The Cowboys head into Week 2 with no room for another flat start. A second straight loss to a division opponent would leave Dallas staring at 0-2 in the NFC East, and that’s the kind of hole that can wreck a season before it really gets going. A win against the Washington Commanders wouldn’t fix everything, but it would at least give the Cowboys a chance to steady themselves.
If Dallas is going to avoid another ugly result, the fix has to come quickly and it has to show up everywhere. There are a few areas that should have been a major focus in practice this week, and they start with the basics that were missing against the New York Giants.
Communication was one of the biggest problems in the opener. Offensively, it wasn’t much of an issue because the Cowboys had all of their starters from a season ago back in place.
Defensively, though, the breakdowns were obvious. Miscommunication led to blown coverages and busted assignments, and it showed up in the worst way when players were left essentially untouched on big plays.
That kind of cleanup has to be a priority going into the Commanders game.
Then there’s accountability, which has to be sharper after the way Dallas played in Week 1. The list of issues from that loss was long: penalties, missed tackles, dropped passes, blown assignments.
It was hard to point to any one player and say he met the standard. The coaching staff didn’t escape blame either, because the team didn’t look properly prepared.
The hope is that the new leadership council helps set a different tone by making sure players are holding themselves and each other responsible.
The Cowboys also need to be more aggressive. One moment from last week still stands out: Dallas punted on its opening drive rather than going for it on fourth-and-less-than-a-yard.
Instead of trying to set the tone with a QB sneak or even a “tush push,” they played it safe, and the Giants responded with a touchdown right after. From there, Dallas never got the momentum back.
Against Washington, the Cowboys need a more assertive approach in all three phases.
In Other News...
Caleb Downs Just Added To A Cowboys Debate Nobody Wanted
Caleb Downs arrived in his NFL debut with the kind of energy the Cowboys were hoping to see, piling up eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in the loss to the Giants. For a team that needed some early defensive juice, the rookie safety made an immediate impression, and he did it in a game that already left Dallas searching for answers after its opening stumble.
Downs then nudged the conversation in a direction the Cowboys probably would rather avoid. On a podcast, he said some Dallas coaches spend more time on Twitter than the players, a remark that adds a new layer to the noise around the team as it tries to reset for its upcoming home game against the Commanders. With the first week already behind them, Dallas now has to sort through both the on-field issues and the latest distraction circling its sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Face An Early Test That Could Raise Bigger Questions
The Cowboys defense left enough questions hanging after the Giants game to make the next one feel like more than just another early-season trip through the schedule. Dallas now heads into a matchup with Washington carrying the kind of scrutiny that follows a rough defensive outing, especially with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens looming as the kind of receiver duo that can make any game plan look fragile if the coverage and pressure are not sharper.
There is also a layer of coaching intrigue here, because both teams are working through the adjustments that come with first-time defensive coordinators. For Dallas, that means the Commanders are not just another opponent, but a useful measuring stick for how quickly the Cowboys can tighten up in the areas that matter most and avoid turning one uneven performance into a bigger defensive conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys-Ravens Brazil Trip Comes With One Serious Concern
The Cowboys Week 3 trip to Rio de Janeiro is shaping up as one of the seasons most intriguing international showcases, with Baltimore waiting at Maracan Stadium in a matchup that carries plenty of novelty and a fair amount of uncertainty. Beyond the travel and the unfamiliar setting, the most immediate concern has nothing to do with the opponent and everything to do with the playing surface, which has already drawn complaints from soccer players and NFL participants familiar with what can happen when field conditions are less than ideal.
Brian Schottenheimer has already been talking about the logistical side of taking an NFL team to Brazil, and those details matter even more when the stadium itself is under scrutiny. The league has dealt with similar field issues in So Paulo before, so this is not just a one-off inconvenience for the Cowboys and Ravens - it is the kind of backdrop that can influence how both teams prepare, practice and protect players once they arrive in Rio. [Read more 🡒]