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...
UCF Suddenly Faces A Bigger Problem Than Just TCU
UCF heads into its upcoming game against TCU dealing with a much longer injury list than it would like this late in the week. The Knights will be without starters Lewis Carter, Duane Thomas Jr., Owen Spell, Trent Turner and Alonza Barnett III, forcing the staff to reshuffle both sides of the ball before a difficult matchup.
Keyone Jenkins is expected to start at quarterback in Barnetts place, and several other players are listed as probable or have already shifted roles to cover the gaps. For a team trying to get through conference play with some stability, the bigger challenge may be finding enough continuity to survive the adjustments rather than simply game-planning for the Horned Frogs. [Read more 🡒]
TCUs New Transfer Could Solve More Than One Special Teams Need
A new special-teams wrinkle has already emerged for TCU this season, with John Hoyet Chance stepping in as more than just a punter. The former Louisiana Tech specialist has quickly become part of the conversation because of what he can do with the ball on punts and kickoffs, giving Sonny Dykes another option in a phase of the game that can quietly shape field position from week to week.
Chance and Dykes have also discussed a broader role, especially with TCU needing help after the regular kicker's absence. The early returns have created a little more flexibility for the Horned Frogs, and Chance has sounded eager about the chance to help in Fort Worth while showing confidence in his range. For a team looking for answers on special teams, that kind of versatility can be a useful early-season development. [Read more 🡒]
John Schobel Is Giving TCU One More Reason To Believe On Defense
John Schobel has become one of the quieter reasons TCUs defense has looked sturdier early this season. The defensive lineman, a highly ranked member of the 2025 class, has fought through injuries and still managed to start all three games, carving out a meaningful role with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and five quarterback hurries.
For a defense that leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, that kind of early contribution matters, especially from a player with deep family ties to the program. Schobel now heads into the upcoming league opener against UCF with his own momentum building and another chance to show how much he can add to a unit that has already given TCU plenty to feel good about. [Read more 🡒]