Jerry Jones had a line ready after the Cowboys handled Washington, and it was the kind of quote that immediately got people talking.
Dallas moved to 1-1 on the season with a 37-20 home win over the Commanders on Sunday afternoon, and afterward the Cowboys owner and general manager delivered a message that sounded a lot bigger than a postgame one-liner. Asked by reporters, Jones said, "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."
That comment landed in a week when trade chatter around the league is already starting to sharpen ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline. Jones has spent the offseason approving a string of roster moves aimed at strengthening a defense that too often left Dallas leaning too heavily on its offense during the 2025 season. And back in August, Dak Prescott put the pressure plainly, saying "this is as urgent as I've ever felt Jerry" when talking about the Cowboys’ push toward a Super Bowl run.
Dallas still hasn’t reached an NFC Championship Game since winning the Super Bowl in January 1996.
There was also plenty for the Cowboys to feel good about on the field after the loss to the Giants the week before. Following the 28-20 defeat to New York on Sept.
13, Jones had been openly bothered by the communication issues he saw from his defense at MetLife Stadium. After Sunday’s win, he told Jon Machota of The Athletic that "we’re better than we’ve been the last two years on defense."
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer echoed that the response was encouraging, even if he made it clear there’s a long way to go.
"Overall, I thought the communication was better," Schottenheimer said about how the Dallas defense played against Washington. "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 leaving late in the first half with a dislocated left elbow.
"... 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."
As Dallas looks ahead, the secondary remains a spot that could use help, and so does the pass rush. The Cowboys have been linked to unsettled Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., though reports say Pittsburgh does not want to move him. Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders has also been a name floating around in trade rumors, but there is no sign the 2-0 Raiders plan to deal him this fall.
Next up for Dallas is a matchup with the 1-1 Baltimore Ravens in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, on Sept. 27. DraftKings Sportsbook had the Cowboys as a three-point underdog as of Monday morning.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Injury Debate Has Commanders Fans Talking Leadership
Jaxson Darts left knee injury during the game against the Rams quickly turned into more than just another quarterback health scare for Commanders fans to watch. Because Dart and Jayden Daniels are closely linked in the public conversation, the aftermath of Darts collision prompted a fresh round of comparisons after observers replayed how teammates responded to Daniels elbow injury the night before.
For Washington followers, the debate has become as much about leadership and body language as it is about the injuries themselves. The video clips may invite easy judgments, but they do not prove what kind of teammate either quarterback is, and the conversation around Daniels has only underscored how quickly those reactions can become part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Dak Prescott Added Insult To Injury In Washingtons Rivalry Loss
Dak Prescott did more than beat Washington on Sunday. He steered Dallas to a 37-20 rivalry win and, in the process, moved past Tony Romo for the Cowboys all-time passing touchdowns mark, reaching 249. The milestone came on a 24-yard touchdown strike to CeeDee Lamb, another reminder of how long Prescott has been the defining quarterback in this matchup and in Dallas record book.
Prescott, now in his 11th season, already owns the franchise passing yards record and has plenty of runway left after signing a four-year extension through the 2028 season. He spoke with gratitude after adding the record to his resume, then made clear he intends to keep going, which only deepens the frustration for Washington after a loss that carried both immediate damage and a familiar rivalry sting. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Had Another Reason To Be Frustrated During Dallas Loss
Sunday in Arlington gave Commanders fans plenty to stew over, from the result on the field to the broader sense that the night slipped away quickly at AT&T Stadium. Even before the final horn, the camera cutaways and sideline angles were drawing attention of a different sort, with broadcast reporter Josina Anderson turning heads in a cheetah-print outfit that became a talking point across social media.
Her stadium post drew more than 100,000 views and a wave of praise from fans and other reporters alike, adding an unexpected layer to a game Washington supporters would rather forget. The attention around Anderson was one of the few bright spots in a miserable night for the Commanders, especially with the serious injury to Jayden Daniels hanging over everything else. [Read more 🡒]