The Dallas Cowboys have kept up their hopes of a first-round bye in the playoffs by beating the Washington Redskins 44-17 in the final match of the regular season this evening.
The Cowboys still need both the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals to lose if they are to get the bye, however.
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The visitors got off to a decent start at FedEx Field when Dan Bailey put them ahead with a 36-yard kick on their opening drive, but they soon found themselves behind courtesy of the first touchdown of the match.
Robert Griffin III threw a short pass out to DeSean Jackson on his left, and the receiver did the rest with a 69-yard run down the middle and into the endzone.
The Cowboys responded well, however, and another fine solo effort saw them regain the lead when Dez Bryant held off a couple of tackles to make his way over the line following a 65-yard run.
Bryant then set a franchise record for single-season touchdowns with his 16th of the campaign, although he had to wait for a review to be awarded the 23-yard score.
There was also another milestone for DeMarco Murray as he passed the franchise record for rushing yards in a single season, overtaking Emmitt Smith's mark.
Murray went on to extend the Cowboys' lead in the third quarter, somehow finding a way through a host of tackles for a nine-yard score after Bailey had earlier added a second field goal.
The Redskins did manage to reduce the deficit a little before the break, but Dallas still went in with a comfortable 17-point lead after Kai Forbath's field goal.
Neither side could add to the scores in the third quarter, but Griffin gave the hosts hope in the fourth when he rushed in from two yards to make it 27-17.
That hope was quickly dashed by a flurry of Cowboys points, however, with Bailey kicking a field goal before Anthony Spencer recovered a fumble and returned it five yards for a touchdown.
There was still time for one more score as Joseph Randle raced in from 65 yards to maintain his side's perfect away record and wrap up their 14th win of the season - the franchise's highest tally since 2007.
Barney Corkhill
