The players' strike had been settled just before this Monday night game, but because no Redskins had decided to break the strike, they were not declared eligible to play. On the other hand, a number of Dallas veterans were eligible, and many saw a blowout in the making.

The Cowboys committed some costly mistakes early in the game, and the fired up replacement Redskins took advantage of them. Tony Dorsett fumbled twice, and Danny White was sacked six times. Despite only coming away with a 3-0 halftime lead, the Skins had Dallas frustrated.

Washington's offense finally got in stride in the third quarter, leading to a TD score to widen the lead to 10-0. Dallas responded with a drive of their own to make the game tight. But the Redskins were able to play ball-control offense in the fourth quarter, adding a field goal and holding off a late Dallas drive to come away with an improbable and inspiring win.