Cooper Rush threw for two touchdowns, Brett Maher connected on four field goals and the Dallas Cowboys’ defense stifled the Washington Commanders in a 25-10 win Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
Rush completed 15 of 27 passes for 223 yards and became the first quarterback in Cowboys history to win his first four starts. He played error-free football on a day where neither team gained 300 total yards.
Rush’s 30-yard scoring strike to CeeDee Lamb on the first play of the fourth quarter gave Dallas (3-1) the breathing room it needed in what was a tight game for three quarters. Maher added a 29-yard field goal with 3:51 remaining.
Carson Wentz completed 25 of 42 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Washington (1-3), which lost its third straight game after a Week 1 win over Jacksonville.
The Commanders went with a conservative game plan, trying to protect Wentz and a shaky offensive line. After giving up nine sacks last week in a 24-8 loss to Philadelphia, Washington stuck with short passes and the running game in order to neutralize the Cowboys’ pass rush.
That plan worked for a while, as the Commanders mined a field-position advantage to keep Dallas out of the end zone most of the first half. When Wentz found Jahan Dotson for a 10-yard scoring strike at the 7:05 mark of the second quarter, Washington took a 7-6 edge.
At that point, the Cowboys came up with their best drive of the game. They went 75 yards in 15 plays, using up 6:01. Rush paid it off by hitting Michael Gallup for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 1:04 left in the half.
Maher started the scoring with a 53-yard field goal on the game’s first drive and also converted from 45 yards to begin the second quarter. He added a 28-yard field goal at the 4:56 mark of the third quarter.
The Commanders were often their own worst enemy, committing 11 penalties for a whopping 136 yards.
–Field Level Media