Robert Griffin's Four Touchdowns Hold Up as Redskins Hold Off Cowboys Tom Pennington/Getty Images Robert Griffin III completed 20 of 28 pass attempts for 311 yards with 4 touchdowns in the Redskins' win over the Cowboys. ARLINGTON, Tex. - His raw talent and explosive playmaking ability have already left opposing defenses grasping at air and reaching for superlatives. On Thanksgiving Day in a crucial game against the Dallas Cowboys, Robert Griffin III added more layers of savvy and sophistication to his amazing rookie résumé. The Washington Redskins needed all of Griffin's guile, too, in holding off the Cowboys, 38-31. Griffin carved up Dallas on 20-of-28 passing for 311 yards and 4 touchdowns, leading the Redskins (5-6) into a tie with the Cowboys (5-6) for second place in the N.F.C. East. Both teams trail the Giants (6-4), who can extend their edge to two games with a victory Sunday night over the Green Bay Packers. Washington has won two consecutive division games since its bye week, and its next game is at home Dec. 3 against the Giants. "We knew it was important coming in here with a rivalry game and showing the Cowboys and everybody else what we're capable of," Griffin said. This is how we need to come out every week now. Everybody is feeding off each other making those big plays, and we're more comfortable and trusting with each other and in our schemes. The Redskins scored four touchdowns in the second quarter, three on throws by Griffin, to break open the game. It was the first time in Redskins history that a quarterback had thrown for four touchdowns or more in consecutive games. Tony Romo led a furious comeback, throwing three touchdown passes in the second half, two to Dez Bryant, amid the roars of those in a crowd of 90,166 who did not leave after the country music star Kenny Chesney's halftime concert with the Cowboys behind, 28-3. Bryant's diving catch of an 11-yard pass from Romo on fourth down brought the Cowboys to 35-28 with 8 minutes 18 seconds to play. But Griffin put together a decisive drive that took more than five minutes off the clock and culminated in a 48-yard field goal by Kai Forbath. Romo finished 37 of 62 for 441 yards and threw two interceptions, both of which led to Redskins touchdowns. The 62 attempts matched a team record Romo set in a loss to the Giants in Week 8. Bryant had 8 catches for 145 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown to pull the Cowboys to 28-13 late in the third. Griffin grew up three hours south of here in Copperas Cove, Tex., and was playing his first professional game in his home state after his Heisman Trophy-winning season at Baylor. "Back in Texas and on a mission," he had said in a Twitter message on Wednesday, although in the first quarter he looked more like a rookie on a short leash. But Griffin delivered on that promise and broke free spectacularly, firing three touchdown passes in the second quarter for a 28-3 halftime lead. He completed 11 of 14 passes for 208 yards and was so efficient in shredding Dallas's defense that he finished the first half with a 158.3 quarterback rating, the best possible under that formula. He was perfect in the second quarter, connecting on all eight of his attempts for 178 of those yards. "We didn't do enough on offense to keep up with them in the first half," Dallas Coach Jason Garrett said. Asked about Griffin's stellar dissection of the Cowboys" defense, he said, "I see why they moved up in the draft to get him." Trailing by 3-0, Griffin began his onslaught with a 68-yard touchdown pass to Aldrick Robinson, who was 10 yards beyond the secondary after a textbook play-action fake by Griffin froze the Cowboys. The Redskins took a 14-3 lead on their next possession after cornerback Josh Wilson jarred the ball loose from Bryant at the Cowboys" 49-yard line, scoring on Alfred Morris's 1-yard run. The Cowboys were already bewildered and off-balance, and Griffin kept them there with another quick strike, this one a pass across the middle that Pierre Garcon turned into a 59-yard score, putting the Redskins ahead, 21-3, with 2:14 left in the first half. So the burden fell on Romo to rally the Cowboys, but he was so limited behind a patchwork offensive line and without the injured running back DeMarco Murray (wide receiver Miles Austin was lost for the game in the first quarter) that it was an unrealistic expectation. Romo did not help matters by throwing an interception to DeAngelo Hall with 44 seconds left in the second quarter and giving Griffin another opportunity. Griffin delivered, and hit Santana Moss with a 6-yard touchdown pass with five seconds to go. It's huge. It's huge," Hall said of the victory, adding. There was nothing schematically that was changed. Guys just started to go out there and make plays and we're jumping on teams early.