The Dallas Cowboys set an unwanted franchise record in their 41-16 humbling at the hands of the Washington Football Team on Thanksgiving in the NFL.

Dallas were blown away by Washington in the second half of Thursday's showdown – the Cowboys outscored 24-3 after the visitors scored 21 unanswered points in the final period.

The Cowboys have now allowed at least 20 points in all 11 games this season, surpassing a pair of 10-game streaks (2013-14 and 1962-63) as the new longest run in the team's history, per NFL Research.

Dallas also suffered their second largest Thanksgiving defeat, following the 27-0 rout against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1989, via Stats Perform.

While it was a day to forget for the struggling Cowboys (3-8), Washington (4-7) gained sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

Antonio Gibson carried the offensive load for Washington, finishing with 115 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys in Dallas.

Gibson became the first rookie since at least 1948 to have three rushing TDs in a Thanksgiving game – joining DeMarco Murray, Emmitt Smith (twice) and Barry Sanders as the only players to do so in the past 40 years, per NFL Research.

The 22-year-old – the only rookie in Washington's history to have a rushing TD in five consecutive games – is also the first player with 100-plus rushing yards and three-plus rushing touchdowns on Thanksgiving since Sanders in 1997, according to Stats Perform.

Washington quarterback Alex Smith was 19-of-26 passing for 149 yards, one touchdown, an interception and three sacks, while Cowboys counterpart Andy Dalton finished 25 of 35 for 215 yards, a TD and one interception.

In the earlier game, the Houston Texans made light work of the Detroit Lions 41-25.

Texans QB DeShaun Watson made his first career start on Thanksgiving and tossed four touchdowns in the comprehensive victory.

Watson joined Tony Romo (2006) as the only quarterbacks with 300-plus passing yards, four-plus passing TDs and 0 interceptions in their first Thanksgiving starts since at least 1948, via NFL Research.

Houston's Watson was 17 of 25 for 318 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, helping the Texans improve to 4-7 as the Lions fell to the same record.

Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford finished 28 of 42 for 295 yards, one touchdown, one interception and four sacks in Detroit.