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Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys live updates, score, and highlights

The Washington Commanders face the Dallas Cowboys in a Christmas Day rivalry matchup.
Joanne Coley|
Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil (0) celebrates after a fumble by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil (0) celebrates after a fumble by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Washington Commanders

With Marcus Mariota out, veteran quarterback Josh Johnson will take the helm as the Washington Commanders face longtime NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, on Christmas Day.

Both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, shifting the focus from a postseason run to pure bragging rights.

This holiday showdown offers Washington a chance to close the season on a high note while spoiling Dallas’ Christmas plans.

PREGAME

Commanders inactives: QB Sam Hartman (emergency 3rd quarterback), LB Nick Bellore, QB Jayden Daniels, QB Marcus Mariota, DT Daron Payne, OT Laremy Tunsil, RB Chris Rodriguez

Cowboys inactives: OT Tyler Guyton, LB DeMarvion Overshown, CB Caelen Carson, WR Ryan Flournoy, RB Jayden Blue, DT Jay Toia, DT Perrion Winfrey

1st Quarter

  • Washington won the toss and have elected to defer. Cowboys will take the ball to start this Christmas game. Turpin on the return shy of the DAL 22.
  • Dak hands off to William with a run up the middle for 4 yards. Pass to Williams was too high. Cowboys now face 3rd down. Dak in the pocket, lets' it fly but pass is incomplete. Flag on the play, pass interference on WAS. A give to Williams for 8 yards as he trucks Sainristil on the run. Next play, Williams is chopped down on the run. 3rd an 1, Dak on the roll tries to pass to Williams and it fall incomplete. Williams plows his way for a first down. Dak looks deep to Lamb but the ball in underthrown and falls in complete. Next Davis with a big run into Washington territory.
  • Dak shovel pass broken up by Wagner. 2nd and 10, Williams keeps those legs moving and is hit at the 26 yard line. Dak to Pickens with a catch and run down the sideline for 19 yards. Hand off to Williams and is muscled down at the line of scrimmage. Dak to Ferguson in the endzone for a TOUCHDOWN. Cowboys on the board first.
  • Commanders Edmonds on the kick return to the WAS 24. Bill on the first run for the Commanders for 2 yards. Johnson to Burks for 11 yards. Johnson on the move and throws a strike to McLaurin. Washington moving into Dallas territory. Johnson to Deebo with a big run for 41 yards. 1st and goal, hand off to Bill and he's slung down inside the 5. Hand off to Bill again but he runs into a wall. Johnson pump fakes and then is taken down. Commanders will attempt a filed good to get on the board. Its GOOD. Cowboys 7, Commanders 3.
  • Touchback on the kickoff. Then Dak finds Lamb for 5 yards. Next play, flag on the play, personal foul against DAL. Dak gives to Williams for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, Dak looks to Lamb but flag on the play against WAS Jones for pass interference. Automatic first down for Dallas.
  • Next play, Dak is twirled down and sacked by Commanders Newton. Hand off to Davis with a run up the middle for 16. This next run for Davis for just a yard. Dak surveys and throws to Pickens for a first down and 19 yards. Williams up the middle for 7 yards. Williams again but for a yard. End of the first quarter.

2nd Quarter

  • Shotgun, Dak looks deep to Tolbert but it falls incomplete. Commanders call their first timeout. Next short middle pass to Tolbert for 4 yards. Dak looks to Tolbert again but falls incomplete. Williams then up the middle for 9 yards. Then Davis with no where to go. Williams then up the middle for a yard. Dak looks to Ferguson but its incomplete. Dak looks to the endzone for Pickens but is incomplete. Flag on the play against WAS for unnecessary roughness. Williams on the run and finds the endzone. TOUCHDOWN Cowboys.
  • Edmonds on the kick return to the WAS 29. Bill on the run for a loss of 2 yards. Johnson deep to Samuel for 27 yards. Bill to the left for a yard. Flag on the play against WAS for illegal formation. Johnson looks to McLaurin deep but falls incomplete. Johnson then short pass to Sinnott. Next play, Johnson looks to Deebo but the pass is broken up by Steward. Commanders are forced to punt it away.
  • Dak with the hand off to Davis for a gain of 1. Dak lets it fly to Lamb for 11 yards. Dak on the next play can't find anyone so he throws it away. Dak with a toss to Lamb but a loss of a yard. Dake steps and throws deep to Turpin for 86 yards and a TOUCHDOWN. Flag on the play against WAS. Cowboys widen the lead to 21.
  • Deebo on a big run for the Commanders for 29 yards. Johnson will throw it McLaurin he wobbles it for an incomplete pass. Washington takes its second timeout. Commanders run it, Bill with a run for no gain. Flag on the play against DAL for a horse collar tackle.
  • Direct snap to Deebo but no where to go and loses 4 yards. Johnson short right pass to McNichols is complete for 6 yards. Then an incomplete pass to Deebo. Flag on the play on DAL for pass interference. Next play, Bill on the run up the middle for 10 yards and a TOUCHDOWN. Cowboys 21, Commanders 10.
  • Turpin on the kick return to the DAL 26. Davis up the middle for 5 yards. Hand off to Davis with a run to the right for a yard. Dak scrambles for 12 yards and a first down. Flag at the beginning of the play against DAL for false start. Davis on the run and gets tripped up by Von Miller. 2-minute warning in effect.
  • Dak on the scramble up the middle for 6 yards. Dak with a short pass to Tolbert for 14 yards. Luepke up the middle for 5 yards. Dallas takes a timeout. Dak to Schoonmaker for 6 yards. Dak with the step and throw to Davis but its low and incomplete. Davis swing pass to Tolbert for 6 yard. Dallas calls their second timeout. Dak in trouble and his dumped by Commanders Smith. Commanders take a timeout. Cowboys attempt a 42 yard field goal and its GOOD.
  • Touchback on the kickoff. Johnson short pass to McLaurin for 6 yards. Flag on play against WAS for false start. End of the half.

HALFTIME - Cowboys 24, Commanders 10

3rd Quarter

  • Edmonds on the kick return to the WAS 26. Johnson to McLaurin for 12 yards. Bill on the run but loses 3 yards. Johnson can't find anyone so he scrambles for 5. Johnson lets it fly to Sinnott but its incomplete. Commanders punt it away. Turpin calls fair catch.
  • Hand off Davis up the middle for 8 yards. Dak can't get away and is sacked by Commanders Newton. Luepke on the run and powers through for a first down. Luepke again for for 7 yards. Dak looks to Lamb deep but its incomplete. Dak short pass to Pickens for 10 yards but flag on the play for pass interference on the offense. Dak looks deep to Pickens again but its incomplete. Penalty on DAL for false start. Cowboys punt it away.
  • First play, Bill on the run for 72 yards and a Commanders TOUCHDOWN. Extra point is GOOD.
  • Turpin on the return to the DAL 27. Dak short pass to Pickens for 19 yards. Commanders defense gets to Dak before he can get the ball out. Dak finds Lamb for a gain of 7 yards. Pickens finds a wide open Lamb for 24 yards. Flag at the start of the next play against DAL for false start. Hand off to Davis up the middle for 6 yards. Dak looks to throw but its batted by Luvu.
  • Next play down goes Dak. Flag on WAS Luvu for unnecessary roughness. Hand off to Davis and drives it inside the 35. Dak deep to Lamb but is broken up and falls incomplete. Dak to the sideline to Tolbert but he's out of bounds. 52 field goal attempt is GOOD.
  • Edmonds on the return to the WAS 35. Flag on the play against WAS Coleman. Johnson can't find anyone so he scrambles and for 5 yards. Johnson looking to Deebo but is nearly intercepted. Johnson then finds McLaurin for 16. Direct snap to Bill but he gets no where. Johnson pass to Moore for 15. Flag on DAL for face mask.
  • Bill on the run for 13 yards. Bill on the run but just for a yard. 2nd and Goal, Johnson pressured, looking but throws it over the head of Bill. 3rd and goal, Johnson looks to Burks but its incomplete. Commanders will settle for a field goal. Turpin to the DAL 24. Davis on a run to the right for 2 yards. End of the 3rd quarter.

4th Quarter

  • Dak hits Spann-Ford downfield for 31 yards. Davis up the middle for 3 yards. Dak to Lamb but its tipped by Reaves. Dallas calls a timeout. 3rd and 7, Dak throw but its low at the feet of Lamb. It falls incomplete. Dallas attempts a field goal but its NO GOOD. Cowboys come up empty.
  • Bill in the backfield, breaks a tackle and is pushed near the first down marker. Bill again on the run for no gain. McNichols is now in but he loses 2 yards. Commanders will go for it on 4th down, flag on the play against WAS Coleman. Commanders will punt it away. Turpin calls fair catch.
  • Davis on the run for 3 yards. Flag against DAL for illegal shift. Dak to Schoonmaker for 10 yards. Dak again for Davis and he drives to the 25. Ball to Davis and he carries it to the 31. Luepke up the middle for 2 yards. 3rd and 1, Dak keeps it and pushed through for the first down. Dak is sacked on the next play.
  • Dak looks for Mingo but its incomplete. Short pass to Leupke for 14 yards. Dak then to Tolbert for 7 yards. Davis up the middle for 4 yards. Flag on the play against WAS. Davis then with the run for 3 yards. Dak pass to Spann-Ford is incomplete. Cowboys call a timeout. Luepke up the middle for 3 yards. 51 field goal attempt is GOOD. Dallas goes in front by 10.
  • Edmonds on the return to the Commanders 28. Johnson pass to Sinnott for 12 yards. Short pass to McLaurin is complete for 12. McNichols on the run for 7 yards. Johnson short pass to Sinnott for 9 yards. Johnson to McNichols for a loss of a yard. Johnson spikes the ball to stop the clock. Commanders attempt a 51-yard field goal attempt and its GOOD.
  • Turpin on the return short of the 30 yard line. Davis up the middle for 6 yards. Two-minute warning in effect. Davis then to the left for 3 yards. Commanders call a timeout. Dak to Pickens for 21 yards. Commanders take second timeout. Hand off to Davis up the middle for 4 yards. Commanders take final timeout. Luepke up the middle for 4 yards. Dallas uses last timeout. Luepke up the middle for a yard. Dak keeps and up the middle for a yard to end the game.

FINAL - Cowboys 30, Commanders 23

READ MORE: Former Commanders trade was a major mistake for Washington

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 season.

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Joane Coley
JOANNE COLEY

Joanne Coley, from Prince George’s County, MD, is a communications professional passionate about storytelling and sports. She holds a bachelor’s in Communications from Kent State University and a Master’s in Communications/Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University. Since 2018, she has served as Communications Manager at the Council of the Great City Schools. A foodie and traveler, Joanne is also a former state champion in high school shotput and standout athlete in softball.

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