The Cowboys got the result they needed in Week 2, and they did it with offense driving the bus. Dallas rolled to 37 points against Washington, dictated the pace for most of the afternoon, and kept finding answers whenever the game started to tighten.
At the center of it all was Dak Prescott, who looked every bit like a quarterback determined to erase the memory of a shaky opener. Dallas opened with a quick touchdown drive, then stacked two more scoring drives right after it to grab control early.
Prescott finished 26 of 31 for 279 yards and four touchdowns, and the Cowboys hardly needed a running game to get there. He was sharp from the jump and stayed that way all game, turning in the kind of performance Dallas badly needed.
CeeDee Lamb was the main reason the passing game felt so effortless. He was already nearing 100 receiving yards by the end of the first quarter, then came through again late when Dallas needed to put the game out of reach.
After a holding penalty left the Cowboys facing 1st-and-18, Lamb delivered a huge catch in the fourth quarter, then later capped the sequence with an impressive touchdown grab - his second of the day. He has now stacked back-to-back strong games and looks like the No. 1 receiver Dallas has always treated him as, back in full All-Pro form.
Jake Ferguson also gave the Cowboys a much-needed lift. After three straight regular-season games without even reaching seven receiving yards, he bounced back with two touchdowns.
His second score was the standout, a tough low catch in the end zone where he secured a perfect throw from Prescott. The only concern came late, when Ferguson exited after taking a hit to the head on a boot-action reception.
His status will be something to watch, especially with the Week 3 game against the Ravens in Brazil coming up.
Not everything on Dallas’ side was clean, though. Daron Bland had a rough day in coverage, and Washington kept going after him.
The Commanders found ways to test the Cowboys’ highest-paid defensive back, with Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota both taking advantage. Bland also bit on a trick play in the third quarter that would have sprung Terry McLaurin for a walk-in touchdown if the throw had been accurate.
Since his record-setting 2023 season, Bland has not looked like the same player, and that is becoming a real concern for Dallas.
Christian Parker’s defense had its share of issues too. Dallas got a few stops, but the communication problems were obvious, and the Cowboys had little answer for Jayden Daniels running in the first half.
Even with a couple of calls going their way, this could easily have been another game where Dallas gave up more than 30 points. The unit is still searching for answers, and with injuries piling up, that search is only getting harder.
That injury list was the ugliest part of the afternoon. P.J.
Locke, Cobie Durant, Dee Winters, and Jake Ferguson all left at different points, and with a difficult stretch ahead, the Cowboys can’t afford many more losses to their depth. The defense, in particular, is being tested right as the schedule is about to get tougher.
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 🡒]