Christmas cheer turned to dread as Williams' injury halted Dallas' dominant offense, leaving fantasy managers and the run game scrambling.
The Cowboys came out swinging on Christmas Day, lighting up Washington early and scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions in the Netflix opener.
Then the offense hit an unexpected plot twist as Javonte Williams scored, disappeared, and hasn't been seen since.
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Williams punched in a touchdown midway through the second quarter, but shortly after, he exited with an apparent shoulder injury and was labeled questionable to return, instantly turning Dallas' backfield plan into a scramble.
Before he left, Williams was doing exactly what you want from a lead back in a holiday showcase with 13 carries, 54 rushing yards, and a touchdown. He was efficient, physical, and right in the middle of Dallas' momentum.
And here's the part Cowboys fans won't love but should accept ... if your running back shows up to kickoff already banged up, the smart play is to get conservative fast.
Williams had been dealing with a neck issue earlier in the week, and even though he was cleared to go, Dallas has zero reason to get reckless in a late-season game where the long-term matters more than winning the "Christmas Day vibe" battle.
Of course, the loudest panic didn't come from the sideline, it came from fantasy football managers watching their championship hopes evaporate in real time.
Social media immediately turned into a support group for people muttering "phantom injury" like it was a conspiracy theory.
And yes, the prop-bet crowd got dragged into the chaos, too.
Multiple outlets noted Williams' rushing attempts line sitting around 16.5 carries, which only fueled the predictable meltdown when he stalled at 13 before halftime.
The actual football takeaway is actually much simpler.
If Williams can't return, Dallas has to re-balance the offense on the fly, either leaning more on the passing game or asking the remaining backs to keep the same rhythm Williams established early.
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The Cowboys built that early lead by staying on schedule and finishing drives; losing the back who was doing the dirty work makes everything a little less comfortable.
Now it's on Dallas to update his status quickly, and on Williams' shoulder to decide whether this was a brief scare or the moment the Cowboys' Christmas cruise control got yanked.