The three-game NFL Christmas Day slate kicked off on Thursday afternoon with an NFC East battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders. While the rivalry game didn’t quite meet Netflix’s expectations, there were still plenty of standout performances and some lowlights, including Netflix itself.
Let’s dive into the winners and losers from the Cowboys’ victory over the Commanders on Christmas Day, with Dallas winning 30-23.
Winner: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
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With Chris Rodriguez Jr. sidelined for Christmas Day, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt drew the start for the Commanders. Bill delivered like Santa. He popped in a short touchdown in the first half and then showed off his speed on a 72-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, slipping through a hole and outrunning the rest of the Cowboys defense. He also recorded his first 100-yard game since Oct. 5. Taken by Washington with the 245th overall pick earlier this year, Croskey-Merritt will enter Week 18 with a shot at 900 scrimmage yards and 9 touchdowns in his rookie campaign.
Loser: Netflix
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This certainly is not the game Netflix signed up for when it agreed to pay the NFL $150 million for the exclusive broadcasting rights to this double-header on Christmas Day. Coming into the year, a clash between Dak Prescott and Jayden Daniels with potential playoff implications seemed perfect for Netflix. Instead, it got two NFC East teams who have already been eliminated from playoff contention, with Washington starting its third-string quarterback. To make matters worse, Netflix seemed to think football fans wanted to see in-game interviews with Clinton Portis and Emmitt Smith that took attention away from the game and felt like FaceTime calls with a bad signal. Netflix got coal from the NFL this year.
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Winner: Josh Johnson, QB, Washington Commanders
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An NFL team never wants to start Josh Johnson; it is a last resort. Washington brought in the 39-year-old quarterback simply wanting him to provide some experience and mentorship in the quarterbacks room for Jayden Daniels. After all, Johnson has been a part of 14 different NFL teams, and his knowledge of offenses and reading defenses reflects that experience. With that said, there is a reason this was his 10th start since entering the league in 2008. We have to tip our cap to Johnson, though. With limited practice reps on a short week, he played relatively well and did not turn the football over. If he wants to be back in the NFL next season, a performance like this will likely get him on a team that wants that experience to tutor a rookie quarterback.
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A matchup between two of the league’s worst defenses seemed perfect for a high-scoring battle, and that is exactly what we got. However, fantasy football managers with Javonte Williams, CeeDee Lamb, Terry McLaurin, and Jake Ferguson will likely be feeling underwhelmed. Williams (54 yards) and Ferguson (6 yards) found the end zone but then left with injuries. Lamb (46 yards on 5 receptions) almost had a big-play touchdown in the fourth quarter, but a ball thrown just behind him was deflected to prevent the catch-and-run score. Meanwhile, George Pickens (78 yards on 4 receptions) and Terry McLaurin (63 yards on 5 receptions) finished under 80 receiving yards and did not find the end zone. This was not exactly what fantasy managers needed from their top players during championship week.
Related: Week 17 Fantasy Rankings
Winner: Deebo Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
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While the Commanders were eliminated from the playoffs weeks ago, wide receiver Deebo Samuel certainly played like this game meant a lot to him. In the first quarter, he hauled in a screen pass from Josh Johnson and hustled his way down field and then laid the boom into Donovan Wilson, popping his helmet off, for a 41-yard game. Samuel looked explosive in this one, racking up over 90 scrimmage yards on just 4 touches. He’s going to be an intriguing free agent to keep an eye on this offseason.
Loser: Matt Eberflus, Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator
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There is still an alarming shortage of talent on the Cowboys defense, particularly at secondary and linebacker. With that said, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is doing himself no favors right now regarding his job security. Coming into Christmas Day, this defense had allowed 30.3 points and 380 total yards per game with a 6.1 yards-per-play average and a 114.8 QB rating allowed with a 4.5 yards-per-carry average in the last five games. With multiple starters missing, the Commanders offense averaged 8.0 yards per play, 36.4 yards per drive and cleared 300 total yards for just the second time in the last month.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025
Winner: Malik Davis, RB, Dallas Cowboys
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Javonte Williams has been excellent this season for Dallas, breaking out for 1,147 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 15 games. He looked good early on Christmas Day, turning 13 carries into 54 yards and a score before leaving with a shoulder injury. That opened the door for backup Malik Davis to step into the featured role. Coming into Thursday, Davis had 32 carries in nine games all season. Against Washington, he received a career-high 20 carries and blew past his previous career-best in rushing yards (47), by eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark.
Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college … More about Matt Johnson