2021 Dallas Cowboys season

Sports season

2021 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerJerry Jones
General managerJerry Jones
Head coachMike McCarthy
Offensive coordinatorKellen Moore
Defensive coordinatorDan Quinn
Home fieldAT&T Stadium
Results
Record12–5
Division place1st NFC East
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. 49ers) 17–23
Pro Bowlers
6
  • WR CeeDee Lamb
  • T Tyron Smith
  • G Zack Martin
  • MLB Micah Parsons
  • CB Trevon Diggs
  • P Bryan Anger
AP All-Pros
4
  • RG Zack Martin (1st team)
  • LB Micah Parsons (1st team)
  • CB Trevon Diggs (1st team)
  • P Bryan Anger (2nd team)
Uniform

The 2021 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd under the ownership of Jerry Jones, and their 13th playing home games at AT&T Stadium.

For the first time since 2004, long-time long snapper L. P. Ladouceur was not on the opening day roster, as he was not re-signed during free agency.[1] This was also the first time since 2010 that long-time punter Chris Jones was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on March 17, 2021.[2] To further add to the notable departures, for the first time since 2011, defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on March 25, 2021.[3] Additionally, for the first time since 2009, linebacker Sean Lee was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on April 26, 2021.[4]

With their Week 10 win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys improved on their 6–10 record from the previous season. With their Week 14 win against the Washington Football Team, the Cowboys clinched their first winning season since 2018, and with the San Francisco 49ers' Week 16 loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys clinched their first playoff berth also since 2018. Following a Denver Broncos' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cowboys clinched the NFC East, based on strength-of-victory tiebreakers; this was their first division title since 2018. They swept the NFC East for the first time since 1998. The Cowboys' strong offense finished the year with 530 points, the most in the league, and a team record. But despite high expectations, the Cowboys lost in the wild card round of the playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers 23–17.

On July 2, 2021, the Cowboys were announced to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks for the third time in franchise history.[5]

Offseason

Signings

Position Player Age 2020 team Contract
RB Corey Clement 27 Philadelphia Eagles 1 year, $990,000
TE Jeremy Sprinkle 27 Washington Football Team 1 year, $987,500
OT Ty Nsekhe 36 Buffalo Bills 1 year, $1.75 million
DE Brent Urban 30 Chicago Bears 1 year, $1.75 million
DT Carlos Watkins 28 Houston Texans 1 year, $1.75 million
LB Tarell Basham 27 New York Jets 2 years, $6.5 million
FS Malik Hooker 25 Indianapolis Colts 1 year, $920,000
FS Damontae Kazee 28 Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $1.127 million
SS Jayron Kearse 27 Detroit Lions 1 year, $1.127 million
SS Keanu Neal 26 Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $5 million
P Bryan Anger 33 Houston Texans 1 year, $987,500
LS Jake McQuaide 34 Los Angeles Rams 1 year, $1.2 million

Re-signings

Position Player Age Contract
QB Dak Prescott 28 4 years, $160 million
WR Noah Brown 25 1 year, $1.127 million
WR Malik Turner 25 1 year, $920,000
WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. 26 1 year, $2.1 million
CB C. J. Goodwin 31 2 years, $3.5 million
CB Jourdan Lewis 26 3 years, $16.5 million

Departures

Position Player Age 2021 team
QB Andy Dalton 33 Chicago Bears
QB Garrett Gilbert 30 Washington Football Team
FB Jamize Olawale 32 Unsigned
WR Jon'Vea Johnson 26 Chicago Bears
WR Chris Lacy 25 Chicago Bears
TE Blake Bell 30 Kansas City Chiefs
TE Cole Hikutini 27 New York Giants
OT Cameron Erving 29 Carolina Panthers
OT Brandon Knight 24 Baltimore Ravens
OT Greg Senat 27 Indianapolis Colts
C Marcus Henry 28 Arizona Cardinals
C Joe Looney 31 Retired
C Adam Redmond 28 Baltimore Ravens
DE Ron'Dell Carter 24 Arizona Cardinals
DE Tyrone Crawford 32 Retired
DE Aldon Smith 32 Seattle Seahawks
DT Eli Ankou 27 Buffalo Bills
DT Antwaun Woods 28 Indianapolis Colts
LB Sean Lee 35 Retired
LB Justin March 28 Tennessee Titans
LB Jaylon Smith 26 New York Giants
LB Joe Thomas 30 Baltimore Ravens
CB Chidobe Awuzie 26 Cincinnati Bengals
FS Xavier Woods 26 Minnesota Vikings
P Chris Jones 32 Unsigned
LS L. P. Ladouceur 40 Unsigned

Draft

2021 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 12 Micah Parsons *  LB Penn State
2 44 Kelvin Joseph  CB Kentucky
3 75 Osa Odighizuwa  DT UCLA
3 84 Chauncey Golston  DE Iowa
3 99 Nahshon Wright  CB Oregon State Compensatory Pick
4 115 Jabril Cox  LB LSU
4 138 Josh Ball  OT Marshall Compensatory Pick
5 178 Simi Fehoko  WR Stanford Compensatory Pick
6 192 Quinton Bohanna  DT Kentucky
6 227 Israel Mukuamu  CB South Carolina Compensatory Pick
7 238 Matt Farniok  OG Nebraska
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

  • The Cowboys were awarded one third-round, one fourth-round, one fifth-round and one sixth-round compensatory picks (99th, 138th, 178th and 227th overall).
  • The Cowboys traded its first-round selection (10th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for first- and third-round selections (12th and 84th overall).

Staff

2021 Dallas Cowboys staff

Front office

  • Owner/president/general manager – Jerry Jones
  • COO/Executive vice president/director of player personnel – Stephen Jones
  • Senior director of football operations/football administration – Todd Williams
  • Executive vice president/chief brand officer – Charlotte Jones Anderson
  • Executive vice president/Chief sales & marketing officer – Jerry Jones Jr.
  • Director of salary cap & player contracts – Adam Prasifka
  • Vice president player personnel – Will McClay
  • Director of team travel and logistics – Craig Glieber
  • Assistant director of football administration and technology – Jason McKay
  • Director of college scouting – Lionel Vital
  • Director of pro scouting – Alex Loomis
  • Assistant director of college scouting – Chris Hall
  • Advance scouting coordinator – Keith O'Quinn
  • Scout – Chris Vaughn
  • Scouting video coordinator – Rich Behm

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator – Dan Quinn
  • Defensive line – Aden Durde
  • Assistant defensive line – Leon Lett
  • Linebackers – Scott McCurley
  • Secondaries/pass game coordinator – Joe Whitt Jr.
  • Defensive backs – Al Harris
  • Senior defensive assistant – George Edwards
  • Quality control/analytics – Ryan Feder

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Harold Nash
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Kendall Smith

Rosters

Opening preseason roster

Dallas Cowboys 2021 opening preseason roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

90 active (+1 exempt), 1 inactive

Week one roster

Dallas Cowboys 2021 week one roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice squad

54 active, 15 inactive, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Final roster

2021 Dallas Cowboys final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
54 active, 12 inactive, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Preseason

On February 15, the NFL announced that the Cowboys would face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The game kicked off at 7:00 p.m. CDT, and was televised by Fox. The Cowboys were represented by head coach Jimmy Johnson and safety Cliff Harris. The Cowboys and Steelers were scheduled to play in the 2020 Hall of Fame game; however, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement, along with the entire 2020 preseason, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and Steelers was rescheduled for 2021.[6][7]

The remainder of the Cowboys' preseason opponents are listed below; the schedule was announced on May 13.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
HOF August 5 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers L 3–16 0–1 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Recap
1 August 13 at Arizona Cardinals L 16–19 0–2 State Farm Stadium Recap
2 August 21 Houston Texans L 14–20 0–3 AT&T Stadium Recap
3 August 29 Jacksonville Jaguars L 14–34 0–4 AT&T Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule

The Cowboys' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 29–31 0–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
2 September 19 at Los Angeles Chargers W 20–17 1–1 SoFi Stadium Recap
3 September 27 Philadelphia Eagles W 41–21 2–1 AT&T Stadium Recap
4 October 3 Carolina Panthers W 36–28 3–1 AT&T Stadium Recap
5 October 10 New York Giants W 44–20 4–1 AT&T Stadium Recap
6 October 17 at New England Patriots W 35–29 (OT) 5–1 Gillette Stadium Recap
7 Bye
8 October 31 at Minnesota Vikings W 20–16 6–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap
9 November 7 Denver Broncos L 16–30 6–2 AT&T Stadium Recap
10 November 14 Atlanta Falcons W 43–3 7–2 AT&T Stadium Recap
11 November 21 at Kansas City Chiefs L 9–19 7–3 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
12 November 25 Las Vegas Raiders L 33–36 (OT) 7–4 AT&T Stadium Recap
13 December 2 at New Orleans Saints W 27–17 8–4 Caesars Superdome Recap
14 December 12 at Washington Football Team W 27–20 9–4 FedExField Recap
15 December 19 at New York Giants W 21–6 10–4 MetLife Stadium Recap
16 December 26 Washington Football Team W 56–14 11–4 AT&T Stadium Recap
17 January 2 Arizona Cardinals L 22–25 11–5 AT&T Stadium Recap
18 January 8 at Philadelphia Eagles W 51–26 12–5 Lincoln Financial Field Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 1: Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 9 10329
Buccaneers 7 14 7331

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • TB – Rob Gronkowski 2-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 9:48. Buccaneers 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 2:53
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 4:12. Buccaneers 14–13. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:08
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 35-yard field goal, 3:16. Cowboys 16–14. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 0:52
  • TB – Antonio Brown 47-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 2:38. Buccaneers 21–16. Drive: 2 plays, 57 yards, 0:38

Third quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 21-yard field goal, 9:15. Buccaneers 21–19. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:45
  • TB – Rob Gronkowski 11-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 6:23. Buccaneers 28–19. Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 2:08
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:33. Buccaneers 28–26. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:50

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal, 1:29. Cowboys 29–28. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 3:28
  • TB – Ryan Succop 36-yard field goal, 0:02. Buccaneers 31–29. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 1:22

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 42/58, 403 yards, 3 TD, INT
  • TB – Tom Brady – 32/50, 379 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • DAL – Amari Cooper – 13 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD
  • TB – Antonio Brown – 5 receptions, 121 yards, TD

Dak Prescott played his first game since he suffered compound fracture and dislocation injuries to his right ankle during a Week 5 game against the Giants the previous season. The Cowboys defense forced four turnovers but Greg Zuerlein missed crucial field goals, including a 60-yarder and an extra point. The Cowboys would fall to 0–1. This was the only time this season that the Cowboys had a lead at one point but ended up losing the game.

Week 2: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week 2: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 14 0 0620
Chargers 3 8 3317

at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Tony Pollard 4-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:09. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 78 yards, 6:51.
  • LAC – Tristan Vizcaino 46-yard field goal, 3:32. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 17 yards, 2:24.
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 5-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:17. Cowboys 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:15.

Second quarter

Third quarter

  • LAC – Tristan Vizcaino 32-yard field goal, 9:22. Tied 14–14. Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 5:38.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 34-yard field goal, 10:25. Cowboys 17–14. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 4:40.
  • LAC – Tristan Vizcaino 29-yard field goal, 3:54. Tied 17–17. Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 6:31.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 56-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 20–17. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 3:54.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 23/27, 237 yards, INT
  • LAC – Justin Herbert – 31/41, 338 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Tony Pollard – 13 rushes, 109 yards, TD
  • LAC – Austin Ekeler – 9 rushes, 54 yards

Top receivers

The Cowboys started the game with a 14–3 lead, from touchdown runs by Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott. The Chargers later tied the game. The Cowboys and Chargers each scored a field goal in their next scoring drives. In the last seconds of the game, the Cowboys marched down the field to the Chargers' 38-yard line. Greg Zuerlein kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to give Dallas a crucial win. The win improved the Cowboys to 1–1. This was the Cowboys' first win over the Chargers since 2005.

Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 7 0 7721
Cowboys 14 6 71441

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:47. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:13.
  • PHI – Fletcher Cox fumble recovery in end zone (Jake Elliott kick), 9:57. Tied 7–7.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 19-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:31. Cowboys 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 3:06.

Second quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 3-yard run (kick failed), 7:10. Cowboys 20–7. Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 7:50.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Trevon Diggs 59-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:07. Cowboys 27–7.
  • PHI – Zach Ertz 3-yard pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott kick), 7:08. Cowboys 27–14. Drive: 8 plays, 90 yards, 3:55.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:26. Cowboys 34–14. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 6:12.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 22-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 6:56. Cowboys 41–14. Drive: 3 plays, 31 yards, 1:20.
  • PHI – Greg Ward 15-yard pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott kick), 3:09. Cowboys 41–21. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:47.

Top passers

  • PHI – Jalen Hurts – 25/39, 326 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 21/26, 238 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

  • PHI – Jalen Hurts – 9 rushes, 35 yards
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 17 rushes, 95 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

  • PHI – Dallas Goedert – 2 receptions, 66 yards
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz – 6 receptions, 80 yards, 2 TD

The Cowboys continued their home streak against the Eagles. Despite Dak Prescott's early hiccup by fumbling to allow the Eagles to score, Prescott responded by leading his team to torch the Eagles defense. Trevon Diggs recorded a pick-six off Jalen Hurts to tighten the Cowboys' lead. It was the first time since Week 8 of 2017 that the Cowboys recorded a pick-six. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 2–1.

Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 4: Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Panthers 7 7 01428
Cowboys 7 6 20336

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: October 3
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,262
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:27. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:40.
  • CAR – Sam Darnold 1-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 2:41. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:46.

Second quarter

  • DAL – Blake Jarwin 18-yard pass from Dak Prescott (pass failed), 14:09. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:32.
  • CAR – Sam Darnold 11-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 7:02. Panthers 14–13. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 7:07.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Amari Cooper 35-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 10:49. Cowboys 20–14. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 2:00.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 6-yard pass from Dak Prescott (pass failed), 7:21. Cowboys 26–14. Drive: 4 plays, 66 yards, 1:49.
  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 23-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:17. Cowboys 33–14. Drive: 3 plays, 37 yards, 1:20.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 37-yard field goal, 14:56. Cowboys 36–14. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:26.
  • CAR – D. J. Moore 6-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Zane Gonzalez kick), 8:58. Cowboys 36–21. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:58.
  • CAR – D. J. Moore 8-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Zane Gonzalez kick), 4:31. Cowboys 36–28. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:18.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

The Cowboys continued to roll. The Cowboys trailed 14–13 at halftime, but things significantly turned around for them in the second half. The third quarter began with Panthers' kicker Zane Gonzalez missing a field goal try, which the Cowboys took advantage by marching down the field to score a touchdown on the next drive. The Cowboys scored 23 unanswered points to take a 36–14 lead. Trevon Diggs recorded two interceptions off Panthers' Sam Darnold, giving Diggs a recorded 5 interceptions in the first 4 games. The Panthers scored the final 14 points, but the Cowboys picked up a first down in the last minutes to run out the clock. This win improved the Cowboys to 3–1. This was the Cowboys' first win over the Panthers since 2012.

Week 5: vs. New York Giants

Week 5: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Giants 0 10 3720
Cowboys 3 14 101744

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: October 10
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,476
  • Referee: John Hussey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 31-yard field goal, 6:17. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 4:30.

Second quarter

  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb 49-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:59. Cowboys 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:59.
  • NYG – Graham Gano 51-yard field goal, 10:10. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 1:49.
  • NYG – Devontae Booker 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 2:51. Tied 10–10. Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards, 5:51.
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 24-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:36. Cowboys 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:15.

Third quarter

  • NYG – Graham Gano 51-yard field goal, 11:14. Cowboys 17–13. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 3:46.
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:11. Cowboys 24–13. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:03.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 2:02. Cowboys 27–13. Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 4:55.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 13-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:34. Cowboys 34–13. Drive: 9 plays, 98 yards, 4:48.
  • NYG – Devontae Booker 3-yard pass from Mike Glennon (Graham Gano kick), 3:17. Cowboys 34–20. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:17.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 31-yard field goal, 1:53. Cowboys 37–20. Drive: 8 plays, 33 yards, 1:24.
  • DAL – Anthony Brown 45-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:28. Cowboys 44–20.

Top passers

  • NYG – Mike Glennon – 16/25, 196 yards, TD, 2 INT
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 22/32, 302 yards, 3 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • NYG – Devontae Booker – 16 rushes, 42 yards, TD
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 21 rushes, 110 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • NYG – Kadarius Toney – 10 receptions, 189 yards
  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 4 receptions, 84 yards, TD

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys played their second consecutive Week 5 home game against the Giants. Unlike the previous season's matchup, Dak Prescott finished the game without suffering an injury. The game began with Dak Prescott throwing an interception and losing a fumble, neither turnover of which the Cowboys would allow the Giants to score. The Cowboys never once trailed despite allowing New York to tie the game. After this, the game was all Dallas. The Cowboys scored two more takeaways, one of which was a pick six collected by Anthony Brown to seal the win for the Cowboys. This win improved the Cowboys to 4–1. This was the first time since 2018 that they won 4 or more consecutive games.

Week 6: at New England Patriots

Week 6: Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Cowboys 7 3 712635
Patriots 14 0 015029

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: October 17
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT/3:25 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 61 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 65,878
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • NE – Damien Harris 4-yard run (Nick Folk kick), 10:20. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 34 yards, 1:41.
  • DAL – Blake Jarwin 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 6:43. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:37.
  • NE – Hunter Henry 20-yard pass from Mac Jones (Nick Folk kick), 4:50. Patriots 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:53.

Second quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 30-yard field goal, 6:39. Patriots 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 3:26.

Third quarter

  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 4:49. Cowboys 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 4:29.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 45-yard field goal, 13:13. Cowboys 20–14. Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 3:45.
  • NE – Rhamondre Stevenson 1-yard run (Nick Folk kick), 6:23. Patriots 21–20. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:50.
  • DAL – Trevon Diggs 42-yard interception return (pass failed), 2:27. Cowboys 26–21.
  • NE – Kendrick Bourne 75-yard pass from Mac Jones (Mac Jones-Jakobi Meyers pass), 2:11. Patriots 29–26. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:16.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 49-yard field goal, 0:20. Tied 29–29. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 1:51.

Overtime

  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb 35-yard pass from Dak Prescott, 3:52. Cowboys 35–29.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 36/51, 445 yards, 3 TD, INT
  • NE – Mac Jones – 15/21, 229 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 17 rushes, 69 yards, TD
  • NE – Damien Harris – 18 rushes, 101 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 9 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TD
  • NE – Kendrick Bourne – 1 reception, 75 yards, TD

The Cowboys scored the 2,500th touchdown in franchise history with Dak Prescott's 1-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb in the third quarter to take their first lead of the game, their first touchdown against the Patriots since 2011. During overtime, the Cowboys forced a Patriots punt, putting the Cowboys in position to score. During the final play, Dak Prescott threw a game-winning touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb to seal the Cowboys' win. With the win the Cowboys improved to 5–1, as well as getting their first win over the Patriots since 1996, and their first on the road since 1987.

Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 8: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 0 3 10720
Vikings 7 3 3316

at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: October 31
  • Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 66,633
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 6:09. Vikings 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 6:25.
  • MIN – Greg Joseph 45-yard field goal, 1:44. Vikings 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 4:25.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 73-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:07. Tied 10–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:53.
  • MIN – Greg Joseph 40-yard field goal, 6:31. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 33 yards, 3:01.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 39-yard field goal, 0:04. Tied 13–13. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:07.

Fourth quarter

  • MIN – Greg Joseph 24-yard field goal, 2:51. Vikings 16–13. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 5:17.
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 5-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:51. Cowboys 20–16. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:00.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

Dak Prescott was benched for the game due to a grade 1 calf strain. Backup Cooper Rush got his first career start in place of Prescott. The Cowboys' defense allowed an opening-drive touchdown and was not able to collect any takeaways, but they gave the Vikings' offense a hard time all game and only allowed three field goals the rest of the game. The Cowboys won the game in the final minute when Cooper Rush connected with Amari Cooper for a five-yard touchdown pass. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 6–1. This was the Cowboys' second consecutive win over the Vikings, as well as the third at U.S. Bank Stadium. This was the first time the Cowboys won six in a row since 2016.

Week 9: vs. Denver Broncos

Week 9: Denver Broncos at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Broncos 6 10 31130
Cowboys 0 0 01616

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 7
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,503
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • DEN – Melvin Gordon 3-yard run (kick failed), 1:48. Broncos 6–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:19.

Second quarter

  • DEN – Tim Patrick 44-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Brandon McManus kick), 12:13. Broncos 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:47.
  • DEN – Brandon McManus 53-yard field goal, 3:41. Broncos 16–0. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 7:07.

Third quarter

  • DEN – Brandon McManus 27-yard field goal, 8:08. Broncos 19–0. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 4:35.

Fourth quarter

  • DEN – Teddy Bridgewater 1-yard run (Teddy Bridgewater-Courtland Sutton pass), 11:18. Broncos 27–0. Drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 7:30.
  • DEN – Brandon McManus 42-yard field goal, 6:32. Broncos 30–0. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 3:15.
  • DAL – Malik Turner 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Ezekiel Elliott run), 4:08. Broncos 30–8. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:24.
  • DAL – Malik Turner 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Ezekiel Elliott run), 0:55. Broncos 30–16. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 2:08.

Top passers

  • DEN – Teddy Bridgewater – 19/28, 249 yards, TD
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 19/39, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • DEN – Javonte Williams – 17 rushes, 111 yards
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 10 rushes, 51 yards

Top receivers

  • DEN – Tim Patrick – 4 receptions, 85 yards, TD
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz – 4 receptions, 54 yards

The Cowboys returned home to face the Denver Broncos. Dallas entered the game as 10-point home favorites, seeking their first win against Denver since the 1995 season. However, the Cowboys' offense was stymied by the Broncos defense the entire game. The Cowboys recorded their second blocked punt of the season, but the Broncos recovered to retain possession. Dallas' only points came on two touchdowns to Malik Turner, but the outcome was already decided in favor of the Broncos. The 30-16 loss dropped the Cowboys to 6–2 on the season, and 0–7 in their last 7 matchups against the Broncos. Dallas never held a lead against Denver, and was held under twenty points, both firsts for the season.

Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 10: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 3 0 003
Cowboys 7 29 7043

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 14
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C) (retractable roof open)
  • Game attendance: 93,436
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 13:24. Cowboys 14–3. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 5:41.
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 8:07. Cowboys 21–3. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:49.
  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb 9-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 1:10. Cowboys 28–3. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 4:38.
  • DAL – Nahshon Wright 8-yard return of blocked punt (Ezekiel Elliott run), 0:37. Cowboys 36–3.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Dak Prescott 4-yard run (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 0:31. Cowboys 43–3. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 0:31.

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring plays.

Top passers

  • ATL – Matt Ryan – 9/21, 117 yards, 2 INT
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 24/31, 296 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • ATL – Kyle Pitts – 4 receptions, 60 yards
  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 6 receptions, 94 yards

The Cowboys rebounded in a considerable way. The Cowboys offense combined for 43 points off of 431 yards. The scoring began with CeeDee Lamb hauling in Dak Prescott's pass for a touchdown to give the Cowboys the early lead. The Falcons responded with a field goal for their lone scoring play of the game. Afterwards, the Cowboys put up 36 unanswered points, 29 of which came in the second quarter. Ezekiel Elliott scored two touchdown runs to extend Dallas' lead to 21-3, before Lamb caught his second touchdown to make it 28-3. The special teams would also contribute with Nahshon Wright returning a blocked punt for a touchdown. As the Cowboys led 36–3 at halftime, their defense intercepted the Falcons three times in as many drives. One of those interceptions was by Trevon Diggs, who had not intercepted a pass since Week 6 against the Patriots. With this win, the Cowboys improved to 7–2.

Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 11: Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 3 0 339
Chiefs 9 7 3019

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

  • Date: November 21
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,494
  • Referee: John Hussey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • KC – Travis Kelce 4-yard run (kick failed), 10:01. Chiefs 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 86 yards, 3:47.
  • KC – Harrison Butker 37-yard field goal, 7:55. Chiefs 9–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:58.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 33-yard field goal, 2:50. Chiefs 9–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:05.

Second quarter

  • KC – Clyde Edwards-Helaire 1-yard run (Harrison Butker kick), 14:08. Chiefs 16–3. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:42.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 30-yard field goal, 9:21. Chiefs 16–6. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 2:02.
  • KC – Harrison Butker 53-yard field goal, 2:36. Chiefs 19–6. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:13.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal, 12:52. Chiefs 19–9. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 4:44.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/43, 216 yards, 2 INT
  • KC – Patrick Mahomes – 23/37, 260 yards, INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Tony Pollard – 7 rushes, 50 yards
  • KC – Clyde Edwards-Helaire – 12 rushes, 63 yards, TD

Top receivers

Despite strong defensive play, the Cowboys offense could not keep pace with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Cowboys noticed the absence of Amari Cooper, who was ruled out due to COVID-19 protocols. Cooper's absence would contribute largely to Dallas' subsequent struggles on offense, as they failed to score a single touchdown despite their defense holding Kansas City's high-powered offense under 20 points. The 19–9 loss dropped the Cowboys to 7–3. This was the Cowboys' only game of the season not scoring at least 10 points.

Week 12: vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Thanksgiving Day games

Week 12: Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Raiders 14 3 106336
Cowboys 6 7 614033

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 25
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,483
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • LV – Daniel Carlson 22-yard field goal, 8:46. Raiders 17–6. Drive: 13 plays, 74 yards, 5:53.
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:25. Raiders 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 3:27.

Third quarter

  • LV – Marcus Mariota 3-yard run (Daniel Carlson kick), 7:13. Raiders 24–13. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:48.
  • DAL – Tony Pollard 100-yard kick return (run failed), 7:00. Raiders 24–19.
  • LV – Daniel Carlson 46-yard field goal, 3:28. Raiders 27–19. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:32.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 29-yard field goal, 12:00. Raiders 27–22. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 2:48.
  • LV – Daniel Carlson 30-yard field goal, 8:18. Raiders 30–22. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 3:42.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 32-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dalton Schultz–Dak Prescott pass), 2:54. Tied 30–30. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 0:47.
  • LV – Daniel Carlson 56-yard field goal, 1:52. Raiders 33–30. Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 1:02.
  • LV – Greg Zuerlein 45-yard field goal, 0:19. Tied 33–33. Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 1:33.

Overtime

  • LV – Daniel Carlson 29-yard field goal, 4:28. Raiders 36–33. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:12.

Top passers

  • LV – Derek Carr – 24/39, 373 yards, TD
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 32/47, 375 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

  • LV – Josh Jacobs – 22 rushes, 87 yards, TD
  • DAL – Tony Pollard – 10 rushes, 36 yards

Top receivers

After their loss to the Chiefs, the Cowboys looked to win their first game on Thanksgiving since they beat the Washington Football Team in 2018, who were then known as the Redskins. The Cowboys were already in trouble after several pass interference plays. The Cowboys sent the game to overtime, but after a controversial pass interference call on Anthony Brown, they could not succeed at making a comeback. The Cowboys fell to 7–4, and lost their third consecutive game on Thanksgiving Day.

Week 13: at New Orleans Saints

Week 13: Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 6 7727
Saints 0 7 3717

at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: December 2
  • Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 69,170
  • Referee: Brad Rogers
  • TV announcers (Fox/NFLN/Prime Video): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • NO – Lil'Jordan Humphrey 24-yard pass from Taysom Hill (Brett Maher kick), 12:54. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:05.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 55-yard field goal, 9:04. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 3:50.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 34-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 2:19.

Third quarter

  • NO – Brett Maher 42-yard field goal, 8:26. Cowboys 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 5:03.
  • DAL – Tony Pollard 58-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 3:55. Cowboys 20–10. Drive: 4 plays, 71 yards, 1:03.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Carlos Watkins 29-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:52. Cowboys 27–10.
  • NO – Deonte Harris 70-yard pass from Taysom Hill (Brett Maher kick), 2:32. Cowboys 27–17. Drive: 2 plays, 70 yards, 0:20.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 26/40, 238 yards, TD, INT
  • NO – Taysom Hill – 19/41, 264 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Tony Pollard – 7 rushes, 71 yards, TD
  • NO – Taysom Hill – 11 rushes, 101 yards

Top receivers

  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 7 receptions, 89 yards
  • NO – Deonte Harris – 4 receptions, 96 yards, TD

With Mike McCarthy in COVID-19 protocols, Dan Quinn took the interim head coaching position in place of McCarthy. The Cowboys ended their losing streak against the Saints in New Orleans with the win, as well as improving to 8–4.

Week 14: at Washington Football Team

Week 14: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 18 6 3027
Washington 0 0 81220

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

  • Date: December 12
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 48 °F (9 °C)
  • Game attendance: 61,308
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 35-yard field goal, 9:37. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:23.
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 7-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Ezekiel Elliott run), 3:42. Cowboys 11–0. Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 1:44.
  • DAL – Dorance Armstrong 37-yard fumble return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:29. Cowboys 18–0.

Second quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 4:58. Cowboys 21–0. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 5:23.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 37-yard field goal, 0:15. Cowboys 24–0. Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 1:59.

Third quarter

  • WAS – Cam Sims 43-yard pass from Taylor Heinicke (Taylor Heinicke run), 6:57. Cowboys 24–8. Drive: 6 plays, 90 yards, 2:20.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 29-yard field goal, 1:35. Cowboys 27–8. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 1:37.

Fourth quarter

  • WAS – Jonathan Williams 1-yard run (pass failed), 5:09. Cowboys 27–14. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 4:15.
  • WAS – Cole Holcomb 31-yard interception return (kick blocked), 4:13. Cowboys 27–20.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 22/39, 211 yards, TD, 2 INT
  • WAS – Taylor Heinicke – 11/25, 122 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 12 rushes, 45 yards
  • WAS – Antonio Gibson – 10 rushes, 36 yards

Top receivers

  • DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 7 receptions, 61 yards
  • WAS – Cam Sims – 3 receptions, 69 yards, TD

The Cowboys continued their road trip against the Washington Football Team. Dallas would jump out to a 24-0 lead by halftime. One of those scoring plays involved Micah Parsons forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Dorance Armstrong for a touchdown. In the second half, Washington would awaken from their slump and score three touchdowns of their own, including a pick-six by Cole Holcomb. However, Dallas was able to stave off the late rally and keep the game out of Washington's reach by forcing a game-ending fumble. The win improved the Cowboys to 9–4.

Week 15: at New York Giants

Week 15: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 6 9 6021
Giants 3 0 306

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: December 19
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 40 °F (4 °C)
  • Game attendance: 77,413
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 13-yard run (kick failed), 6:31. Cowboys 6–0. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:09.
  • NYG – Graham Gano 35-yard field goal, 0:37. Cowboys 6–3. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 5:54.

Second quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 26-yard field goal, 10:30. Cowboys 9–3. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 5:07.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 42-yard field goal, 1:39. Cowboys 12–3. Drive: 16 plays, 68 yards, 6:37.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 27-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 15–3. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 0:41.

Third quarter

  • NYG – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 12:05. Cowboys 15–6. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 2:55.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 1:57. Cowboys 21–6. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:28.

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring plays.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/37, 217 yards, TD
  • NYG – Mike Glennon – 13/24, 99 yards, 3 INT

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • DAL – Dalton Schultz – 8 receptions, 67 yards, TD
  • NYG – Kenny Golladay – 3 receptions, 53 yards

The Cowboys continued their dominance against the Giants. The Cowboys defense continued to be superior to the Giants offense, as the Cowboys held the Giants without a touchdown. The win improved the Cowboys to 10–4. Several days later, the Cowboys clinched a postseason berth after the 49ers lost to the Titans.

Week 16: vs. Washington Football Team

Week 16: Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Washington 0 7 0714
Cowboys 21 21 7756

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:42. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 3:45.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 9-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 3:08. Cowboys 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:00.
  • DAL – DeMarcus Lawrence 40-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:17. Cowboys 21–0.

Second quarter

  • WAS – Antonio Gibson 8-yard pass from Taylor Heinicke (Joey Slye kick), 14:45. Cowboys 21–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:32.
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 11-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 10:34. Cowboys 28–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:11.
  • DAL – Terence Steele 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:31. Cowboys 35–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:58.
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 13-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:05. Cowboys 42–7. Drive: 12 plays, 89 yards, 1:37.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Chauncey Golston blocked punt recovery in end zone (Greg Zuerlein kick), 6:06. Cowboys 49–7.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Malik Turner 9-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:16. Cowboys 56–7. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:59.
  • WAS – John Bates 13-yard pass from Kyle Allen (Joey Slye kick), 2:46. Cowboys 56–14. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 7:02.

Top passers

  • WAS – Taylor Heinicke – 7/22, 121 yards, TD, 2 INT
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/39, 330 yards, 4 TD

Top rushers

  • WAS – Jaret Patterson – 9 rushes, 33 yards
  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 9 rushes, 37 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • WAS – Dyami Brown – 2 receptions, 53 yards
  • DAL – Amari Copper – 7 receptions, 85 yards, TD

Having already clinched the NFC East after the Broncos lost to the Raiders, the Cowboys looked to add to their momentum as they returned home to play against the Washington Football Team. The Cowboys dominated the game in every way. Their defense continued to shine with an additional 2 takeaways, one of which was a pick six. Dak Prescott became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least one touchdown pass to a wide receiver, running back, offensive tackle, and a tight end, all in one game, with one touchdown pass going to running back Ezekiel Elliott, one touchdown pass going to wide receiver Amari Cooper, one touchdown pass going to offensive tackle Terence Steele, and one touchdown pass going to Dalton Schultz. The Cowboys scored their most points since 1980 when they romped the 49ers, 59–14. This win improved the Cowboys to 11–4 and swept Washington for the first time since 2019.

Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Week 17: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cardinals 3 10 9325
Cowboys 0 7 01522

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: January 2
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,459
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • ARI – Matt Prater 24-yard field goal, 7:46. Cardinals 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 3:12.

Second quarter

  • ARI – Antoine Wesley 1-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 5:27. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 15 plays, 91 yards, 8:25.
  • DAL – Michael Gallup 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:25. Cardinals 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 4:02.
  • ARI – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Cardinals 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 1:25.

Third quarter

  • ARI – Antoine Wesley 19-yard pass from Kyler Murray (pass failed), 9:39. Cardinals 19–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 5:21.
  • ARI – Matt Prater 26-yard field goal, 4:01. Cardinals 22–7. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 4:44.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 13:49. Cardinals 22–14. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 2:52.
  • ARI – Matt Prater 38-yard field goal, 8:32. Cardinals 25–14. Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 1:58.
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dak Prescott–Cedrick Wilson Jr. pass), 4:42. Cardinals 25–22. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:50.

Top passers

Top rushers

  • ARI – Chase Edmonds – 18 rushes, 53 yards
  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 5 rushes, 20 yards

Top receivers

The Cowboys stayed home for the second straight week to take on the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas struggled in the first half and could not keep pace with Arizona. They later fought back in the fourth quarter to pull within 3 points, but a controversial fumble call ended the Cowboys' momentum. This loss dropped the Cowboys to 11–5 on the season.

Wide receiver Michael Gallup left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter after a touchdown reception. It was confirmed to be a torn ACL, ending his season.

Week 18: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 18: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 10 20 02151
Eagles 7 10 3626

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: January 8
  • Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Clear, 26 °F (−3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 69,796
  • Referee: Ronald Torbert
  • TV announcers (ESPN/ABC/ESPN+): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters, and John Parry
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • PHI – Tyree Jackson 3-yard pass from Gardner Minshew (Jake Elliott kick), 9:41. Eagles 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:19.
  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 14-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 5:08. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:33.
  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal, 1:37. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 26 yards, 1:57.

Second quarter

  • PHI – Jake Elliott 38-yard field goal, 12:24. Tied 10–10. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 4:13.
  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 24-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:07. Cowboys 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 4:17.
  • PHI – Kenneth Gainwell 7-yard run (Jake Elliott kick), 3:40. Tied 17–17. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:27.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 1:45. Cowboys 23–17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 1:55.
  • DAL – Dalton Schultz 9-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:05. Cowboys 30–17. Drive: 4 plays, 43 yards, 0:19.

Third quarter

  • PHI – Jake Elliott 40-yard field goal, 5:58. Cowboys 30–20. Drive: 15 plays, 53 yards, 6:41.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Corey Clement 8-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:33. Cowboys 37–20. Drive: 14 plays, 84 yards, 6:25.
  • DAL – Ito Smith 4-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 10:16. Cowboys 44–20. Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 2:28.
  • DAL – JaQuan Hardy 22-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:36. Cowboys 51–20. Drive: 3 plays, 26 yards, 1:32.
  • PHI – Quez Watkins 36-yard pass from Gardner Minshew (pass failed), 1:50. Cowboys 51–26. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 6:46.

Top passers

  • DAL – Dak Prescott – 21/27, 295 yards, 5 TD
  • PHI – Gardner Minshew – 19/33, 186 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 18 rushes, 87 yards
  • PHI – Kenneth Gainwell – 12 rushes, 78 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. – 5 receptions, 119 yards, 2 TD
  • PHI – Quez Watkins – 5 receptions, 84 yards, TD

The Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia to play the backup-laden Eagles, who had also already clinched a playoff spot. Dak Prescott threw for 5 touchdowns, a career high. He also surpassed Tony Romo's single-season touchdown pass record. It was the first time in history the Cowboys would score 50+ points on the road. This was the first time since 1998 that the Cowboys completed a season sweep of the NFC East. The Cowboys finished the regular season 12–5 in the first ever 17-game NFL season.

Standings

Division

NFC East
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W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(3) Dallas Cowboys 12 5 0 .706 6–0 10–2 530 358 W1
(7) Philadelphia Eagles 9 8 0 .529 3–3 7–5 444 385 L1
Washington Football Team 7 10 0 .412 2–4 6–6 335 434 W1
New York Giants 4 13 0 .235 1–5 3–9 258 416 L6

Conference

NFC
  • v
  • t
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# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division winners
1[a] Green Bay Packers North 13 4 0 .765 4–2 9–3 .479 .480 L1
2[a] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South 13 4 0 .765 4–2 8–4 .467 .443 W3
3[b] Dallas Cowboys East 12 5 0 .706 6–0 10–2 .488 .431 W1
4[b] Los Angeles Rams West 12 5 0 .706 3–3 8–4 .483 .409 L1
Wild cards
5 Arizona Cardinals West 11 6 0 .647 4–2 7–5 .490 .492 L1
6 San Francisco 49ers West 10 7 0 .588 2–4 7–5 .500 .438 W2
7[c] Philadelphia Eagles East 9 8 0 .529 3–3 7–5 .469 .350 L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
8[c] New Orleans Saints South 9 8 0 .529 4–2 7–5 .512 .516 W2
9 Minnesota Vikings North 8 9 0 .471 4–2 6–6 .507 .434 W1
10[d] Washington Football Team East 7 10 0 .412 2–4 6–6 .529 .420 W1
11[d][e] Seattle Seahawks West 7 10 0 .412 3–3 4–8 .519 .424 W2
12[d][e] Atlanta Falcons South 7 10 0 .412 2–4 4–8 .472 .315 L2
13 Chicago Bears North 6 11 0 .353 2–4 4–8 .524 .373 L1
14 Carolina Panthers South 5 12 0 .294 2–4 3–9 .509 .412 L7
15 New York Giants East 4 13 0 .235 1–5 3–9 .536 .485 L6
16 Detroit Lions North 3 13 1 .206 2–4 3–9 .528 .627 W1
Tiebreakers[f]
  1. ^ a b Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record (9–3 vs. 8–4).
  2. ^ a b Dallas finished ahead of LA Rams based on conference record (10–2 vs. 8–4).
  3. ^ a b Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory.
  4. ^ a b c Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head victories.
  5. ^ a b Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games (4–2 vs. 3–3 against: San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, and Detroit).
  6. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap
Wild Card January 16 San Francisco 49ers (6) L 17–23 0–1 AT&T Stadium Recap

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) San Francisco 49ers

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
49ers 10 6 7023
Cowboys 0 7 01017

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

First quarter

  • SF – Elijah Mitchell 4-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 10:54. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:06.
  • SF – Robbie Gould 53-yard field goal, 4:53. 49ers 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 23 yards, 4:34.

Second quarter

  • SF – Robbie Gould 40-yard field goal, 9:40. 49ers 13–0. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 7:58.
  • DAL – Amari Cooper 20-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 5:19. 49ers 13–7. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 4:21.
  • SF – Robbie Gould 52-yard field goal, 3:03. 49ers 16–7. Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 2:16.

Third quarter

  • SF – Deebo Samuel 26-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 5:50. 49ers 23–7. Drive: 1 play, 26 yards, 0:08.

Fourth quarter

  • DAL – Greg Zuerlein 51-yard field goal, 11:53. 49ers 23–10. Drive: 11 plays, 37 yards, 4:41.
  • DAL – Dak Prescott 5-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:02. 49ers 23–17. Drive: 5 plays, 28 yards, 1:35.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

The Cowboys hosted the San Francisco 49ers for the Wild Card Playoffs. However, the Cowboys were plagued by miscues and penalties throughout the game, and a late fourth-quarter rally fell short in a heartbreaking loss. San Francisco scored first with a touchdown run by Elijah Mitchell on the game's opening drive, and built their lead to 23–7 by the start of the fourth quarter. Dallas started their rally with a long field goal by Greg Zuerlein, followed by a touchdown run by Dak Prescott. On the game's final drive, Prescott led the Cowboys deep into San Francisco territory, but with seconds remaining and no time-outs, he was stopped in bounds on a run up the middle as the game clock continued running. The Cowboys had a first down at the 49ers 24-yard line, but the clock expired before Prescott could stop it by spiking the ball, in part because members of the Cowboys offense unintentionally prevented the Umpire from touching the ball to officiate the start of the snap, ending the game and Dallas's season. The 23–17 loss marked the second time in their past three postseason appearances, and the seventh time in their past ten, that Dallas went one-and-done in the playoffs. The Cowboys finished the season with a total record of 12–6.

Statistics

Team

Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 32)
Passing offense 4,800 282.4 2nd
Rushing offense 2,119 124.6 9th
Total offense 6,919 407.0 1st
Passing defense 4,049 238.2 20th
Rushing defense 1,918 112.8 16th
Total defense 5,967 351.0 19th

Individual

Category Player Total yards
Offense
Passing Dak Prescott 4,449
Rushing Ezekiel Elliott 1,002
Receiving CeeDee Lamb 1,102
Defense
Tackles (Solo) Jayron Kearse 67
Sacks Micah Parsons 13
Interceptions Trevon Diggs 11

Statistics correct as of the end of the 2021 NFL season[8][9]

References

  1. ^ Walker, Patrik (April 1, 2021). "L.P. Ladouceur 'not thinking about retirement' after Cowboys decide to move on from legendary long snapper". CBSsports.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Phillips, Rob (March 17, 2021). "Cowboys Release Longtime Punter Chris Jones". dallascowboys.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Cowboys DL Tyrone Crawford Retiring from NFL after 9 seasons". Dallasnews.com. March 25, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Archer, Todd (April 26, 2021). "Dallas Cowboys LB Sean Lee retires after 11 seasons". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Dallas Cowboys to be featured in HBO's 2021 'Hard Knocks' series". Fox4News.com. July 2, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Schefter, Adam (June 25, 2020). "Cowboys-Steelers Hall of Fall Game called off; enshrinement ceremony postponed". ESPN. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  7. ^ Williams, Chareen (February 15, 2021). "Unprecedented Hall of Fame weekend will kick off with Cowboys-Steelers". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "2021 NFL Team Total Statistics". ESPN. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  9. ^ "Dallas Cowboys Stats". Dallas Cowboys. Retrieved January 11, 2022.

External links

  • "2021 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  • Official website
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