The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Commanders 30-23 on Christmas Day, sweeping the season series between the two longtime NFC East rivals.

Dallas’ offense dominated, running 87 plays to Washington’s 41 and finishing with 480 yards of total offense. The Cowboys scored on their first four possessions of the game, taking a 24-10 lead into halftime. The Cowboys only punted one time, held the ball almost twice as long as the Commanders and scored on six of their nine possessions. Here’s what happened on the Cowboys’ three non-scoring drives: punt, missed field goal, end-of-game kneeldown.

Washington’s offense was efficient with third-string quarterback Josh Johnson, but just didn’t possess the ball enough. Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

The Commanders fall to 4-12 on the season and finish up a forgettable 2025 on the road against the Eagles in Week 18. Here are six takeaways from Christmas Day.

Mistakes stood out

On Dallas’ first possession, Dak Prescott’s third-and-6 pass fell incomplete. An excellent start to the game for Washington’s defense. However, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene was called for pass interference, giving the Cowboys a first down. They would drive 78 yards on 13 plays for a touchdown.

Early in the fourth quarter, down seven points, Von Miller sacks Prescott on third down. The Cowboys would be forced to punt. Instead, linebacker Frankie Luvu hits Prescott after the whistle. It gave Dallas a first down and a field goal followed, making it a 10-point game.

Also in the fourth quarter, facing a critical fourth-and-3, the Commanders were in Cowboys’ territory. Dan Quinn went for it, and left tackle Brandon Coleman moved early, making it fourth-and-8. Washington punted. This was the Commanders’ last real chance at tying the game. While Quinn may have gone for it with Daniels or even Mariota under center, that was not happening with Josh Johnson.

These are just three examples. We’ve seen these types of things every week. When you add them all up, you get 4-12.

Johnny Newton’s breakout game

The second-year defensive tackle has had a disappointing start to his NFL career. Newton had only four career sacks entering Thursday. He finished the game with nine tackles, including two for loss, three sacks and five quarterback hits. While Newton didn’t look like the second coming of Aaron Donald, it was an impressive performance. He was a problem for the Cowboys all day. It also helped that Newton played more. With injuries to Daron Payne and Eddie Goldman, Newton found himself on the field for much of the game, and he took advantage of that opportunity. While Washington’s run defense was terrible as a whole, Newton’s performance was encouraging. The key is the follow-up. Is this a one-game anomaly? Or the type of performance that signifies better things are ahead.

Consider this: Payne and Javon Kinlaw, Washington’s high-paid starting defensive tackles, have combined for two sacks on the season.

The interception that wasn’t

Dallas was on the field for 87 offensive plays. And the Commanders did not force one turnover. They almost did, and it’s one linebacker Jordan Magee will not forget. In the fourth quarter, the Commanders pressured Prescott, he forced a throw into coverage where two Washington defenders were, including Magee. Magee got his hands on the ball and had nothing but green grass in front of him. Had he secured the football, it would have been a pick-six and a tie game. While an interception would not have guaranteed a Washington win, the outcome could have been different. Overall, Magee played a solid game and again proved why he needs to remain on the field.

Bill provided a glimpse into the future

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill, rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 attempts. His 72-yard run was something Washington fans hadn’t seen in years from a running back. He had a 10-yard touchdown run in which he showed power, wiggle, and athleticism. Croskey-Merritt was outstanding. It would have been interesting to see what he could’ve done with more opportunities. With Chris Rodriguez Jr. out, Bill took advantage of his chances. Whether he enters 2026 as Washington’s starting running back or not, Bill will be a big part of the Commanders’ offensive plans. Almost 800 rushing yards with eight rushing touchdowns (with one game to go) is excellent production, especially from a rookie seventh-round pick who has only played part-time.

This was the Deebo Washington envisioned

On the Commanders’ first drive, Deebo Samuel caught a short pass and took it 41 yards deep into Dallas territory. During this run, Samuel ran over Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson. He later caught a 27-yard pass and stiff-armed cornerback Trevon Diggs to the ground. On four plays from scrimmage, Samuel had 93 yards. Had Washington been on offense more, we could’ve seen a huge day from Deebo.

When the Commanders acquired Samuel, this was how offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury envisioned using him. Unfortunately, the wide receiver position was decimated by injuries, and Samuel had to play more of a traditional wide receiver role, which doesn’t suit him. He’s more of an offensive weapon. Washington needs to add another young, dynamic receiver in the offseason opposite Terry McLaurin, but bringing back Samuel wouldn’t be a bad idea. He seemed to establish a strong rapport with Jayden Daniels when he was in the lineup.

Defense needs blown up

I am not saying anything new here. Everyone can see it. You could make the case that Washington needs eight new starters next year. That’s hard to do in one offseason. GM Adam Peters did it in his first offseason. He will need to be aggressive in every wave of free agency and hit on his draft picks. He also needs the coaching staff to further develop some of the current young players, like Newton and Mike Sainristil, so they can reach their full potential. Dan Quinn will need to hire a new defensive coordinator. Peters needs to ensure it’s not one of Quinn’s buddies running the same scheme. Make him hire the best candidate, who happens to be outside of his comfort zone. Otherwise, we’ll see a similar mess in 2026. Two years in and the “defensive guru” has made an even bigger mess of Washington’s defense.