Rank'Em
Rank'Em: Top Thanksgiving games vs. WSH
Let's rank the previous 10 games when Dallas and Washington faced each other on Thanksgiving.
10. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 26, 2020 • AT&T Stadium • L, 41-16
The most recent Thanksgiving meeting between these longtime NFC East foes turned into a one-sided feast for the wrong side. Unfortunately, the Dallas defense just couldn't slow down a Washington offensive attack that gained 182 yards on the ground. And while the score was actually close through three quarters – the Cowboys only trailed 20-16 – the visitors put the game out of reach with three touchdowns in the fourth, including two runs to the end zone by Antonio Gibson.
9. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 28, 1996 • Texas Stadium • W, 21-10
It's hard to believe the Cowboys won this game by double-digits over a solid Washington club despite putting up a grand total of just 63 passing yards. That's right … 63. But thanks to a defense that held the visitors to only 209 yards of offense and a running back in Emmitt Smith who rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns, quarterback Troy Aikman simply didn't need to do much in this Dallas victory.
8. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 22, 2012 • AT&T Stadium • L, 38-31
Talk about a tale of two halves. When the first two quarters were finished, the Cowboys found themselves down, 28-3, thanks in part to 68- and 59-yard touchdown passes from Washington's Robert Griffin. The second half was a different story, though. Tony Romo threw for 441 yards overall but a whopping 344 yards and three touchdowns came after the break. Behind that Herculean effort, Dallas outscored its opponent, 25-10, in the second half. Alas, the damage was done.
7. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 23, 1978 • Texas Stadium • W, 37-10
The Cowboys were on their way to a 12-4 mark and eventual appearance in Super Bowl XIII while Washington would finish at 8-8. Needless to say, the score here reflected their records. By halftime, Dallas already had a 20-0 lead, but added 17 more points over the last two quarters just for good measure. Surprisingly, backup running back Scott Laidlaw garnered the spotlight, rushing for 122 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were career highs.
6. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 22, 1990 • Texas Stadium • W, 27-17
Favored Washington held a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter, but in the end simply had no answer for Emmitt Smith. The rookie running back rushed for 132 yards on the day and scored twice in the final frame, the second of which came on a 48-yard touchdown scamper with just over three minutes remaining. His effort helped lead the Cowboys to a come-from-behind victory and also snapped the team's four-game losing streak on Thanksgiving.
5. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 28, 2002 • Texas Stadium • W, 27-20
Washington had a 20-10 lead and the ball back with 8:54 left in the third quarter, but the visitors were pinned at their own 1-yard line. That's when safety Roy Williams intercepted a pass and returned it 5 yards for the score. Given the jumpstart, the Cowboys then got a 41-yard touchdown from wideout Joey Galloway in the fourth quarter to take the lead with a final 42-yard field goal wrapping up 17 unanswered points.
4. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 28, 1968 • Cotton Bowl • W, 29-20
The first time these two played on Thanksgiving saw the Cowboys jump out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter. However, they found themselves trailing by one in the fourth frame before Mike Clark kicked a 25-yard field goal and defensive end Larry Cole scored on a 5-yard interception return to give Dallas the win. Don Perkins finished the day with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown to lead the offensive effort.
3. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 24, 2016 • AT&T Stadium • W, 31-26
A rather pedestrian matchup that saw Dallas leading, 17-6, after three quarters turned into quite the wild ride over the final 15 minutes. Five touchdowns were scored in the fourth alone as the two sides combined for 34 total points. Washington reached the end zone three times to narrow its deficit to only five with just under two minutes remaining, but once the Redskins' ensuing onside kick bounced out of bounds, the Cowboys had their win.
2. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 22, 2018 • AT&T Stadium • W, 31-23
Acquired in a trade with the Raiders earlier in the month, Amari Cooper certainly proved himself worthy of the investment in this one. The wideout totaled 180 receiving yards that included touchdowns of 40 and 90 yards, the second tying the fifth-longest score in team history. Adding to that charge was Ezekiel Elliott, who had 143 yards from scrimmage and his own 16-yard touchdown, their combined effort accounting for 80 percent of the Cowboys' 404 yards of offense.
1. Dallas vs. Washington • Nov. 28, 1974 • Texas Stadium • W, 24-23
All seemed lost when the Cowboys fell behind early and then saw quarterback Roger Staubach sidelined due to injury. But in stepped Clint Longley. Playing in his first career NFL game, he would go on to complete 11 of 20 pass attempts for 203 yards and two touchdowns. The second of those came when the "Mad Bomber" threw a 50-yard bomb to Drew Pearson with only 28 seconds left to snatch the victory away from Washington.
