Thankful for a healthy QB
Washington is in first as Smith adds rare win on Thanksgiving over rival to his comeback.
WASHINGTON 41 DALLAS 16
ARLINGTON, Texas — Alex Smith has Washington at least temporarily in f irst place in the NFC East after winning on Thanksgiving for the first time, two years after a planned holiday showing was wrecked by the quarterback’s career- threatening leg injury.
Antonio Gibson ran for three touchdowns, Smith had a scoring pass and Washington pulled away in the fourth quarter of a 41- 16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.
Smith was days away from a second career Thanksgiving start in a visit to Dallas two years ago when he was injured. Now he has a second straight victory in his improbable comeback.
“It’s hard to put into words,” said Smith, who was a modest 19 for 26 for 149 yards and got bailed out on his only interception when receiver Terry McLaurin ran down Dallas linebacker Jaylon Smith to prevent a tying touchdown before the Cowboys settled for a field goal.
“I never would have dreamt in a million years something like this would be happening. Just thankful.”
Gibson’s second score was a 23- yard run on the first play after an ill- advised fake punt attempt by Dallas as Washington beat its division rival on Thanksgiving for just the second time in 10 tries, the most frequent visitor for the Cowboys in their annual holiday home game.
Washington ( 4- 7) slides ahead of Philadelphia ( 3- 6- 1) in the NFC East and will stay in f irst place if the Eagles lose to Seattle on Monday night. It was the third win in five games since a five- game losing streak dropped Washington to 1- 5.
“We’re still in it,” Gibson said. “That gives us hope. That’s what we’re pushing for is we can still make the playoffs.”
Dallas ( 3- 8) couldn’t build on a big win at Minnesota, losing for the fifth time in six games since star quarterback Dak Prescott’s season- ending ankle injury.
The Cowboys played a day after strength coach Markus Paul died at a hospital following a medical emergency at the team’s facility.
The Cowboys trailed 2016 when they faced fourth and 10 from their 24- yard line early in the fourth quarter. Darian Thompson took the snap in front of punter Hunter Niswander and pitched to Cedrick Wilson on a reverse that was stuffed for a loss.
On the next play, Gibson beat the Dallas defense to the left pylon. After another Dallas punt, Gibson capped a clock- killing drive with a 37- yard score for a 34- 16 lead.
Gibson, already the rookie leader in touchdowns rushing with 11, finished with 115 yards in 20 carries.