Colt McCoy shines in second half as Redskins down Cowboys

Oct 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy (16) celebrates scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Colt McCoy looked like a third-string quarterback in the first half of Monday night’s 20-17 win at Dallas. He under-threw the speedy DeSean Jackson several times, threw an interception in the end zone and had some miscommunication when calling plays.

As a result, the Washington Redskins went into the half down 7-3.

But the second half was completely different for the former University of Texas star. McCoy and running back Alfred Morris led the Redskins down the field on the opening drive of the half and capped off the drive with a five-yard touchdown run by Morris. McCoy totaled 35 yards on the drive.

After Brandon Weeden came in for Dallas when Tony Romo went out for a period of time with a back injury and led the Cowboys to a game-tying field goal, McCoy went back to work.

This time, McCoy wouldn’t miss Jackson on the run, as he completed a 48-yard bomb to the receiver after a few short completions that brought the defense closer to the line of scrimmage. McCoy would finish the drive himself, as he kept the ball and ran right through the middle of the Cowboys’ defense for a seven-yard touchdown.

From that point on, D.C. fans knew that McCoy had found his swagger.

The other backup answered with a touchdown of his own to wide-open Jason Witten to tie the game at 17. McCoy had one more chance in the fourth quarter, and despite totaling 36 yards on the ensuing drive, the Skins were forced to punt, leaving the ball in Tony Romo’s hands, who returned to finish the game despite his injury.

Rookie corner Bashaud Breeland and the Redskins defense held their own for the remainder of the fourth, and the teams went into overtime. When the Redskins won the toss in overtime, McCoy led his offense down the field against his childhood favorite team.

On the first play, he found Pierre Garcon for 23 yards. Three plays later, he found Jordan Reed for five.

His best play of the game came on the very next play. McCoy scrambled out of the pocket, motioned for Reed to adjust his route, and hit the talented tight end for a 16-yard gain to Dallas’s 29 yard line.

Two plays later, McCoy found Jackson for a five-yard gain which set up the eventual game-winning field goal by Kai Forbath.

Breeland made the game-clinching play by breaking up a fourth-down pass intended for Dez Bryant, and McCoy ran to the middle of the field, jumping with joy.

McCoy finished the game 25-30 passing with 299 yards and one interception and one rushing touchdown.

McCoy, along with the coaching staff, all made the necessary adjustments at the half that proved enough to earn the now 3-5 Redskins a win against a rival who had just one loss on the season prior to the game. After scoring just three points in the first half, McCoy led Washington to 17 points in the second half and overtime.

It wasn’t easy, but the third-string quarterback got his first win as a starter in three years on the road on national television in a state where he ruled supreme for years.