ARLINGTON, Texas _ The Dallas Cowboys seemingly can't lose.
Even when their magical formula doesn't work _ controlling the ball and the clock with the league's leading rusher, Ezekiel Elliott _ the Cowboys find a way to keep winning and keep streaking.
The Cowboys improved their franchise-record winning streak to 10 games with a 31-26 victory against the Washington Redskins Thursday at AT&T Stadium.
They ultimately survived 449 yards passing and three touchdowns from Kirk Cousins and an offense that controlled the clock for 33 minutes and 24 seconds _ thanks to clutch red zone defense and timely playmaking from quarterback Dak Prescott, the rookie fourth-round pick who continues to play with the poise and guile of veteran.
The NFC East-leading Cowboys moved to 10-1 for the first time since 2007, when they finished 13-3, while burying the Redskins (6-4-1) in the division race with a season sweep. The streaking Cowboys remain in the driver's seat for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The last time the Cowboys won 10 straight games came in 1971, but that included three playoffs win capped by a victory in Super Bowl VI against the Miami Dolphins, the first in franchise history.
Owner Jerry Jones is not ready to talk Super Bowls, but he feels good about his rookie quarterback and the team's 10-game winning streak.
"You know you're talking to someone who knows how hard this is to win 10 games in a row," Jones said. "I have all the appreciation in the world for the success that we're having out there. We're getting done by hard work and Dak's a great example. It feels like our guys know where they are and when they're there, and what they have to do. That's pretty impressive."
Prescott's passing numbers weren't special. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 195 with a touchdown after passing for 300 yards and in each of the previous two games. But he rushed eight times for 39 yards, including a 6-yard score.
Most importantly, three times the Redskins rallied to within five points in the fourth quarter, Prescott made plays to keep them at bay _ leading the Cowboys on two fourth-quarter touchdown drives before converting a first down to run out the clock.
"Over and over and over again at critical moments, he came up with big plays," coach Jason Garrett said. "He just played winning football for us. "He did the things winning quarterbacks do. He made plays with his feet. He made plays with his feet out in place. He made plays with his arm. I just thought he was outstanding."
It's becoming a trend. Prescott completed six of seven passes in the fourth quarter against the Redskins. Over the past four games, Prescott has completed 25 of 28 passes in the fourth quarter.
"We have high expectations for ourselves on the offensive side of the ball," Prescott said. "No matter if we are up or down, we are going to go out there and score. And I think that scored the last two weeks. It's expected. It's business."
It's not expected of a team led by a rookie quarterback and rookie running back. Elliott ended the game with 97 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 20 carries.
The Cowboys led 17-6 at halftime only to see the Redskins narrow the score to 17-12 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to tight end Jordan Reed.
The big plays on the 90-yard drive was a 26-yard pass to Vernon Davis, a fourth-and-2 conversion pass to Pierre Garcon and a 33-yard pass to Reed. The two-point try failed.
Prescott and the Cowboys responded quickly with a 21-yard run by Elliott followed by a 19-yard pass to Elliott to get them started. Five plays later, Prescott scored from 6 yards out.
Down 24-12, the Redskins got right back in the game with a stop and go from receiver DeSean Jackson, who burned rookie cornerback Anthony Brown for a 67-yard touchdown.
But this time a gamble for an onside kick backfired on the Redskins when linebacker Damien Wilson scooped it up for the Cowboys at the 47.
The unflappable Prescott converted a third-and-7 with a scramble. A late hit by Donte Whitner tacked on 15 yards.
"I just let the game come to me," Prescott said of his running. "There were matching some routes and doing a good job of that but didn't contain me. I was just using my feet."
Two plays later on third and 9, he rolled to his right and threw a perfect pass to receiver Dez Bryant for 26 yards and a first and goal at the 1.
Elliott made the score 31-19.
The Redskins again narrowed the gap to 31-26 with 1:53 left on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Reed.
It capped a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ultimately took up too much time (4:36).
Cousins completed 41 of 53 passes for 449 yards and three touchdowns. His passing yards were the most since the Cowboys gave up 488 to Detroit's Matthew Stafford in 2013.
But the Redskins did not get the job done in the red zone.
They had the ball at the Cowboys 19-, 2- and 5-yard line in the first half, but only ended up with six points show for it. The Cowboys did not record a sack or force a turnover for the fourth straight game. But they survived on defense.
"I thought we made a number of good plays to keep them out of the end zone," Garrett said. "Obviously, you don't want them to drive the ball down the field. But if you play good red zone defense, you force them to kick field goals and give your team a boost."
The Cowboys play at the Minnesota Vikings (6-5) next Thursday and then have 10 days off before a crucial NFC game at the New York Giants Dec. 11.
