Prescott breaks Romo's Cowboys TD-pass record in 37-20 win over Washington

ARLINGTON, Texas - Dak Prescott did not need a late comeback to rewrite the Cowboys' passing record book. He needed four scoring throws, a clean sheet, and a locker room that refused to treat the moment as routine.

Prescott completed 26 of 31 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions Sunday as Dallas beat Washington 37-20.

The fourth scoring toss - a 24-yard strike to CeeDee Lamb early in the fourth quarter's closing stretch - was his 249th career touchdown pass as a Cowboy, moving him past Tony Romo's franchise mark of 248, according to the Associated Press recap carried by ESPN.

ESPN's box matches the line and lists a 143.8 passer rating. Prescott also scrambled four times for 26 yards. Jake Ferguson caught the other two touchdowns. Dallas improved to 1-1; Washington fell to 0-2.

Record ball, then the emotion

Lamb, who has caught 37 touchdowns from Prescott - more than any other Cowboy, per the AP - handed his quarterback the record ball after the game. Prescott said the exchange hit harder than the throw itself.

"That made me emotional," Prescott said, adding that he had already been emotional hours before kickoff thinking about his late mother and the chance at a four-touchdown day. "There's tons of guys that aren't in that locker room that I think about when I break this record.

To see my teammates act that way, to see guys that only have been together for five, six months, have the joy, have the cheers that they do, it was emotional."

Coach Brian Schottenheimer framed the night around the person as much as the passer. "You can't talk about Dak, the player, without starting with the man," Schottenheimer said. "The man is unique. That's why I was emotional watching the guys celebrate him in the locker room. The way he plays this game, the way he leads us is special."

How the four scores stacked

Lamb opened the scoring with a 3-yard catch in the first quarter. Ferguson added a 10-yard touchdown in the second and a 12-yarder in the third after Jaishawn Barham forced a Dyami Brown fumble that Dee Winters recovered inside the Washington 20. Brandon Aubrey's field goals from 25, 44 and 60 yards padded the margin before Lamb's 24-yard score made it 37-20.

Washington stayed within reach for stretches. Jayden Daniels threw a 4-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs before leaving with a dislocated left elbow in the final seconds of the first half, the AP reported. Marcus Mariota later hit Diggs from 20 yards to cut the deficit to 30-20, but Dallas answered with the record throw.

Baltimore in Rio next

The Cowboys play the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, per the AP's notes. Sunday's efficiency - five incompletions, four scores, zero picks - gives Prescott a clean tape before the international trip. For one afternoon in Arlington, the franchise touchdown-pass record changed hands in a victory that never slipped fully out of Dallas' control.

Sources

ESPN

ESPN

foxsports.com