Cowboys lead Commanders by two scores at halftime, despite briefly trailing

GREATER LANDOVER, Md. — The Dallas Cowboys lead the Washington Commanders 21 10 at halftime of their Week 18 meeting at FedEx Field. Dallas can clinch the NFC East division title with a win. They can also clinch the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs, with a victory. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completed 17 of 21 passes for 167 yards and a pair of first half touchdowns, to lead his team to the advantage.

He also threw an interception. CeeDee Lamb has seven receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown for the ninth straight game. Jalen Tolbert caught a touchdown pass as well. Tony Pollard has 54 rushing yards and a touchdown. After the Cowboys played with their food for a quarter and a half, their offense started to get things rolling on the ground.

A 7 play, 71 yard touchdown drive featured five running plays – four from Tony Pollard totaling 31 yards. Pollard had carries of 9, 9, 12 and a one yard touchdown run that gave Dallas a 14 10 lead with 4:12 left in the second quarter The Cowboys defense then made a big play, as defensive end Demarcus Lawrence got to Washington quarterback Sam Howell, contacted his hand as Howell threw the ball, and Donovan Wilson hauled in the tipped interception at the Dallas 35.

Dallas turned that interception into a six play, 65 yard touchdown drive in the waning moments of the second quarter, as Prescott hit Lamb for a four yard touchdown pass, setting the halftime margin of 21 10. A Commanders kneel down with 0:23 remaining ended the half. The Cowboys have the ball to start the third quarter.

Washington made it a game, with a key sequence spanning the quarter break. A field goal block of Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey – handing him his first missed field goal of his NFL career – led Washington to start their second possession of the day at the Cowboys 20. A seven play methodical march later, Washington capitalized on a 4th & Goal throw from Sam Howell to Brian Robinson, bobbled but caught, to tie the game 7 7.

Then, Prescott fell victim to something that hasn't happened to him nearly as much as it did in 2022 – a tipped interception. Jalen Harris got a hand on the football at the line of scrimmage, popping it straight up in the air. Quan Martin settled underneath it for a pick, and the Commanders took possession back.

Washington would turn the interception into a 36 yard Joey Slye field goal, to take a 10 7 lead. The Cowboys took their opening possession and drove 67 yards in eight plays, as Dak Prescott completed all six of his passes for 57 yards and the touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert, while also hitting CeeDee Lamb twice, Brandin Cooks twice, and Tony Pollard to set up 1st & Goal, on a beautiful leaping grab from the Cowboys running back.

Tolbert shook off a defender in the back of the endzone to leap and make the catch on the back line, to give Dallas a 7 0 lead, just 8:34 into the game. The Commanders started the game with a 9 play, 42 yard drive, but were held up on a 4th & 1 try at the 31 yard line. Jayron Kearse came through to tackle Brian Robinson on a swing pass for a two yard loss, to give the Cowboys the ball for the first time on the day..