Dak Prescott helps Cowboys slide past Commanders

Dak Prescott passed for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys held off the Washington Commanders 30-23 on Thursday in Landover, Md.

Prescott completed 19 of 37 passes for Dallas (7-8-1), which snapped a three-game losing streak. Dallas rushed for 211 yards, including 103 by Malik Davis, and Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey made 3 of 4 field-goal attempts.

Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merrit rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries for Washington (4-12). Josh Johnson, 39, Washington's third-string quarterback, completed 15 of 23 passes for 198 yards in his 10th NFL start.

Jake Moody's 51-yard field goal to pull the Commanders within 30-23 with 2:09 left, but Dallas picked up two first downs and ran out the clock.

Washington trailed 24-10 at halftime but cut the deficit in half when Croskey-Merritt went through a big hole at right tackle and raced 72 yards for a touchdown with 9:34 left in the third quarter.

After a Dallas field goal, the Commanders drove to a first-and-goal at the six before settling for a field goal with 16 seconds left in the quarter.

Aubrey gave the Cowboys a 10-point cushion when he hit from 51 yards with 3:59 remaining in the game.

The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and went 78 yards in 13 plays. Javonte Williams ran for 4 yards on fourth-and-1 at the Dallas 44. Davis ran 21 yards to the Washington 31 and Prescott later found Jake Ferguson in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown.

Washington wide receiver Deebo Samuel went 41 yards to the Dallas 6 with a screen pass, but Johnson was sacked on third-and-goal and Moody's 29-yard field goal made it 7-3.

Dallas converted two fourth downs on its next possession before Williams capped a 17-play drive with a 4-yard run, and Dallas led 14-3 with 12:06 left in the second quarter.

After a Washington punt, Dallas started at its 3. On third-and-11 at the 14, Prescott hit KaVontae Turpin in stride at the Commanders 46 and he went all the way for an 86-yard touchdown to make it 21-3.

Samuel's 29-yard run put the Commanders in Dallas territory and Croskey-Merritt's 10-yard touchdown run pulled Washington within 21-10 before Aubrey added a 42-yard field goal for 24-10 halftime lead.

Williams left in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury, and Ferguson left in the third quarter with a calf injury.