The Dallas Cowboys had a simple social media idea before Week 2: post a collection of images from past matchups with the Washington Commanders and lean into the rivalry. But one picture in that X post crossed a line for plenty of people.
The image showed Cowboys linebacker Shemar James celebrating after sacking Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. The problem was what came with it.
Daniels was on the ground injured in that moment, and he would leave the game after the play. He missed the rest of that Week 7 matchup before returning two weeks later.
That was enough to spark criticism, and the Cowboys eventually deleted the entire post on Friday. The caption only added to the reaction: “some of our favorite moments vs. the Commanders.” For a team that has been facing Washington since 1960, the choice of that particular image looked tone-deaf to a lot of observers.
Still, not everyone saw it the same way. Jerry Jones, Brian Schottenheimer, and Dak Prescott were not behind the post, and some Dallas fans didn’t agree with the social media team’s decision either. Sacks get celebrated all the time, but this one came with Daniels visibly hurt, which is why the backlash hit so fast.
Washington’s players probably aren’t spending much time on it, but a Commanders coach might use the post as a little extra fuel before Sunday. That’s the kind of thing coaches do when they’re hunting for an edge, even if it comes from a tweet nobody in the building had anything to do with.
The game itself carries real weight. The loser drops to 0-2, and more importantly, 0-2 in the division.
In Other News...
Commanders Face Early NFC East Test With Extra Attention On Sunday
The Commanders head to AT&T Stadium on Sunday for an early NFC East measuring stick against the Cowboys, and it comes with the kind of spotlight that tends to follow this rivalry. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady on the call and Shawn Hochuli working the game. Dallas enters as a 3.5-point favorite, which only adds a little more edge to a matchup that already carries more weight than a typical September game.
For Washington, it is the sort of Week 2 test that can start to shape how the division race is viewed before it really settles in. Road games in Dallas rarely feel routine, and the combination of the stage, the opponent and the early-season stakes gives this one an immediate sense of importance. Even in September, NFC East games tend to linger, and Sunday offers the Commanders a chance to make a statement before the season gets any older. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Injury Scare Just Changed Everything For Washington
Jayden Daniels night against the Dallas Cowboys took a sharp turn on the final play of the first half, when the Commanders quarterback went down with a left arm injury that immediately changed the feel of the game. Daniels was carted off the field after the play, and the sideline quickly shifted into damage-control mode as Marcus Mariota prepared to take over for the second half.
For Washington, the concern goes beyond one game. Daniels had been the centerpiece of the offense, and any injury that affects his throwing arm carries obvious weight for a team trying to build momentum early in the season. The look of the injury, and the fact that it resembled one he had dealt with before, only made the moment more unsettling as the Commanders waited for more clarity. [Read more 🡒]
Stefon Diggs Just Added More Heat To Commanders-Cowboys
Stefon Diggs already gave Washington a costly jolt on the field, and the NFL added another layer to it this week. The league fined Diggs $14,926 for jumping on the goalpost after scoring a touchdown against Philadelphia, a celebration that drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and fed directly into Washington's decision on the extra point attempt.
For a Commanders team already dealing with injuries to key defensive players ahead of Dallas, it is another reminder of how thin the margin can be in these NFC East games. The Commanders do not need extra distractions in a matchup with the Cowboys, but Diggs' latest penalty keeps the temperature up around a rivalry that already had plenty of it. [Read more 🡒]