Cowboys drilled by Washington in second straight lopsided defeat
LANDOVER, Md. (KXAN) -- The Dallas Cowboys are down to their third-string quarterback and down in the terrible NFC East standings after a 25-3 loss to the Washington Football Team on Sunday.
Rookie quarterback Ben DiNucci played most of a meaningless second half as Washington put this game out of reach in the first two quarters. The Cowboys are the first team in NFL history to trail by 20 points or more in six straight games. Washington led 22-3 at halftime after Dallas' late first half drive ended in the red zone on a Dalton interception.
Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton left the game in the third quarter after a hard, helmet-to-helmet hit by Washington linebacker Jon Bostic. Dalton was helped off the field by trainers and is undergoing concussion protocol. Bostic was ejected from the game.
The veteran quarterback, signed in the offseason, took the reins of the Cowboys offense two weeks ago following the season-ending injury to Dak Prescott.
In the first quarter, Washington took advantage of a struggling Cowboys offense with a safety on a Dalton sack. With a 2-0 lead, Antonio Gibson capped off a 64-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run, giving Washington a 9-0 lead.
Tony Pollard took the ensuing kickoff 67 yards, getting the Cowboys in scoring range. The offense couldn't muster a first down, forced to settle for a 45-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal to make the score 9-3.
In the second quarter, Washington broke the game open on a 52-yard touchdown to receiver Terry McLaurin. On their next possession, Washington quarterback Kyle Allen found Logan Thomas for a 15-yard touchdown pass and a 22-3 lead.
On the Cowboys' final drive of the first half, Dallas drove to the Washington 12-yard line before a pass intended for Ezekiel Elliott was intercepted by Cole Holcomb.
DiNucci was sacked three times after replacing Dalton late in the third quarter. The Cowboys didn't reach Washington territory in the second half.
Like every other team in the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys can still win the division, but this team is bad in every aspect. With a 2-5 record, Dallas trails Philadelphia and Washington in the standings with the Eagles holding a slim lead.
The Cowboys could find themselves back atop the division standings with a win next week at Philadelphia. Currently, the game is scheduled for primetime next Sunday. You can watch the game on KXAN-TV at 7:20 p.m. on Nov. 1.