In today's Rewarding Moments In Washington History presented by Maryland Lottery My Lottery Rewards, we look back to the 2012 season when Washington clinched the NFC East after defeating the Cowboys for the regular season finale.
Heading into the last game of the regular season, Washington was in a head-to-head battle with the Dallas Cowboys in Landover, Maryland, for the NFC East title.
What started out as a neck and neck game quickly turned into a coronation for Washington in the third quarter thanks to rookies Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. The two combined for 363 yards to help upend the Cowboys, 28-18.
Griffin ended the game completing nine of his 18 passes for 100 yards and six carries for 63 yards, but Morris was the true star of the matchup. He carried the ball 33 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns, which helped him secure the record for most touchdowns by a rookie in franchise history.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo started the scoring off with a nine-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jason Witten, but Griffin and Morris battled back with two of their own scores. Morris tied the game with a 17-yard romp to the end zone, while Griffin did the same on a 10-yard rush that made the score 14-7.
From there, Washington was able to hold a lead, but the Cowboys did make things interesting. Dan Bailey hit a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and after Morris scored again -- this time on a 32-yard run -- Romo found Kevin Ogletree on a 10-yard touchdown pass and then completed the two-point conversion with a pass to Dwayne Harris.
But with 68 seconds left, Washington put the Cowboys away for good with a one-yard touchdown run from Morris, leading Washington to their first divisional title since 1999.
