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ARLINGTON, Texas – The intrigues of this game are endless, from the lore of this rivalry, to the Thanksgiving Day story, to the emotions the Cowboys have been dealing with all week, to the fact that this game was for the top spot in the division.
And between touchdowns, turnovers, and questionable game calls, there were a handful of other games that played a big factor in the result. Here are five to keep in mind:
Miss Dalton, Martin injured – In a key third play on the Cowboys’ first down, Andy Dalton broke Amari Cooper down a deep slope near the goal line, but narrowly missed it for a failure. To make matters worse, Zack Martin suffered a calf injury on this play and did not return. The injury has proven to be a costly blow for an offensive line that has been slapped all season, especially on tackle. The Cowboys had to kick a basket and lost another tackle on the same play.
Lewis reported for illegal contact – In Washington’s first down, the Cowboys were flagged for a pair of defensive penalties on the third down. The second was highly questionable as Jourdan Lewis was flagged for illegal contact in midfield as quarterback Alex Smith danced around the pocket. The penalty canceled an incomplete pass and kept Washington’s attack on the pitch. Moments later, they scored to take a 7-3 lead.
The lamb stopped without gain – Yes, we all remember the incomplete fourth pass from the Cowboys 34-yard line in the second quarter. But what about the game before the third try? The Cowboys threw a jet sweep pass to CeeDee Lamb who couldn’t get around the corner before being engulfed by a stingy Washington defense. It was the play that led to the Cowboys’ decision on the fourth down, and it also showed the appellant that they couldn’t run the ball for a yard, so they chose to pass. Looks like the game in Lamb is designed to get at least 5 or 6 yards and he didn’t get 1.
Zeke coughs after half time – Let’s not forget that the Cowboys barely trailed 17-13 to open the third quarter. The reason most teams postpone to the first draw is precisely for this reason: to get the ball in the third quarter and score. And, in this case, take the lead again. But in the second game of the half, Ezekiel Elliott searched the ball as he dove for the first yard. Zeke was probably going to be short anyway, as was putting up third and short. But the fumble, which was knocked down thanks to a challenge from Washington, led to a basket. Instead of driving for a score, the Cowboys immediately found themselves down seven.
CeeDee can’t catch TD – The Cowboys looked like they were looking to tie the game when Jaylon Smith landed an assist and headed for the end zone. But after being caught at the 4-yard line, the Cowboys actually fell back with two plays that marked a 6-yard loss. On the third try it looked like they were going to score anyway when Dalton found Lamb in the end zone. But the rookie receiver, who had a nice catch for a touchdown last Sunday, couldn’t shoot that shot, and the Cowboys had to settle for a basket – and would never score again.
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