The Cowboys walked out of Sunday with a 37-20 win over Washington, and Jerry Jones walked out sounding like a man who knows exactly how much attention every word of his gets.
Dallas moved to 1-1 with the home victory over the Commanders, and afterward Jones delivered the kind of line that immediately set off speculation about whether he has something bigger brewing before the trade deadline on Nov. 10.
"Nothing more dangerous than an old man with money," Jones told a group of reporters, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Y'all hear? That's my quote of the day."
It was the latest sign that Jones still sees room to push this roster forward. Over the offseason, he approved a wave of additions meant to strengthen a defense that too often put the Dallas offense in a bind during the 2025 season. Back in August, Dak Prescott put the pressure in plain terms when he said, "this is as urgent as I've ever felt Jerry" in reference to the team’s chase for a Super Bowl trip.
Dallas, of course, hasn’t been back to an NFC Championship Game since winning the Super Bowl in January 1996.
The defense that has been under the microscope showed signs of progress against Washington, at least enough to get Jones talking in a more upbeat tone than he did after the Cowboys’ 28-20 loss to the Giants on Sept. 13.
After that defeat, Jones wasn’t pleased with the communication issues he believed hurt the unit at MetLife Stadium. On Sunday, he said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic, that "we’re better than we’ve been the last two years on defense."
Brian Schottenheimer had a similar read on the bounce-back effort.
"Overall, I thought the communication was better," the second-year head coach said. "There’s certainly things to clean up.
We certainly did a poor job of containing [Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels], but he can do that. He does that to a lot of people.
That’s really where the rush yards got away."
Daniels ran for 69 yards before suffering a dislocated left elbow late in the first half.
"... We got some things to improve on third down," Schottenheimer continued.
"I thought we really rushed the passer well. I don’t know what the pressure numbers were.
I know we didn’t get any sacks, but (Daniels) and [Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota] were both moved off the spot quite a bit. So, I felt good about that.
But there’s always things to clean up. We certainly have not arrived.
We got a lot of work to do."
Even with the improved showing, the Cowboys could still use help in the secondary and in the pass rush. Their name has been tied to unsettled Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., though Pittsburgh reportedly doesn’t want to move him. Maxx Crosby has also been floated in trade chatter, but there’s no sign the 2-0 Raiders plan to deal him.
For now, Dallas turns to a Week 3 trip to face the 1-1 Baltimore Ravens in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, on Sept. 27. DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Cowboys as a three-point underdog as of Monday morning.
In Other News...
Dak Prescott Dragged Back Into Ugly Off-Field Drama By Ex
Sarah Jane Ramos, the former fiance of Dak Prescott, was back in the spotlight this week after publicly shutting down rumors that she is pregnant. In addressing the chatter, she also pointed to a happier stretch in her own life since ending the relationship with the Cowboys quarterback, a breakup that had already been marked by the couple canceling their planned 2026 wedding.
Prescott has long kept his off-field life relatively private, but the latest round of comments has pulled him back into an uncomfortable public conversation. Ramos went further in her remarks by alleging infidelity during their relationship, adding another layer to a split that had already been messy enough without fresh speculation attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Could Catch A Break In Key Ravens Matchup
A possible absence in Baltimores passing game is shaping up as one of the more relevant injury notes for Dallas heading into Week 3. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and after missing the second half of Week 1 and all of Week 2, he also did not practice recently, which puts his availability against the Cowboys very much in question.
For Dallas, the timing matters. The Cowboys are already preparing for a tough road matchup, and if Baltimore opts to be cautious with Flowers to keep the injury from getting worse, it would change how the Ravens build their offense around Lamar Jackson and the rest of the receiving group. The final decision still hangs over the week, but this is the kind of opening the Cowboys will be watching closely as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Already Have One Clear Winner In A Concerning 2027 Trend
The Cowboys have already gotten an early read on a few players whose contract futures will matter in 2027, and the evaluations are looking mixed at best. Dee Winters has been the clearest bright spot on defense, turning in a strong showing even while playing through injury, which only helps his case as a player Dallas will want to keep in the conversation. George Pickens, meanwhile, has not yet matched the kind of production the Cowboys hoped to see from him, leaving his early market value and role with the team more uncertain.
The bigger concern may still be in the trenches, where both the offensive and defensive lines have continued to struggle. For a team trying to build toward a more stable offseason picture, those issues matter just as much as the individual performances around them, because they shape how Dallas will judge its own depth and priorities. With 2027 looming on the horizon for this group, the Cowboys are already seeing which names are helping themselves and which ones still have work to do. [Read more 🡒]