The Cowboys don’t need a perfect defensive performance on Sunday. They just need something sturdier than what showed up in Week 1.
Dallas’ rebuilt defense was overwhelmed by the Giants, and the result was ugly enough that the offense only got on the field twice in the second half. That’s not just a bad stretch - it’s the kind of collapse that can tilt a game before the fourth quarter even starts. Now the Commanders bring Jayden Daniels to town, and the biggest question is whether the Cowboys can keep him from turning the edge into his personal runway.
That starts with discipline. Dallas’ outside defenders have to stay home, hold their ground and stop chasing every fake.
If Jaxson Dart gave them problems, Daniels presents a much different kind of stress test when he starts breaking contain and getting loose on the perimeter. Limiting his production as a runner is the top defensive priority.
The pass rush is the other part of the equation, and it has to come without Dallas constantly reaching for the blitz button. That’s a problem, because the current personnel hasn’t exactly screamed “dominant” so far.
Donovan Ezeiruaku was the only rusher who made any real noise, and even that was modest: two pressures on 20 pass-rush snaps. As a group, the Cowboys’ front ranked 28th in the NFL in pass rush win-rate in Week 1.
Daniels has shown he can struggle when pressure comes from the front four and the passing lanes stay crowded, but Dallas has to prove it can manufacture that kind of heat.
On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys should waste no time hunting Mike Sainristil. The Commanders corner had a rough opening week against the Eagles, surrendering multiple big plays, including a 64-yard completion to Dontayvion Wicks and a touchdown where he looked completely lost in space.
Both Sainristil and coach Quinn said the issue was effort rather than scheme. Whatever the explanation, Dallas has the kind of receiver talent on the outside with Lamb and Pickens to make that matchup matter fast.
The middle of the field could be just as important. Washington will be without Frankie Luvu (groin) and Chig Okonkwo (hamstring), taking away its best off-ball linebacker and its most dangerous receiving tight end.
After Luvu exited last week, Sonny Styles handled the green dot duties the rest of the way. He did have the highlight sack on Jalen Hurts after bulldozing Barkley, but the numbers were rough: a 48.6 overall grade from PFF, a 29.2 tackling grade with two missed tackles, and a 135.4 passer rating allowed when targeted.
Leo Chenal didn’t offer much more stability. He posted a 55.0 overall grade and a 31.5 tackling grade, and his worst moment came on a missed tackle that helped spring a 42-yard Barkley run.
Chenal brings elite athleticism, but coverage has long been a shaky part of his game. He’s more of a downhill, physical box player and blitz specialist.
That gives Dallas a clear path if it wants to spread the field and stress Washington in different ways. The obvious starting point is CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy against the corners, but Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford could be just as useful if the Cowboys want to attack the linebackers and work the seams.
With Washington missing Okonkwo, there’s no proven pass-catching tight end to lean on for Daniels, which also matters for Dallas on defense. After last week’s trouble against an athletic tight end in Isaiah Likely, the Cowboys will be happy to make Washington live on the outside with Stefon Diggs, Terry McLaurin and Antonio Williams.
And then there’s the turnover piece, which could end up swinging everything. Against the Giants, Dallas had five turnover-worthy plays.
The defense forced four fumbles and came close to an interception, but the bounces didn’t go their way. One ball hit Durant in the stomach and still fell incomplete, and three forced fumbles ended up back in Giants hands almost immediately.
If the Cowboys can keep punching at the ball and make Daniels cough it up, they have to finish the job. Extra possessions could be the difference for this offense, especially if the defense again spends too much time on the field. Turnovers may be the cleanest way for Dallas to balance the game if the overall performance still isn’t where it needs to be.
In Other News...
CeeDee Lamb Sees Something In This Young Cowboys Defender
Jaishawn Barhams first career start for the Cowboys came with plenty of responsibility, and he handled it like a player who was ready for the moment. Working at MIKE linebacker with the green dot, Barham finished with six tackles, a pressure and a team-high four defensive stops, and he did it without missing a tackle. For a defense looking for a spark, his presence helped fuel a needed momentum shift.
CeeDee Lamb took notice afterward, and not just because of the box score. The veteran receiver was quick to point to Barhams passion and the way he carried himself on the field, which matters on a unit that is still sorting out its identity. For a young defender making his first start, earning that kind of respect from teammates is often the first sign he may have found a real role. [Read more 🡒]
CeeDee Lambs Huge Night Left Cowboys Fans Talking About One Strange Twist
CeeDee Lamb put together one of the biggest nights of the Cowboys season in the win over Washington, hauling in eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns while Dak Prescott added another milestone by setting the franchise record for career touchdown passes. It was the kind of offensive performance that had Dallas feeling good about where its passing game is headed, with head coach Brian Schottenheimer pointing to the growing chemistry between Prescott and Lamb as a major reason for the surge.
Then came the odd postgame wrinkle. Lamb was subjected to an NFL drug test after the game, a development that immediately got Cowboys fans talking almost as much as the box score did. For a player who had just delivered a standout night, the timing made the whole thing feel a little unusual, and it only added another layer to a game Dallas already had plenty of reasons to remember. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Secondary Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
The Cowboys left Week 2 with a win over Washington, but the secondary took another hit in the process. Cornerback Cobie Durant came out with a hamstring strain, and safety P.J. Locke suffered a torn plantar fascia, adding more strain to a defensive backfield that has already had to manage its share of moving parts early in the season.
Brian Schottenheimer said both players are expected to miss multiple weeks, though Stephen Jones indicated neither is expected to land on injured reserve. For Dallas, that creates a familiar next-man-up challenge at a time when the defense would rather be building continuity than searching for more depth. [Read more 🡒]