The Dallas Cowboys defense had a better week two, but the performance still came with plenty of rough edges. They had trouble slowing down the mobile Jayden Daniels until he left with a horrible injury, and even after that, the unit still had issues. Tackling remains a problem, and turning pressures into sacks is still one of the most frustrating parts of this group.
Still, the Cowboys made enough plays when the game demanded it. And on a few key snaps, they got a little help from Lady Luck.
Late in the second quarter, Jayden Daniels launched a 55-yard shot into the endzone for Treylon Burks. Cobie Durant was trailing by five yards, and Dallas caught a break when the ball just barely skimmed off the receiver’s fingertips.
The breaks kept coming in the third quarter. Dyami Brown appeared to secure a perfectly placed Marcus Mariota pass for a touchdown, and after the initial incomplete ruling, it looked like the Commanders would get six after the review.
Analysists and fans alike agreed that this would be overturned, resulting in a touchdown for the Commanders. Instead, the officials ruled that the receiver did not complete the process of a catch soon enough, and the incompletion stood.
Washington had to settle for a field goal.
Dallas got another fortunate moment near the end of the third quarter. The Commanders tried a wide receiver pass from Antonio Williams to Terry McLaurin in the endzone, and DaRon Bland busted the coverage, leaving McLaurin wide open for six. But the receiver couldn’t swing his head around and adjust to the throw, and the ball hit the turf in the endzone.
It wasn’t all fortune, though. One of the biggest defensive plays came in the third quarter when Jaishawn Barham closed quickly on a pass to the running back in the flat and forced a fumble.
Dee Winters was right there for the recovery, and Dak Prescott and Jake Ferguson turned it into seven points to push the lead back to two possessions. With the score 13-20 at the time, it was a clutch swing when the Commanders had a chance to drive down and tie the game.
That was the story of the night for Dallas: enough timely plays, enough favorable bounces, and just enough defense to hold a division rival to 20 points in a must-win game. But the bigger picture is hard to miss. The Cowboys were improved, but they still weren’t good enough as a unit, and Daniels had been carving them up before the injury changed the game.
The challenge gets even tougher this week. Dallas heads to Brazil to face Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, and they’re going to need a lot more than a few lucky breaks to leave with a win against that Ravens team.
In Other News...
Cowboys Brazil Opener Suddenly Comes With A Serious Prekickoff Concern
The Cowboys trip to Brazil is supposed to be one of the most talked-about moments on the early-season calendar, with Dallas and Baltimore set to meet Sept. 27 at Maracan Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Instead, the attention has shifted to the field itself, where the grass pitch is still being used for soccer and has drawn concern because of weather and heavy wear.
Stadium officials and players have already acknowledged the condition of the surface, and the NFL does not have much time to sort it out before kickoff. For Dallas, it turns a landmark international opener into a practical worry about whether the venue will be ready for a regular-season game at all. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Finally Got Their First Win But A Bigger Concern Emerged
The Cowboys finally got the result they needed, rolling past Washington 37-20 to pick up their first win of the 2026 season. Dak Prescott was sharp throughout, completing 26 of 31 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns, and the offense did enough to make the afternoon feel comfortable for long stretches.
The bigger concern came on the other side of the ball, where the defense had a shaky day and the injury report grew after two defensive backs left the game. With Jayden Daniels also getting hurt for Washington and Marcus Mariota taking over, the matchup lost some of its original shape, but Dallas was left with more to monitor than just the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Rookie May Have Given Dallas A New Answer On Defense
Jaishawn Barham was asked to do more than just play linebacker in his second NFL game, and the rookie handled it well enough to make Dallas take notice. With DeMarvion Overshown sidelined by injury, Barham wore the communication responsibility on defense and still found a way to make a real impact in the Cowboys 37-20 victory, finishing with seven tackles and helping set the tone for a unit that needed someone to steady it.
The most memorable moment came when Barham forced a fumble that led to a touchdown, the kind of play that can change how a staff views a young defender fast. There were also a few uneasy moments along the way, including a brief exit because of injury and a stretch of illness on the field, but the broader takeaway was hard to miss: Dallas may have found a rookie who can handle more than expected when the defense needs answers. [Read more 🡒]