It’s hard to say a Week 7 matchup can make or break a team’s season, but this week’s game against the Washington Commanders will do just that for the Dallas Cowboys. If the Cowboys win, they will stay
in the playoff hunt. If they lose, it’s time to start prepping for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Before the two teams square off in this season-changing matchup, here are three bold predictions for the game.
1) Javonte Williams and the Cowboys’ rushing attack bounces back, totaling over 145 rushing yards as a team
Since Week 4, Washington’s defense has been one of the worst units in the NFL in terms of stopping the run. Over the course of those three matchups, the Commanders have the fifth-worst Defensive Rush EPA (0.039) and eighth-worst Defensive Rush SR (46.3%).
Washington has also allowed a total of 428 rushing yards over those three matchups, an average of 142 per game. This inability to stop the run has been the biggest weakness for the Commanders’ defense, and it’s been a big reason they have dropped two of their last three games.
The Cowboys, who struggled to get anything going on the ground last week against Carolina, should be able to exploit Washington’s weakness in defending the run. After his worst outing of the year last week, Cowboys’ running back Javonte Williams bounces back with one of his best outings of the season.
Williams and Dallas’ rushing attack totals over 145 yards as a unit, while the Commanders’ defense continues to struggle against the run.
2) Jayden Daniels torches Dallas’ defense, recording 325+ total yards and throwing three touchdown passes for the second consecutive game
2025 did not get off to a great start for second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. Just two games into the season, Daniels went down with a knee injury that forced him to miss Washington’s next two matchups.
The 24-year-old returned in Washington’s Week 5 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers and has been lights out since. In his two games since returning, Daniels has thrown for 442 yards and four touchdown passes, while also totaling 91 rushing yards on the ground.
The duel-threat quarterback is in the top-10 in EPA+CPOE (0.193) and EPA/Play (0.304) over that two-game span, and Washington’s offense has scored 27 and 24 points in those matchups. This week, Daniels gets a favorable matchup against a Cowboys’ defense that has not been able to stop a nose bleed.
Washington’s young quarterback continues his hot streak, putting together his best performance of the season against the putrid Cowboys’ defense. Daniels throws three touchdown passes for the second consecutive week, totaling 325 yards from scrimmage in a fantastic outing.
3) KaVontae Turpin returns with a bang, going over 60 receiving yards and scoring his second touchdown of the season
The Cowboys are expected to get some key pieces back on offense this week, including speedy receiver KaVontae Turpin. Since Turpin went out with a foot injury against the Packers, Dallas’ offense has missed his speed and his ability to make an impact in the return game.
Turpin has a knack for making plays against the Commanders, and that trend will continue on Sunday. The 29-year-old makes an impact in the passing game, recording over 60 receiving yards and scoring his second touchdown of the season.
