# 2016 Dallas Cowboys season

The 2016 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 57th in the National Football League (NFL), their 28th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their eighth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their sixth full season under head coach Jason Garrett.
After losing their first game to the New York Giants, the Cowboys won 11 straight games. The streak ended with them losing again to the same team in week 14, making this the first time since 2011 that the Cowboys were swept by the Giants. With division rivals Washington Redskins losing to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13, the Cowboys clinched a playoff berth after missing the playoffs the previous year. Following the Giants' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, the Cowboys became NFC East champions for the second time in three years and clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The 13–3 record, which was 9 wins more than their injury-plagued season they had the year before, is tied for the best record in team history, equaling its 1992 and 2007 records.
Despite this achievement, the Cowboys were upset by the 4th seeded Green Bay Packers by a score of 34–31 in the divisional round of the playoffs, ending their season and extending their NFC Championship game drought to 22 seasons. This was also quarterback Tony Romo's last season in the NFL, as he announced his retirement on April 4, 2017. The Cowboys became the first team since the AFL-NFL merger to rise from the bottom of the NFC to the top seed in one season.

## Offseason

Cowboys 2016 free agents :
| Position | Player | Restriction | Date signed | 2016 team |
| G | Mackenzy Bernadeau | UFA | March 11 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| T | Charles Brown | UFA | March 10 | - |
| QB | Matt Cassel | UFA | March 9 | Tennessee Titans |
| CB | Morris Claiborne | UFA | March 11 | Dallas Cowboys |
| FB | Tyler Clutts | UFA | - | - |
| DE | Jack Crawford | UFA | April 4 | Dallas Cowboys |
| RB | Lance Dunbar | UFA | March 17 | Dallas Cowboys |
| TE | James Hanna | UFA | March 11 | Dallas Cowboys |
| DE | Greg Hardy | UFA | - | - |
| DT | Nick Hayden | UFA | - | - |
| S | Jeff Heath | RFA | April 13 | Dallas Cowboys |
| G | Ronald Leary | RFA | April 28 | Dallas Cowboys |
| LB | Rolando McClain | UFA | March 9 | - |
| S | Danny McCray | UFA | - | - |
| DE | Jeremy Mincey | UFA | - | - |
| CB | Josh Thomas | UFA | March 10 | Dallas Cowboys |
| RB | Robert Turbin | UFA | March 15 | Indianapolis Colts |
| LB | Kyle Wilber | UFA | March 11 | Dallas Cowboys |
| RFA: Restricted free agent, UFA: Unrestricted free agent |||||
| ↑ Brown was resigned, but later retired and did not play in the 2016 season. ↑ McClain was resigned, but later was suspended and did not play in the 2016 season. |||||

### Background

Coming into the offseason the Cowboys had a few positions that concerned them as a result of injuries, suspensions, and players potentially leaving the team. The positions that were of most concern were quarterback, defensive back, and pass rusher. The Cowboys had a total of eighteen players entering the free agency, which meant the players were free to negotiate with and sign a contract to play with any team in the league. Of the eighteen players, two of them were restricted free agents, which meant they could get offers from other teams, and the Cowboys would have opportunity to match the offer and keep the player on their roster. The free agency process officially started on March 9 for all thirty-two teams.
Offense
After losing ten out of the eleven games without Romo in 2015, the Dallas Cowboys wanted to find a reliable back up quarterback, either through the draft, or by signing a veteran free agent. The Cowboys met with the top three quarterbacks entering the draft: Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch, all of whom were projected to be drafted in the first round. Another prospect for the Cowboys was Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, who met with the team on four separate occasions leading some to believe he would be their target in the middle rounds of the draft. Including Prescott, Goff, Wentz and Lynch, the Cowboys had pre-draft meetings with a total of seven quarterbacks entering the draft. Cowboys also looked at veteran quarterback Matt Moore, having him visit with the organization in March before he re-signed with the Miami Dolphins later in the month. After a mediocre performance the previous year, quarterback Matt Cassel entered free agency. Tight end James Hanna re-signed with the Cowboys with a three-year contract worth $8.2 million on March 11. Running back Lance Dunbar re-signed to a one-year contract worth $1.7 million on March 17. After the window to receive offers from other teams while being a restricted free agent closed, guard Ronald Leary re-signed with the Cowboys for a one-year deal worth $2.5 million on April 28.
Defense
On the defensive side of the team the Cowboys were coming off a year where they only had 8 interceptions, and needed to make improvements with their defensive backs. Orlando Scandrick who was a starting cornerback for the team in 2013 and 2014, was still recovering from the ACL and MCL injury that happened during practice in 2015 causing him to miss the entire season. Cornerbacks Josh Thomas and Morris Claiborne both were unrestricted free agents and could potentially be signed by another team. Within the first two days after free agency started, they both were re-signed to the Cowboys, Claiborne for a one-year deal worth $3 million, and Thomas for a one-year contract. Defensive backs Nolan Carroll, Leon Hall and Patrick Robinson were brought in to meet with the Cowboys during free agency. Safety Jeff Heath re-signed for a four-year contract worth $7.6 million on April 13.
In regards to their needs with the pass rush Sports Illustrated writer Chris Burke said that defensive end was the position that most needed to be improve for the Cowboys. Defensive end Randy Gregory had a suspension for the first four games of the season as a result of abusing the leagues substance abuse policy, which would later be increased by ten games. One of the Cowboys other defensive ends, DeMarcus Lawrence was recovering from back surgery spreading their defensive line even more thin. Defensive tackle Nick Hayden, defensive ends Greg Hardy, Jeremy Mincey and Jack Crawford, all were entering the free agency. Crawford was the only one to be re-signed and was given a one-year deal worth $1.1 million on March 9. Defensive end Jason Jones was brought in to visit the Cowboys on March 28. Linebacker Kyle Wilber re-signed for a two-year contract worth $3.2 million on March 11.

### Departures

Of the eighteen Cowboys players who were in the free agency, the Cowboys were able to re-sign ten of them for the 2016 season. From those ten, linebacker Rolando McClain was re-signed on March 9, but due to a suspension he received from the league for violating the NFL's drug policy he missed the entire season. Offensive tackle Charles Brown was re-signed on March 10, but in July decided to retire and was placed on the reserved/retired list. From the eight that weren't re-signed, four of them signed with other teams. The first of these three was quarterback Matt Cassel, who left for the free agency after being benched in the previous season when he lost six of his seven games as a starter. He went on to be signed by the Tennessee Titans on March 9. The next player to sign with another team was guard Mackenzy Bernadeau who signed a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 11. Next up was running back Robert Turbin who signed a contract with the Indianapolis Colts on March 15. The last player to sign with another team was defensive tackle Nick Hayden who signed with the Cleveland Browns in March, but ended up being released in August and not playing during the season. Players that did not sign with the Cowboys or any other teams included defensive end Greg Hardy who was a free agent that had a lot of off the field issues. It was reported that Hardy not being re-signed was likely more due to fitting in with the Cowboys locker room rather than due to the off the field issues. Defensive end Jeremy Mincey decided to retired in August. The last two free agents, 31 year old fullback Tyler Clutts and 28 year old safety Danny McCray both were not re-signed, speculated to be due to their age.

### Acquisitions

While most of the activity made by the Cowboys during free agency was re-signing their own players, they also made a few acquisitions of players from other teams to add to their roster. Defensive end Cedric Thornton was the first to be acquired, signing a four-year contract worth $18 million on March 10. Thorton comes from one of the Cowboys divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, and moved from defensive end to defensive tackle. At the time of his signing, he was believed to be the likely replacement for Hayden who was still in the free agency. Continuing to work on the improvement of their defensive line, the next acquisition for the Cowboys was defensive end Benson Mayowa from the Oakland Raiders, who signed a three-year contract on March 18 worth $8.5 million. Mayowa was a restricted free agent, and the Raiders had five days to match the offer to retain him, but they declined to do so, allowing the Cowboys to improve their pass rush some more. The next free agent acquisition was from another divisional rival, when the Cowboys signed Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris. Morris signed a contract on March 22 for 2 years and worth $3.5 million. Morris will be added into the running back rotation with starter Darren McFadden, who replaced Joseph Randle last year as the starter after Randle was injured and later cut for off the field issues. The final free agent acquisition the Cowboys made was offensive lineman Joe Looney from the Tennessee Titans, who was signed on March 29. He is a flexible player who can play both center and guard, similar to the role Bernadeau had. Looney's contract was for two years and worth $1.6 million.

### 2016 NFL draft

The Dallas Cowboys had nine draft picks for the 2016 NFL draft which was scheduled to take place from April 28 to April 30 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cowboys originally had only five picks as a results of trades with the Raiders, 49ers and Seahawks, but were awarded four compensatory picks on March 11 as a result of the net loss of players in free agency before the 2015 season. One of the compensatory picks received was a fourth round draft pick, and the other three picks were all in the sixth round. After all the trades and the compensatory picks given, the Cowboys had one pick in each of the first three rounds, two picks in the fourth, zero in the fifth, four picks in the sixth round, and zero in the seventh. In January Neil Hornsby, the founder of Pro Football Focus, ranked the offseason needs for the Dallas Cowboys, and said the top needs for the draft were quarterback, cornerback, guard, and running back. Leading up to the draft two of these needs, running back and guard, were addressed with the addition of Morris and Looney to the team during free agency. As the draft got closer on April 26, Bleacher Report also listed running back, quarterback and cornerback in their top five needs for the Cowboys in the draft, along with defensive end and safety.
   The Dallas Cowboys (are my pick). I want to go play behind that great offensive line they have down in Dallas.
With the fourth overall pick in the draft, the Cowboys used their first round selection to draft Ezekiel Elliott from Ohio State. Prior to the draft the Cowboys had met with Elliott on two separate occasions, once in Ohio, and a second time in Dallas. Elliott averaged seven yards per carry during his three-year college career, and had over 1,800 yards in both of his final two years. In the 2015 season, Elliott was named unanimously to the first team of the All-Big Ten Conference, and second on the 2015 College Football All-America Team. Along with being first team Big Ten, Elliott was also named the offensive player of the year and the MVP for the conference. In the 2014 season he and the Ohio State Buckeyes won the Big Ten Championship along with the College Football National Championship in which Elliott was named MVP. In early February during an interview on NFL Network when asked about which team he wanted to be picked by, Elliott responded with: "The Dallas Cowboys. I want to go play behind that great offensive line they have down in Dallas." Elliott was expected to help the Cowboys in the running game as he would be behind what was considered by some to be the best offensive line in the NFL. Elliott's presence would also help with the passing game due to his blocking abilities and the fact that defenses would have to respect the backfield with him there, which would increase the effectiveness of play-action passes. Elliott became the third running back to be drafted by the Cowboys with a top-20 pick. The previous two picks, Tony Dorsett in 1977 and Emmitt Smith in 1990 ended up being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the latter also is the NFL's all-time leading rusher.
In the second round of the draft, the Cowboys selected Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith with the 34th overall pick. Smith was named first team All-American in 2015, and led his team in tackles. Smith also won the Butkus Award, which is awarded to the best linebacker in the country at the high school, college, and professional levels. This was the second time Smith had won the award, the previous time in 2013 as a senior in high school. In the Fiesta Bowl game versus Ohio State, Smith suffered a knee injury that later was determined to be a torn ACL and torn MCL. With the injury to his knee, it was expected for him to miss a significant amount of time, potentially the entire season. The Cowboys team doctor was the ones to perform the surgery to repair his knee before the draft, so it was believed they might have a bit more knowledge of the situation than other teams. With their third round and fourth round picks, the Cowboys shifted their focus to the defensive line. In the third, with the 67th overall pick, the Cowboys selected Nebraska defensive tackle Maliek Collins. In the fourth round with the 101st overall pick, the Cowboys selected Charles Tapper, a defensive end out of Oklahoma. In 2015 Collins was named to the second team All-Big Ten Conference, and Tapper was first team All-Big 12 Conference.
After selecting Elliott early in the first, the Cowboys attempted to trade with multiple teams for another first round selection in order to draft quarterback Paxton Lynch. They were unsuccessful in finding a trade and it wasn't until their second fourth round pick that they decided on a quarterback with Mississippi State's Dak Prescott being selected 135th overall. Prescott was selected with one of the compensatory picks the Cowboys received for the draft. This marks the first time since 2009 the Cowboys have drafted a quarterback. While Prescott was the starter for Mississippi State, he broke 38 school records and lead them to a #1 ranking in 2014 for the first time in the school's history. Prescott was named to first team of both the 2014 and 2015 All-SEC football teams. Prescott was quickly compared to Tony Romo, being similar in size and being able to make plays with their feet. Prescott's athletic talents contributed greatly to the Cowboys picking him, but team official also noted his locker room presence and leadership abilities as influencing the decision as well. Prescott will enter training camp and try to compete with Kellen Moore for the backup quarterback role for the season, and then work towards become a starter, a task he accomplished both in high school and college. The Cowboys looked forward to developing Prescott over the years and were confident he was a worthwhile talent. When asked about not being the Cowboys first choice to draft, in regards to the attempt to trade up for Lynch, Dak responded with: “I'm sure at Mississippi State I wasn't the first one on the recruit board when I committed there. Everything works out and happens for a reason."
With no picks in the fifth or seventh round, the Cowboys finished their draft in the sixth round where they had four picks. Their first two picks were two defensive backs, Anthony Brown a cornerback from Purdue, selected 189th overall, and Kavon Frazier a safety from Central Michigan, selected 212th overall. Brown showed off his impressive speed at the NFL combine, where he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.35 seconds, the second fastest time of all cornerbacks attending. Brown was an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten Conference team, while Frazier was named second team All-MAC Conference. The Cowboys switched their focus back to the offense with their next two picks and selected back to back with the 216th and 217th overall picks. First was Darius Jackson a running back from Eastern Michigan, then followed up with Rico Gathers a basketball player out of Baylor with intentions to play tight end. Jackson was third team All-Mac Conference, and was expected to use his ability to catch the ball from the backfield to fill the void that would be left at start of season while Lance Dunbar was out after a knee surgery. Gathers hadn't played football since he was 13 years old, but was an honorable mention AP All-American college basketball athlete.
2016 Dallas Cowboys draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 4 | Ezekiel Elliott * | RB | Ohio State | |
| 2 | 34 | Jaylon Smith * | OLB | Notre Dame | |
| 3 | 67 | Maliek Collins | DT | Nebraska | |
| 4 | 101 | Charles Tapper | DE | Oklahoma | |
| 4 | 135 | Dak Prescott * | QB | Mississippi State | Compensatory |
| 6 | 189 | Anthony Brown | CB | Purdue | From Oakland |
| 6 | 212 | Kavon Frazier | S | Central Michigan | Compensatory |
| 6 | 216 | Darius Jackson | RB | Eastern Michigan | Compensatory |
| 6 | 217 | Rico Gathers | TE | Baylor | Compensatory |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||
Notes
* The Cowboys conditionally traded their fifth-round selection to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Brice Butler and the Raiders' 2016 sixth-round selection. The pick swap occurred after Butler spent six games on the Cowboys' 53-man roster in 2015.
* The Cowboys traded a sixth-round selection to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers' 2015 seventh-round selection.
* The Cowboys traded their seventh-round selection to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for running back Christine Michael.

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
| 1 | August 13 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 24–28 | 0–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
| 2 | August 19 | Miami Dolphins | W 41–14 | 1–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 25 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 17–27 | 1–2 | CenturyLink Field | Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | Houston Texans | L 17–28 | 1–3 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
| 1 | September 11 | New York Giants | L 19–20 | 0–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | at Washington Redskins | W 27–23 | 1–1 | FedExField | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | Chicago Bears | W 31–17 | 2–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 24–17 | 3–1 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 28–14 | 4–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | at Green Bay Packers | W 30–16 | 5–1 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 7 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 8 | October 30 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 29–23 (OT) | 6–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | at Cleveland Browns | W 35–10 | 7–1 | FirstEnergy Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 35–30 | 8–1 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | Baltimore Ravens | W 27–17 | 9–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 24 | Washington Redskins | W 31–26 | 10–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 1 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 17–15 | 11–1 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 11 | at New York Giants | L 7–10 | 11–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 26–20 | 12–2 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | Detroit Lions | W 42–21 | 13–2 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 1 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 13–27 | 13–3 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Cowboys | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 92,867
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 23-yard field goal, 6:35. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 70 yards, 8:25.
Second quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 56-yard field goal, 11:09. Cowboys 6–0. Drive: 15 plays, 52 yards, 7:58.
NYG – Larry Donnell 15-yard pass from Eli Manning (Randy Bullock kick), 9:36. Giants 7–6. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:33.
DAL – Dan Bailey 25-yard field goal, 4:02. Cowboys 9–7. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 5:34.
NYG – Sterling Shepard 9-yard pass from Eli Manning (kick failed, wide left), 0:07. Giants 13–9. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 3:55.
Third quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 8-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 10:47. Cowboys 16–13. Drive: 7 plays, 35 yards, 3:27.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 54-yard field goal, 13:59. Cowboys 19–13. Drive: 11 plays, 39 yards, 5:01.
NYG – Victor Cruz 3-yard pass from Eli Manning (Randy Bullock kick), 6:13. Giants 20–19. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 3:59.
Top passers
NYG – Eli Manning – 19/28, 207 yards, 3 TD, INT
DAL – Dak Prescott – 25/45, 227 yards
Top rushers
NYG – Rashad Jennings – 18 carries, 75 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 20 carries, 51 yards, TD
Top receivers
NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. – 4 receptions, 73 yards
DAL – Jason Witten – 9 receptions, 66 yards :
The Cowboys fell short trying to win their home opener against the Giants in a hard-fought game. They dropped to 0–1 and lost to the Giants at AT&T Stadium for the first time since 2012.
Ezekiel Elliott struggled to find holes all game, but managed to record his first NFL touchdown. The Dallas defense failed to contain the Giants' rushing attack. The game also saw the return of Victor Cruz, who caught the game-clinching touchdown pass from Eli Manning.
Dallas' final play, a 14-yard catch-and-run by Terrance Williams, put them in field goal range, but he stayed inbounds and time expired.

#### Week 2: at Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 10 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| Redskins | 0 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 23 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 81 °F (27 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 80,612
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 22-yard field goal, 9:25. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 5:35.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 1:39. Cowboys 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 94 yards, 5:13.
Second quarter
WAS – Matt Jones 14-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 13:08. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:31.
DAL – Dan Bailey 31-yard field goal, 4:34. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards, 4:31.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 36-yard field goal, 0:26. Cowboys 13–10. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 4:08.
Third quarter
WAS – Jamison Crowder 11-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 11:16. Redskins 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:44.
DAL – Dak Prescott 6-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 5:41. Cowboys 20–17. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:35.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 29-yard field goal, 2:06. Tied 20–20. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 3:35.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 22-yard field goal, 0:04. Redskins 23–20. Drive: 5 plays, 30 yards, 1:35.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Alfred Morris 4-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 4:45. Cowboys 27–23. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:50.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 22/30, 292 yards
WAS – Kirk Cousins – 28/46, 364 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 21 rushes, 83 yards, TD
WAS – Matt Jones – 13 rushes, 61 yards, TD
Top receivers
DAL – Dez Bryant – 7 receptions, 102 yards
WAS – Jordan Reed – 5 receptions, 70 yards :
Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott was impressive in his second NFL start, rushing for a touchdown and playing mistake-free football as Dallas evened its record at 1–1 with a win over its long-time rival.
Barry Church's interception of Kirk Cousins in the end zone late in the fourth quarter sealed the game.

#### Week 3: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Cowboys | 10 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 90,554
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Dak Prescott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 9:30. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:30.
DAL – Dan Bailey 49-yard field goal, 1:54. Cowboys 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 4:59.
Second quarter
DAL – Lance Dunbar 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 11:11. Cowboys 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 4:09.
CHI – Connor Barth 34-yard field goal, 7:47. Cowboys 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:24.
DAL – Alfred Morris 3-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 0:38. Cowboys 24–3. Drive: 12 plays, 73 yard, 7:09.
Third quarter
CHI – Zach Miller 2-yard pass from Brian Hoyer (Connor Barth kick), 7:08. Cowboys 24–10. Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 4:54.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dez Bryant 17-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 9:02. Cowboys 31–10. Drive: 10 plays, 88 yards, 6:35.
CHI – Zach Miller 6-yard pass from Brian Hoyer (Connor Barth kick), 6:28. Cowboys 31–17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:34.
Top passers
CHI – Brian Hoyer – 30/49, 317 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 19/24, 248 yards, TD
Top rushers
CHI – Jordan Howard – 9 rushes, 45 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 30 rushes, 140 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Zach Miller – 8 receptions, 78 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Cole Beasley – 7 receptions, 73 yards :
Dallas won its first home game in over a year as it dispatched of the Bears, who were without normal starting quarterback Jay Cutler and instead started Brian Hoyer. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 140 yards on 30 carries in just his third NFL game and Dak Prescott threw his first NFL touchdown pass to Dez Bryant.

#### Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: October 2
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT/1:25 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 70,178
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Jeremy Kerley 33-yard pass from Blaine Gabbert (Phil Dawson kick), 6:41. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 3:39.
Second quarter
SF – Carlos Hyde 3-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 13:55. 49ers 14–0. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:03.
DAL – Terrance Williams 20-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 2:58. 49ers 14–7. Drive: 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:54.
DAL – Brice Butler 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 0:12. Tied 14–14. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 1:38.
Third quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 36-yard field goal, 12:18. 49ers 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 57 yards, 2:42.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 1:08. Cowboys 21–17. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:49.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 22-yard field goal, 4:11. Cowboys 24–17. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 6:27.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 23/32, 245 yards, 2 TD
SF – Blaine Gabbert – 16/23, 196 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 23 rushes, 138 yards, TD
SF – Carlos Hyde – 15 rushes, 74 yards, TD
Top receivers
DAL – Cole Beasley – 3 receptions, 66 yards
SF – Jeremy Kerley – 6 receptions, 88 yards, TD :
The Cowboys rallied from an early 14-point hole to win over the 49ers on the road, winning their third straight game in the process. Ezekiel Elliott went over the century mark again, rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown.

#### Week 5: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: October 9
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 91,653
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 13-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 11:09. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 3:51.
Second quarter
DAL – Dak Prescott 5-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 14:43. Cowboys 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 89 yards, 6:33.
DAL – Cole Beasley 14-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 4:09. Cowboys 21–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:38.
Third quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 60-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 11:38. Cowboys 28–0. Drive: 1 play, 60 yards, 0:09.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Brandon LaFell 7-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 10:10. Cowboys 28–7. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 5:13.
CIN – Brandon LaFell 5-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 2:39. Cowboys 28–14. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 5:03.
Top passers
CIN – Andy Dalton – 29/41, 269 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 18/24, 227 yards, TD
Top rushers
CIN – Giovani Bernard – 9 rushes, 50 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 15 rushes, 134 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
CIN – Brandon LaFell – 8 receptions, 68 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Terrance Williams – 5 receptions, 70 yards :
Dak Prescott extended his consecutive passes to begin a career without an interception streak to 155, trailing only Tom Brady all-time. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 134 yards on only 15 carries, including a 60-yard touchdown run. The win put Dallas a half-game ahead of the Eagles for first place in the NFC East.

#### Week 6: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 30 |
| Packers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 16 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: October 16
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 78,481
* Referee: Brad Allen
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Cole Beasley 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 10:08. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:57.
GB – Mason Crosby 37-yard field goal, 5:14. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 4:52.
Second quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 43-yard field goal, 12:19. Cowboys 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 4:08.
DAL – Dan Bailey 44-yard field goal, 6:05. Cowboys 10–6. Drive: 12 plays, 50 yards, 6:15.
DAL – Brice Butler 20-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 0:31. Cowboys 17–6. Drive: 5 plays, 97 yards, 0:33.
Third quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 22-yard field goal, 7:02. Cowboys 20–6. Drive: 7 plays, 47 yards, 3:05.
Fourth quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 34-yard field goal, 14:51. Cowboys 20–9. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:32.
DAL – Cole Beasley 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 10:31. Cowboys 27–9. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:22.
GB – Randall Cobb 4-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 6:57. Cowboys 27–16. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:33.
DAL – Dan Bailey 32-yard field goal, 3:45. Cowboys 30–16. Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 3:12.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 18/27, 247 yards, 3 TD, INT
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 31/42, 294 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 28 rushes, 157 yards
GB – Eddie Lacy – 17 rushes, 65 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Terrance Williams – 4 rec, 75 yards
GB – Ty Montgomery – 10 rec, 98 yards :
It was the third straight year that the Cowboys traveled to Lambeau Field to face the Packers. Despite Dak Prescott being picked off for the first time this season, he still managed 247 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also passed Tom Brady's all-time record of consecutive pass attempts to start a career without an interception.
Ezekiel Elliott pounded the Green Bay Packers number one ranked run defense with 157 yards on 28 carries.
The Dallas defense dominated the Packers, forcing four Green Bay turnovers. It was the first time since 2008, and second time in franchise history that the Cowboys had won at Lambeau Field. With the 30–16 victory, the Cowboys went 5–1 heading into the bye week.

#### Week 8: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Eagles | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 29 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 8:30 p.m. CDT/7:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 84 °F (29 °C), clear skies — retractable roof open
* Game attendance: 93,103
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 30-yard field goal, 6:39. Eagles 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 5:11.
DAL – Dak Prescott 7-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 4:41. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:58.
Second quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 38-yard field goal, 14:50. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 3:20.
PHI – Ryan Mathews 1-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 3:45. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 5:05.
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 55-yard field goal, 0:00. Eagles 13–10. Drive: 8 plays, 43 yards, 1:26.
Third quarter
PHI – Jordan Matthews 5-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Caleb Sturgis kick), 6:20. Eagles 20–10. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 4:10.
DAL – Dan Bailey 23-yard field goal, 0:56. Eagles 20–13. Drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 5:24.
Fourth quarter
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 34-yard field goal, 14:09. Eagles 23–13. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 1:47.
DAL – Dan Bailey 49-yard field goal, 11:34. Eagles 23–16. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:24.
DAL – Dez Bryant 22-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 3:04. Tied 23–23. Drive: 11 plays, 90 yards, 3:22.
Overtime
DAL – Jason Witten 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott, 7:48. Cowboys 29–23. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:12.
Top passers
PHI – Carson Wentz – 32/43, 202 yards, TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 19/39, 287 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
PHI – Darren Sproles – 15 rushes, 86 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 22 rushes, 96 yards
Top receivers
PHI – Jordan Matthews – 11 receptions, 65 yards, TD
DAL – Dez Bryant – 4 receptions, 113 yards, TD :
Hoping to continue their winning streak, the Cowboys hosted the Philadelphia Eagles in a primetime matchup duel between Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz. Jason Witten's touchdown in overtime sealed the victory for the Cowboys, who went 6–1; this was the Cowboys' first victory against the Eagles at AT&T Stadium since 2012.

#### Week 9: at Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
| Browns | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: November 6
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 67,431
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CLE – Cody Parkey 31-yard field goal, 12:40. Browns 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:20.
DAL – Jason Witten 26-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 6:47. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:53.
Second quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 10-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 10:02. Cowboys 14–3. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 4:48.
DAL – Cole Beasley 6-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 1:50. Cowboys 21–3. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 4:39.
CLE – Terrelle Pryor 12-yard pass from Cody Kessler (Cody Parkey kick), 0:23. Cowboys 21–10. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 1:27.
Third quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 8-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 11:30. Cowboys 28–10. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:30.
DAL – Gavin Escobar 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 1:41. Cowboys 35–10. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 5:30.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 21/27, 247 yards, 3 TD
CLE – Cody Kessler – 19/27, 203 yards, TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 18 rushes, 92 yards, 2 TD
CLE – Duke Johnson – 5 rushes, 30 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Jason Witten – 8 receptions, 134 yards, TD
CLE – Isaiah Crowell – 4 receptions, 63 yards :
The winless Browns had no answer for Dak Prescott who threw three touchdown passes in a 35–10 win and improving the Cowboys to 7–1 for the first time since 2007.

#### Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 10 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 35 |
| Steelers | 12 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 30 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Date: November 13
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 67,737
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PIT – Le'Veon Bell 2-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (pass failed), 9:54. Steelers 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 3:51.
DAL – Dan Bailey 37-yard field goal, 5:17. Steelers 6–3. Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 4:37.
PIT – Eli Rogers 3-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (pass failed), 1:13. Steelers 12–3. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:04.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 83-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 0:12. Steelers 12–10. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 1:01.
Second quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 53-yard field goal, 11:04. Cowboys 13–12. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 3:24.
PIT – Chris Boswell 39-yard field goal, 4:43. Steelers 15–13. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 6:21.
Third quarter
PIT – Chris Boswell 25-yard field goal, 13:10. Steelers 18–13. Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 1:50.
DAL – Dan Bailey 46-yard field goal, 5:35. Steelers 18–16. Drive: 14 plays, 46 yards, 7:35.
DAL – Dez Bryant 50-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 1:35. Cowboys 23–18. Drive: 3 plays, 49 yards, 1:48.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Le'Veon Bell 1-yard run (pass failed), 7:51. Steelers 24–23. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 3:05.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 14-yard run (pass failed), 1:55. Cowboys 29–24. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:56.
PIT – Antonio Brown 15-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (pass failed), 0:42. Steelers 30–29. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:13.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 32-yard run (pass failed), 0:09. Cowboys 35–30. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 0:33.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 22/32, 319 yards, 2 TD
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 37/46, 408 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 21 rushes, 114 yards, 2 TD
PIT – Le'Veon Bell – 17 rushes, 57 yards, TD
Top receivers
DAL – Dez Bryant – 6 receptions, 116 yards, TD
PIT – Antonio Brown – 14 receptions, 154 yards, TD :
A classic rivalry since the 1970s, the Cowboys traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, who were coming off a three-game losing streak (including a loss to the Baltimore Ravens the previous week). With the win, the Cowboys extended their winning streak to eight games for the first time since 1977. Ezekiel Elliott reached 1,000 yards in this game and rushed for the game-winning touchdown in the space of 30 seconds. The Cowboys also clinched a non-losing season as they had the best win–loss record in the NFL.

#### Week 11: vs. Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ravens | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: November 20
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 93,056
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Terrance West 18-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 5:28. Ravens 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 90 yards, 3:09.
Second quarter
DAL – Cole Beasley 3-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 5:55. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 52 yards, 3:36.
BAL – Justin Tucker 46-yard field goal, 1:37. Ravens 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 4:18.
DAL – Dan Bailey 30-yard field goal, 0:04. Tied 10–10. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 1:33.
Third quarter
DAL – Dez Bryant 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 7:31. Cowboys 17–10. Drive: 10 plays, 92 yards, 5:49.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dez Bryant 13-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 11:30. Cowboys 24–10. Drive: 13 plays, 88 yards, 7:54.
BAL – Steve Smith Sr. 5-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Justin Tucker kick), 8:16. Cowboys 24–17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:14.
DAL – Dan Bailey 21-yard field goal, 1:50. Cowboys 27–17. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 6:26.
Top passers
BAL – Joe Flacco – 23/35, 269 yards, TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 27/36, 301 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
BAL – Terrance West – 8 rushes, 42 yards, TD
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 25 rushes, 97 yards
Top receivers
BAL – Steve Smith Sr. – 8 receptions, 99 yards, TD
DAL – Dez Bryant – 6 receptions, 80 yards, 2 TD :
The Cowboys returned home to take on the Baltimore Ravens. Ezekiel Elliott surpassed Tony Dorsett's record of 1,007 rushing yards as a rookie. With the win, the Cowboys extended their winning streak to nine games for the first time in the team's franchise history. The win also saw the Cowboys beat the Ravens for the very first time.

#### Week 12: vs. Washington Redskins

Thanksgiving Day game
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 0 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 26 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: November 24
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 93,099
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Chris Myers and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 4-yard run(Dan Bailey kick), 11:09. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:51.
Second quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 24-yard field goal, 14:04. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:10.
DAL – Dan Bailey 46-yard field goal, 7:57. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 12 plays, 47 yards, 6:07.
DAL – Terrance Williams 10-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 1:45. Cowboys 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 2:06.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 20-yard field goal, 0:03. Cowboys 17–6. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 1:43.
Third quarter
None
Fourth quarter
WAS – Jordan Reed 5-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (pass failed), 14:54. Cowboys 17–12. Drive: 14 plays, 90 yards, 7:55.
DAL – Dak Prescott 6-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 10:49. Cowboys 24–12. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:05.
WAS – DeSean Jackson 67-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 9:22. Cowboys 24–19. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:27.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 6:29. Cowboys 31–19. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 2:53.
WAS – Jordan Reed 8-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:53. Cowboys 31–26. Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 4:36.
Top passers
WAS – Kirk Cousins – 41/53, 449 yards, 3 TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 17/24, 195 yards, TD
Top rushers
WAS – Robert Kelley – 14 rushes, 37 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 20 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
WAS – DeSean Jackson – 4 receptions, 118 yards, TD
DAL – Dez Bryant – 5 receptions, 72 yards :
In the traditional Thanksgiving game, the Cowboys hosted the Washington Redskins, who had just came off a victory against the Green Bay Packers. In a game of catch-up, the Redskins never led; however, they made a valiant effort in the fourth quarter to take the lead. The Cowboys held them off and won the game, thus extending their winning streak to ten games for the first time in franchise history. This was also the first time since 2013 that the Cowboys would sweep the Redskins.

#### Week 13: at Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Vikings | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 15 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: December 1
* Game time: 7:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (fixed-roof stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,860
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (NBC/NFLN/Twitter): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Heather Cox
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 48-yard field goal, 2:28. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 3:17.
Second quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 5:29. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 5:12.
Third quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 36-yard field goal, 2:10. Cowboys 7–6. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 4:52.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 33-yard field goal, 14:11. Vikings 9–7. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 0:56.
DAL – Dez Bryant 8-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 10:22. Cowboys 14–9. Drive: 1 play, 8 yards, 0:06.
DAL – Dan Bailey 39-yard field goal, 4:15. Cowboys 17–9. Drive: 5 plays, 33 yards, 2:22.
MIN – Jerick McKinnon 3-yard pass from Sam Bradford (pass failed), 0:25. Cowboys 17–15. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 1:44.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 12/18, 139 yards, TD
MIN – Sam Bradford – 32/45, 247 yards, TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 20 rushes, 86 yards, TD
MIN – Jerick McKinnon – 9 rushes, 41 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Dez Bryant – 4 receptions, 84 yards, TD
MIN – Adam Thielen – 7 receptions, 86 yards :
The Cowboys traveled to Minnesota to take on the struggling Vikings following their loss against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. In a rather tightly contested game that saw penalties on Dallas and strong Vikings defense, the Cowboys nevertheless managed to win and thus extended their historical win streak to eleven games. This was also the first time since 1995 in which Dallas had won at Minnesota. With the win, plus a loss from the Washington Redskins against the Cardinals the following Sunday, Dallas became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth this season.

#### Week 14: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Giants | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: December 11
* Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 80,874
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Rrcap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Terrance Williams 31-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 4:44. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:06.
Second quarter
No scoring plays
Third quarter
NYG – Robbie Gould 39-yard field goal, 5:50. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 35 yards, 4:49.
NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. 61-yard pass from Eli Manning (Robbie Gould kick), 1:07. Giants 10–7. Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 0:43.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 17/37, 165 yards, TD, 2 INT
NYG – Eli Manning – 17/28, 193 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 24 rushes, 107 yards
NYG – Rashad Jennings – 15 rushes, 45 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Terrance Williams – 5 receptions, 76 yards, TD
NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. – 4 receptions, 94 yards, TD :
Trying to win their 12th straight and avenge their Week 1 loss, the Cowboys took on the second place New York Giants in a Sunday night showdown. After taking a 7–0 lead on their second possession of the game, the Cowboys failed to score any more points for the rest of the game and lost 10–7, thus ending their 11-game winning streak. Dak Prescott had his first multiple-interception game and the Cowboys committed three turnovers. It was the first time that they were swept in the regular season by the Giants since the 2011 season.

#### Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 26 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: December 18
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 93,101
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 25-yard field goal, 5:54. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 3:52.
Second quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 27-yard field goal, 14:56. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:58.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 12:34. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 2:11.
DAL – Dak Prescott 2-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 6:24. Cowboys 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:13.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 34-yard field goal, 1:52. Cowboys 17–6. Drive: 11 plays, 59 yards, 4:32.
Third quarter
TB – Adam Humphries 42-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 11:44. Cowboys 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:16.
TB – Cameron Brate 10-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 4:12. Buccaneers 20–17. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 4:49.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 40-yard field goal,13:31. Tied 20–20. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 5:41.
DAL – Dan Bailey 38-yard field goal, 9:35. Cowboys 23–20. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 2:14.
DAL – Dan Bailey 33-yard field goal, 2:58. Cowboys 26–20. Drive: 8 plays, 81 yards, 3:57.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 17/35, 247 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Dak Prescott – 32/36, 279 yards
Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 16 rushes, 42 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 23 rushes, 159 yards, TD
Top receivers
TB – Cameron Brate – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
DAL – Dez Bryant – 8 receptions, 82 yards :
Following their second loss to the Giants, the Cowboys returned to Arlington in a match against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who were coming off a five-game winning streak). Despite both teams sharing the lead from time and time again, the Cowboys were able to hold off the Buccaneers. With less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, Orlando Scandrick intercepted a pass from Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (who fumbled earlier in the first half) and ended the game as a Cowboys victory.
Dallas' only other highlight came early in the second quarter when Ezekiel Elliott leapt onto the Salvation Army kettle after scoring a touchdown to lead Dallas 10–3. This celebration resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty; however, the following day, the NFL decided to not fine Elliott for the celebration.
The Cowboys improved to 12–2, and with the Giants' loss to the Eagles the following Thursday night, they clinched the NFC East title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

#### Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Cowboys | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: December 26
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 92,885
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Brice Butler 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey Kick), 9:57. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 5:03.
DET – Zach Zenner 7-yard run (Matt Prater Kick), 5:23. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:34.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 55-yard run (Dan Bailey Kick), 2:49. Cowboys 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 66 yards, 2:34.
Second quarter
DET – Matthew Stafford 1-yard run (Matt Prater Kick), 13:32. Tied 14–14. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 4:17.
DET – Zach Zenner 5-yard run (Matt Prater Kick), 7:40. Lions 21–14. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 4:01.
DAL – Dez Bryant 25-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey Kick), 1:04. Tied 21–21. Drive: 6 plays, 51 yards, 2:10.
Third quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey Kick), 10:19. Cowboys 28–21. Drive: 3 plays, 38 yards, 1:46.
DAL – Jason Witten 10-yard pass from Dez Bryant (Dan Bailey Kick), 4:03. Cowboys 35–21. Drive: 7 plays, 95 yards, 4:05.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Dez Bryant 19-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey Kick), 12:12. Cowboys 42–21. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:35.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 26/46, 260 yards, INT
DAL – Dak Prescott – 15/20, 212 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
DET – Zach Zenner – 12 rushes, 67 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 12 rushes, 80 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
DET – Eric Ebron – 8 receptions, 93 yards
DAL – Dez Bryant – 4 receptions, 70 yards, 2 TD :
The Cowboys improved to 13–2 and swept the NFC North. They became the first team since the 2008 Tennessee Titans to sweep both the AFC and NFC North in the same regular season. They also won their 13th game in the regular season for the third time in franchise history, and first time since 2007. Dez Bryant threw his first touchdown pass of his career.

#### Week 17: at Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Eagles | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Date: January 1, 2017
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 69,596
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 22-yard field goal, 3:57. Eagles 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 79 yards, 8:18.
Second quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 49-yard field goal, 14:51. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 4:06.
DAL – Terrance Williams 3-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 10:11. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 81 yards, 2:49.
PHI – Zach Ertz 6-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Caleb Sturgis kick), 0:07. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 1:50.
Third quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 23-yard field goal, 9:18. Cowboys 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 3:21.
PHI – Zach Ertz 20-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Caleb Sturgis kick), 4:56. Eagles 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 89 yards, 4:22.
Fourth quarter
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 33-yard field goal, 2:18. Eagles 20–13. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 7:51.
PHI – Terrell Watson 1-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 1:23. Eagles 27–13. Drive: 3 plays, 7 yards, 0:16.
Top passers
DAL – Mark Sanchez – 9/17, 85 yards, 2 INT
PHI – Carson Wentz – 27/43, 245 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DAL – Darren McFadden – 7 rushes, 28 yards
PHI – Byron Marshall – 10 rushes, 42 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Cole Beasley – 3 receptions, 49 yards
PHI – Zach Ertz – 13 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD :
With everything already clinched, the Cowboys rested numerous key starters, including Elliott and Sean Lee, and only played Dak Prescott for two series. Tony Romo played for the first time since November 2015 and in his one series, threw a touchdown pass to Terrance Williams. With the 27–13 loss, their first in Philadelphia since Week 8 of the 2011 season, the Cowboys finished the regular season 13–3, with a 3–3 record against NFC East competition, and a 10–0 record outside of the division.

### Standings
#### Division

NFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Dallas Cowboys | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 3–3 | 9–3 | 421 | 306 | L1 |
| $^{(5)}$ New York Giants | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | 310 | 284 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 396 | 383 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 367 | 331 | W2 |

#### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 3–3 | 9–3 | .471 | .440 | L1 |
| 2 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .480 | .452 | W4 |
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 3–2–1 | 6–5–1 | .441 | .425 | W1 |
| 4 | Green Bay Packers | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .508 | .453 | W6 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Giants | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .486 | .455 | W1 |
| 6 | Detroit Lions | North | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .475 | .392 | L3 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .492 | .434 | W1 |
| 8 | Washington Redskins | East | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .516 | .430 | L1 |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .492 | .457 | W1 |
| 10 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .463 | .366 | W2 |
| 11 | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .523 | .393 | L1 |
| 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .559 | .518 | W2 |
| 13 | Carolina Panthers | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .518 | .354 | L2 |
| 14 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .504 | .500 | L7 |
| 15 | Chicago Bears | North | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .521 | .396 | L4 |
| 16 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .504 | .250 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Detroit finished ahead of Tampa Bay for the No. 6 seed and qualified for the last playoff spot based on record vs. common opponents—Detroit's cumulative record against Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New Orleans was 3–2, while Tampa Bay's cumulative record against the same four teams was 2–3. 1 2 New Orleans finished ahead of Philadelphia based on better record vs. conference opponents. ↑ 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
### Schedule

| Playoff round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
| Wild Card | First-round bye | First-round bye | First-round bye | First-round bye | First-round bye | First-round bye |
| Divisional | January 15, 2017 | Green Bay Packers (4) | L 31–34 | 0–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |

### Game summaries
#### NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (4) Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
| Cowboys | 3 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 31 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: January 15, 2017
* Game time: 3:40 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 93,396
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 50-yard field goal, 11:23. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 43 yards, 3:37.
GB – Richard Rodgers 34-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 8:58. Packers 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:25.
Second quarter
GB – Ty Montgomery 3-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 14:05. Packers 14–3. Drive: 13 plays, 90 yards, 5:47.
GB – Ty Montgomery 1-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 7:37. Packers 21–3. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 5:24.
DAL – Dez Bryant 34-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 6:03. Packers 21–10. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:34.
DAL – Dan Bailey 33-yard field goal, 1:00. Packers 21–13. Drive: 10 plays, 36 yards, 3:55.
Third quarter
GB – Jared Cook 3-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 11:25. Packers 28–13. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:35.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Jason Witten 6-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 11:39. Packers 28–20. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 5:40.
DAL – Dez Bryant 7-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dak Prescott run), 4:08. Tied 28–28. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:06.
GB – Mason Crosby 56-yard field goal, 1:33. Packers 31–28. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 2:35.
DAL – Dan Bailey 52-yard field goal, 0:35. Tied 31–31. Drive: 6 plays, 42 yards, 0:58.
GB – Mason Crosby 51-yard field goal, 0:00. Packers 34–31. Drive: 6 plays, 43 yards, 0:35.
Top passers
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 28/43, 356 yards, 2 TD, INT
DAL – Dak Prescott – 24/38, 302 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
GB – Ty Montgomery – 11 rushes, 47 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 22 rushes, 125 yards
Top receivers
GB – Randall Cobb – 7 receptions, 62 yards
DAL – Dez Bryant – 9 receptions, 132 yards, 2 TD :
Despite having the #1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage, the Cowboys' season came to an end in Dallas when they were defeated by the #4 seed Green Bay Packers 34–31, who avenged their Week 6 loss with a Mason Crosby field goal with just 3 seconds left in the game. For the first time since Week 14, Dak Prescott threw an interception as Packers safety Micah Hyde intercepted Prescott with 7:17 remaining in the third quarter.
With the loss, the Cowboys closed out their season with a 13–4 record.