Monday 22 October 2018 06:17, UK
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher missed with a 52-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds to hand the Washington Redskins a nervy 20-17 win over their NFC East rivals on Sunday.
Trailing a tense, tight affair by 10 late on in the fourth quarter, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott first dove into the endzone from a yard out pull Dallas to within three, before the Redskins then went three-and-out on offense.
The Cowboys got the ball back with one minute and nine seconds left in the game, starting from their own 35-yard line, and Prescott drove the team down the field to set up a 47-yard field goal attempt to tie the game.
But, a false-start penalty against long snapper L.P. Ladouceur pushed Dallas back a further five yards and Maher's kick cannoned into the left upright, rather than sneak inside the post to force overtime.
Earlier, Prescott had tied the game up at 7-7 going into half-time after a 49-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Michael Gallup. But, Washington streaked ahead in the second half and moved 10 points clear with a strip sack of Prescott down near the Dallas goal line that resulted in a touchdown.
Veteran Adrian Peterson impressed on the night for the Redskins, rushing for 99 yards on 24 attempts. For the Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott struggled, managing only 33 yards from his 15 carries.
The Redskins (4-2) now lead the NFC East after beating Dallas (3-4) for the first time in five matchups, winning back-to-back games for the first time this season.
FIRST QUARTER
Cowboys 0-7 Redskins: Alex Smith 23-yard touchdown pass to Kapri Bibbs (Dustin Hopkins extra point good)
SECOND QUARTER
Cowboys 7-7 Redskins: Dak Prescott 49-yard touchdown pass to Michael Gallup (Brett Maher extra point good)
THIRD QUARTER
Cowboys 7-10 Redskins: Hopkins 21-yard field goal
FOURTH QUARTER
Cowboys 7-13 Redskins: Hopkins 25-yard field goal
Cowboys 10-13 Redskins: Maher 47-yard field goal
Cowboys 10-20 Redskins: Preston Smith one-yard fumble return for a touchdown (Hopkins extra point good)
Cowboys 17-20 Redskins: Prescott one-yard touchdown run (Maher extra point good)
Saints 24-23 Ravens
Justin Tucker missed the first extra point conversion of his career after the Ravens scored the potential game-tying touchdown with 24 seconds left.
Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes - the first his 500th in the NFL - as the Saints recovered from a 10-point deficit to edge out the Ravens (4-3).
Rams 39-10 49ers
Todd Gurley scored three touchdowns and Jared Goff threw two TD passes as the Rams (7-0) took advantage of four takeaways and a blocked punt to comfortably beat the 49ers (1-6) and stay unbeaten.
