions against the Cowboys — alongside the legendary Bobby Mitchell.

Think about that. Just against one team. Fifty-five catches. McLaurin keeps coming for them every single year.

He finished the 2024 regular season with 1,106 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Both were career bests. He was one of the top receivers in the entire NFL.

Against Dallas, he shows up every time.

CeeDee Lamb: The Constant Threat

CeeDee Lamb was the main weapon on the Dallas side.

In the Week 12 game, he hauled in 10 catches for 67 yards. He was everywhere, open all the time, and a continuous source of trouble for Washington’s defence. 

Washington’s defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. knew Lamb well — he worked with him in Dallas for three years. He said before the game: “He can play every position from the receiver standpoint. He can beat you over the top. He is great — not just good — to run after the catch.”

That praise coming from the man trying to stop him says everything.

Lamb had 67 catches for 774 yards and four touchdowns going into this game. He was one of the most dangerous players on the field on every single snap.

KaVonte Turpin: The Special Teams Nightmare

KaVonte Turpin does not always get the attention he deserves. That changed after November 24th.

His 99-yard kickoff return touchdown was the play that won the game.

But the muff made it even more dramatic. The ball bounced off him. The crowd gasped. He recovered it, steadied himself, and then made defenders look silly on his way to the end zone.

Turpin also caught 3 passes for 53 yards in the game as a receiver.

He led the entire NFL with 904 kickoff return yards in the 2024 season. He was the only player that year to score touchdowns on both a punt return and a kickoff return. He is one of the most electric special teams players in the league.

When you let him loose on kickoffs, stuff like this happens.

The Defense: Where Micah Parsons Showed Up

Dallas’s defense made life very hard for Daniels all game long.

Micah Parsons got a sack on an unlucky snap from Washington’s offense. Defensive end Chauncey Golston picked off a Daniels pass thrown to Brian Robinson Jr. — a key turnover that helped Dallas hold on.

Washington turned the ball over three times in the game. Dallas only gave it up once.

Turnovers kill games. Three giveaways against a team fighting for their lives — that is a recipe for losing, no matter how good your quarterback is.

Full Stat Breakdown: Week 12, November 24, 2024

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 34, Washington Commanders 26

Dallas Cowboys Stats

Player	Position	Stats
Cooper Rush	QB	24/32, 247 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
CeeDee Lamb	WR	10 receptions, 67 yards
KaVonte Turpin	WR/KR	3 rec, 53 yards + 99-yard KR TD
Juanyeh Thomas	DB	43-yard TD (onside kick return)
Jalen Tolbert	WR	2 rec, 22 yards, 1 TD
Luke Schoonmaker	TE	3 rec, 55 yards, 1 TD
Micah Parsons	LB	1 sack
Chauncey Golston	DE	1 interception

Washington Commanders Stats

Player	Position	Stats
Jayden Daniels	QB	25/38, 275 yards, 2 passing TD, 1 rushing TD, 74 rushing yards
Terry McLaurin	WR	5 rec, 102 yards, 1 TD (86-yard catch)
Zach Ertz	TE	Touchdown reception
Austin Seibert	K	Missed XP (crucial miss)

Team Totals

Category	Dallas	Washington
Total Yards	332	412
Time of Possession	35:12	24:48
Turnovers	1	3
Rush Avg	3.2	5.8
Rushing Yards	91	145

Washington actually outgained Dallas by 80 total yards. But three turnovers and two missed extra points made all the difference.

The Other Meetings: A Season of Heartbreak for Washington

The Week 12 game was not the only time these two teams met in 2024.

Dallas also beat Washington 34–26 in Week 12. Earlier in the season, Dallas blew out Washington 44–22 with Dak Prescott throwing three touchdowns and CeeDee Lamb catching 5 passes for 110 yards.

Lamb also had a spectacular 74-yard touchdown in the Week 7 contest, running sideways down the field with arms raised and Lamb and new wideout George Pickens celebrating together.

Those two games showed two different Dallas teams. One dominant, one desperate. Washington came close but fell short both times.

Christmas Day, 2025: Prescott Returns, Commanders Fall Again

Fast forward to Christmas Day 2025. The teams met again.

This time Dak Prescott was back under center. And Prescott was sharp — completing 21 of 30 for 264 yards and three touchdown passes.

Javonte Williams ran for 116 yards and a score. Tight end Jake Ferguson caught two touchdowns — a career high. CeeDee Lamb had 5 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Washington was badly depleted. Jayden Daniels was injured. So was star lineman Laremy Tunsil and defensive tackle Daron Payne. Third-string quarterback Josh Johnson started.

Johnson was decent — 7 of 10 for 115 yards in the first half. Deebo Samuel led the offense with 68 receiving yards and 25 rushing yards.

But Dallas won 30–23.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a big game for Washington — rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort. He nearly engineered something special. But the Cowboys held on.

The Big Picture: What This Rivalry Means

These two franchises have been fighting since 1960. That’s 60+ years of shared history.

Dallas has generally had the upper hand in the regular season. Their 81–49–2 all-time record is proof of that.

But Washington has taken the big games. Two NFC Championship wins over Dallas — in 1972 and 1982 — still define how Washington fans see the rivalry.

Both fanbases are enormous. Both cities care deeply about these games.

When they meet, it rarely goes quietly. Turpin returns kicks 99 yards. McLaurin caught 86-yard touchdowns. Missed extra points deciding games. In the last seconds, onside kicks go awry. 

This rivalry has given football fans some of the most chaotic, emotional finishes in modern history.

It also doesn’t appear to be slowing down. 

Final Words

The Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys do not need any extra motivation. They are division rivals. Every game counts double.

The 2024 season showed something important. Dallas managed to defeat Washington even when they were at their worst—3–7, losing five straight games, and without their starting quarterback. 

And Washington, even with a brilliant rookie quarterback lighting up the league, found ways to give games away.

Special teams. Turnovers. One missed kick.

Football can be cruel that way.

Jayden Daniels showed the world he is a star. Terry McLaurin showed he never stops fighting. CeeDee Lamb showed he is unstoppable. KaVonte Turpin showed that the returner position can decide games.

The next time these two teams line up against each other, all of those stories will still be running underneath. Because in this rivalry, they always are.

FAQs

1. Who won the most recent Washington Commanders vs Dallas Cowboys game? 

Dallas won 30–23 on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025. It was their second win over Washington in the 2025 season.

2. What happened in the crazy Week 12 2024 game? 

Dallas won 34–26 in one of the wildest finishes in recent memory. The two teams scored 31 combined points in the final four minutes, including a 99-yard kickoff return, a missed extra point, and an onside kick returned for a touchdown.

3. How did Jayden Daniels perform against Dallas in 2024? 

Daniels was impressive despite the loss. He went 25 of 38 for 275 yards and three total touchdowns — two passing and one rushing — while also rushing for 74 yards.

4. What were CeeDee Lamb’s stats against Washington in 2024? 

Lamb had 10 catches for 67 yards in Week 12. Earlier in the year, he caught 5 passes for 110 yards with a touchdown in the Week 7 blowout win.

5. Who leads the all-time series between Dallas and Washington? 

Dallas leads 81–49–2 in all games combined, including postseason. In the playoffs specifically, Washington holds the edge at 2–1.

6. Who is KaVonte Turpin and why is he important? 

Turpin is Dallas’s elite return specialist. He led the NFL with 904 kickoff return yards in 2024 and was the only player that season to score touchdowns on both a punt and kickoff return. His 99-yard TD against Washington was one of the biggest plays of the season.

7. Why did Washington lose the Week 12 game despite outgaining Dallas? 

Washington had three turnovers to Dallas’s one. They also missed two extra points. Those mistakes were fatal to their comeback chances.

8. How has Terry McLaurin done historically against Dallas? 

He has 55 career receptions against the Cowboys — tied for seventh in Washington franchise history for catches against Dallas, alongside Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell.

9. What happened to Dak Prescott in 2024? 

Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury earlier in 2024. Cooper Rush filled in, including for the Week 12 game against Washington where he played very well.

10. Was the 2024 season good for Washington overall? 

Yes. The Commanders finished with a winning record, made the playoffs, beat Tampa Bay and Detroit before losing to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game — their first NFC Championship appearance since 1991.

11. Who coaches the Washington Commanders? 

Dan Quinn has been the head coach. He previously coached the Dallas Cowboys as their defensive coordinator, which adds extra drama when these two teams meet.

12. When did the Cowboys vs. Commanders rivalry begins? 

The first game was played on October 9, 1960. Washington won that one 26–14. They have been playing twice every season ever since, making it one of the most consistent rivalries in NFL history.

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