Cowboys crumble, fall behind in NFC East
The Cowboys’ outlook was bleak at halftime, when they trailed a one-win Washington team by 19 points. Things got worse.
Andy Dalton has now recorded two starts as quarterback for the Cowboys.
Dallas lost each contest by more than 20 points, falling to the Washington Football Team 25-3 on Sunday. In the third quarter at FedExField, the Cowboys also lost Dalton.
On a day when he was averaging fewer than 4 yards per pass attempt, Dalton tucked the ball and scrambled 6 yards to Dallas’ 9-yard line. Washington linebacker Jon Bostic lowered his shoulder to deliver a fierce blow to Dalton’s head. Dalton lost his helmet, was helped off the field and soon was ruled out of the contest with a concussion. Bostic was ejected.
A Dallas offense now down five linemen, a tight end and two quarterbacks sent seventh-round rookie Ben DiNucci in behind center. DiNucci, like Dalton, would take three sacks.
Undoubtedly, the Cowboys’ quarterback health, or lack thereof, has hurt a team that fell to 2-5 for the fifth time in the franchise’s 61-year history. Ball security plagues the group, too. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who lost two fumbles last week against Arizona, didn’t lose a ball in 12 carries. But a Dalton pass slightly behind Elliott tipped Elliott’s hands before bouncing into the eager grasp of a diving Washington linebacker Chase Holcomb.
Similarly on defense, success was only relative. The Cowboys allowed just three points in the second half, and their 25 total were 11 fewer than the franchise-worst season average. Still, Dallas ceded 125 first-half rushing yards to a team that previously hadn’t posted more than 117 in game. And the Cowboys again failed to stop big plays.
Washington quarterback Kyle Allen completed 15 of 25 passes for 194 yards and two TDs. Rookie Antonio Gibson posted 128 rushing yards and a TD.