The Dallas defense hadn’t looked this sharp in any game in 2025 before a late second-quarter TD marred the performance.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have put together one of their most complete halves of the season, leading the Washington Commanders 27-15 at halftime, as CeeDee Lamb has made his presence felt in his return from injury.

Lamb has 5 receptions for 110 yards and a 74-yard touchdown in the first half, in his first game since suffering a high ankle sprain against the Bears last month.  Lamb and Cowboys running back Javonte Williams have scored the Cowboys’ touchdowns, and Brandon Aubrey is 2-2 on field goals, including a 61-yarder in the second quarter that gave him five 60+ yard field goals in his career.  Aubrey is the only kicker in NFL history who has hit five field goals from 60 or longer.

The Cowboys’ defense looked genuinely sharp through the first 28 minutes of the game, before a late second-quarter touchdown drive that was pockmarked with bad tackling and penalties, allowing Washington to get back in the game.

Dallas opened the game with a touchdown run from Williams, plunging in from two yards away after George Pickens drew a pass interference penalty near the goal line on a deep shot from Dak Prescott.  Dallas led 7-0 for a moment and even got a three-and-out from their defense on Washington’s first possession. But the Tress Way punt was downed inside the Dallas 1-yard line, and Williams was tackled in the endzone for a safety to make it 7-2.

Washington would then take the ball 65 yards in seven plays, to take an 8-7 lead on Jayden Daniels’ touchdown pass to Zach Ertz, who was left wide open in the endzone.

Dallas’ defense then turned in its best stretch of play of the whole season, forcing the Washington offense into three punts and a turnover on downs in four consecutive series.  And in the meantime, the Cowboys’ offense built a lead.

Prescott hit Lamb for the 74-yard touchdown pass, to turn in a 1-play touchdown drive and a 17-8 Cowboys lead.  Aubrey’s two field goals were sandwiched around that, as Dallas turned short fields into three points.

Washington’s best offensive drive of the day came in the final two minutes, as Jayden Daniels worked his way down the field — with the help of some Cowboys penalties and some ugly attempts at tackling.  Daniels scored on a zone read from a yard away, and Washington had cut the lead to 5, 20-15.

But the Cowboys would drive 72 yards in four plays and just 35 seconds of game time, to tack on seven more.  Prescott hit George Pickens on a deep ball up the left sideline, before a 33-yard Javonte Williams run set up 1st & Goal from the 2. The next play was a Prescott to Jake Ferguson touchdown pass, to set the halftime margin at 27-15.