NFL News & Analysis

NFL Week 17 PFF ReFocused: Dallas Cowboys 47, Washington Redskins 16

Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) keeps off the ground after making a catch and runs for a touchdown in the third quarter against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

It was too late for a possible playoff berth, but the Dallas Cowboys closed out their 2019 regular season in dominant fashion Sunday, routing the division rival Washington Redskins 47-16 in Week 17.

PFF's ReFocused series features immediate takeaways from the two analysts who graded the game live. The two offer a detailed breakdown of the game's most notable performances before the grades and advanced stats are reviewed and finalized by Senior Analysts.

All of PFF's grades and advanced stats from this game and the other games played this week will be finalized and made available to ELITE subscribers within 24 hours of the final whistle. ELITE subscribers can view player grades, advanced statistics, positional snap counts and more in Premium Stats.

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Final Score

Dallas Cowboys 47, Washington Redskins 16

Dallas Cowboys

Michael Gallup was the star of the show as he made multiple incredible plays to lead the Cowboys to victory. He showed his insane body control on his high-vertical, toe-tapping touchdown in the corner of the end zone and then showed his speed on the second after breaking a tackle and speeding his way into the end zone. His third touchdown showcased his route-running skills just as the cherry on top.

It was a solid game for Dak Prescott, as he didn't make too many mistakes on his way to a 300-yard, 4-TD game. While he didn't have any spectacular throws, he was impressive in putting the ball in positions for his receivers to make a fantastic play on it, such as his touchdown to Gallup in the corner of the end zone where only he could make a play on it.

Jaylon Smith was all over the field for the Cowboys as he had a great game in coverage. Smith saw target after target and allowed just a few catches for minimal yards. His interception was very impressive as he read the play perfectly and held onto it even during contact. Smith added a couple of stops in the pass game and also broke up another pass.

While Michael Bennett was brought in mostly to rush the passer, he had a very good day in run defense. He had two huge tackles for losses in which he completely blew up the play to go along with a few other plays in which he affected the running backs intended path. Bennett also added multiple quarterback hurries when he did rush the passer.

Washington Redskins

This game was just another reminder that Case Keenum will likely not be starting for anyone in the near future. He struggled to get anything going, unable to consistently push the ball downfield. The lack of weapons around him didn't help, but Keenum missed far too many throws that could have made this a closer game.

One bright spot for the Redskins offense was receiver Steven Sims. He was the Redskins top weapon and was able to pick up multiple first downs through the air. His most impressive play was a 65-yard catch and run in which he stopped on a dime, cut to the middle of the field, and then hit full speed before his defender had even turned around.

While this wasn't a banner day for the Redskins defense, a few players looked impressive. One of those was Matt Ioannidis. He recorded one sack but was also able to generate multiple quarterback pressures and was a threat each time he went after the quarterback. He also batted a pass down at the line of scrimmage for good measure.

Another great performance was the pass-rushing of Montez Sweat off the edge. His two sacks were a game high but he also added a quarterback hit and multiple hurries as well. Sweat wasn't quite as impressive against the run but he still managed to make multiple stops there.

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