Dallas Cowboys Feast, But Washington Commanders Nap in Thanksgiving First Half

The Dallas Cowboys have a two-score lead against the Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving Day.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 23, 2023

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The Washington Commanders head to the locker room at AT&T Stadium trailing 20-10 against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday afternoon.

The Commanders and Cowboys traded punts in the first three drives of the game, but Dallas put points on the scoreboard first after a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dak Prescott to backup running back Rico Dowdle. The score gave the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.

The Commanders responded on the ensuing drive with a field goal to begin the second quarter, making it 7-3. But then, the Cowboys went up two scores after Prescott found veteran receiver Brandin Cooks for a 31-yard touchdown. The Cowboys then held a two-score advantage at 14-3.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) catches a pass for a first down over Washington Commanders linebacker Cody Barton (57) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Commanders found their first touchdown of the day on a long 13-play drive that spanned 75 yards and nearly seven minutes. Washington was able to bridge the gap with a 1-yard scramble from quarterback Sam Howell.

With the rhythm of the game growing, the Cowboys were able to click on a two-minute drill that ended in a 7-yard touchdown run from running back Tony Pollard, giving Dallas another two-score lead.

Howell finished the half completing 16 of 23 passes for 170 yards, while Prescott went 13 of 18 for 221 yards and two touchdowns.

Washington's defense has to get better if it wants the chance at a Turkey Day upset. The team is down two scores and the defense will be back on the field to start the second half trying to stop Prescott and the red-hot Cowboys offense.

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Published Nov 23, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.