The Cowboys and Commanders met in an NFC East matchup on Christmas Day. Here's what went down as USA TODAY Sports provided live updates and highlights

In a game with nothing at stake but pride, the Cowboys and Commanders put on a better-than-expected show to kick off the NFL's Christmas Day slate.

Christmas Day in the NFL opens up with an NFC East clash between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys, although it won’t feature Jayden Daniels (elbow)

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82) dodges Dallas Cowboys cornerback Reddy Steward (27) as he runs in for a touchdown after a flip pass by New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) during the second quarter of an NFL game on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

Cowboys vs. Vikings final score, results: J.J. McCarthy has three touchdowns as Vikings shatter Cowboys playoff hopes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cowboys are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Cowboys vs. Giants odds, and the total comes in at 49.5. The Cowboys are -163 money line favorites (risk $163 to win $100), while the Giants are +137 underdogs.

Jaxson Dart threw the 14th and 15th touchdown passes of his rookie year and the New York Giants ended their lost season on a two-game winning streak by beating the Dallas Cowboys 34-17.

- Final: It wasn’t the cleanest game down the stretch, but Dallas comes away with a victory over a division rival. The Cowboys hung on for a 30-23 win on Christmas Day. Dallas now sits at 7-8-1 with one game left on its schedule.