The Dallas Cowboys season finally got back on track with a win against their division rival, the Washington Commanders. Falling 0-2 is bad enough, but falling 0-2 in the division would have felt even worse. Dak Prescott’s performance steadied the ship while the defense was still working through some things.
The win against Washington wasn’t always pretty, and you wonder what the outcome would have looked like if Jayden Daniels hadn’t gotten hurt, but a win is a win in the NFL. Never apologize for
that.
The report card looks a lot better than it did last week.
A grades:
Dak Prescott (A+):
Whenever something historic happens in a game, it has to be recognized and given high marks. On Sunday, Dak Prescott became the franchise leader in touchdown passes. Two touchdowns to Jake Ferguson and CeeDee Lamb got him past Tony Romo with 249 career touchdowns.
Prescott not only broke records, but he also played exceptionally against a poor Commanders secondary. Coming into the game, the Cowboys have never gone 0-2 to start a season under his command, and they’ll have to wait until next year to see if that streak continues because he’s a big reason why the team is 1-1.
CeeDee Lamb (A+):
From the opening drive, CeeDee Lamb looked poised for a big day. He finished with eight receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns. After missing most of last season due to injury, it was easy to forget how good a player Lamb can be at his best, even with George Pickens still in the mix.
The Cowboys will have to rely on their passing attack while Klayton Adams and Brian Schottenheimer work through the kinks of the run game. Thankfully, Dallas has a playmaker in Lamb who isn’t afraid to carry the load until then.
Brandon Aubrey (A+):
Brandon Aubrey went three for three on his field goal attempts, with the longest one being 60 yards. He also went four for four in his PATs. The offense isn’t always going to light up the scoreboard, so seeing Aubrey get back to his consistent self at home checks that box for optimism for the rest of the season.
Jake Ferguson (A):
While George Pickens is taking a little bit more time to get going in the offense this year, Jake Ferguson stepped up in Week 2. Ferguson caught all four of his targets for 43 yards and two touchdowns.
What can elevate Ferguson to an A-plus level this year is dominating as a run blocker. The Cowboys have struggled to run the ball through two weeks, so they need all hands on deck to dominate the line of scrimmage, and that includes Ferguson.
Tyler Guyton (A):
Tyler Guyton came out of Week 1 as the highest-graded player in this exercise, and now he jumps into the A category for what he showed two weeks in a row. The Cowboys’ left tackle allowed just two pressures and earned a 73.9 grade on offense from Pro Football Focus. The Commanders don’t have the same caliber of pass rushers as the New York Giants, but Guyton kept things in check on his side all game.
Through Week 2, Guyton ranks as the 14th-best offensive tackle (playing at least 50 percent of snaps) with a 74.0 PFF grade. Coming into a season with make-or-break expectations, Guyton has certainly exceeded them so far.
B grades:
Caleb Downs (B+):
The Cowboys rookie has been one of Dallas’s most consistent defenders so far. It could be his football intelligence or the mindmeld with Christian Parker. Whatever it is, it’s put him ahead of the rookie curve.
The only knock against him and why he isn’t an A for this week was the missed assignment from the first Stefon Diggs touchdown, and the coverage bust pointed out by Tom Brady on the broadcast that he missed. It might be nitpicking for a player who’s been PFF’s second-highest-graded player on defense, but it was still a solid start for Dallas’ young star.
Jaishawn Barham (B+):
With DeMarvion Overshown out of the lineup, Jaishawn Barham is tasked with filling in for him with green-dot responsibilities. In his first opportunity, Barham fared pretty well. His forced fumble on Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown helped seal the game for the Cowboys. Two plays later, they went up 27-13.
Barham looked like a rookie trying to find his way in Week 1, but he bounced back in a way that should give fans hope he can fill the void left by Overshown until he returns. However, if he keeps making plays in the backfield and forcing turnovers, Barham could keep the gig.
Dee Winters (B):
Just like his linebacking counterpart, Dee Winters had a very active game as well. Winters tied for the team lead with nine tackles, plus a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss. The entire defense played with a little more hair on fire than in the game vs. the Giants, and Winters consistently set the tone.
KaVontae Turpin (B-):
The Cowboys’ return game looked as good as it ever has with KaVontae Turpin. Dallas’ average starting field position in Week 2 was their own 40.1-yard line. That is the best starting field position for the Cowboys since Week 15, 2020.
Over the last few years, fans have wanted Turpin to show off the speed that landed him with the Cowboys in the first place. If he can consistently keep the Cowboys in a favorable position where the offense can start at their own 40-yard line, they only need 30 more yards to get in Aubrey’s range to score. That’s the player Dallas is hoping for each and every week.
C grades:
Donovan Ezeiruaku (C+):
Last week, Donovan Ezeiruaku got a B grade, with the hope that it would turn into bigger and better things the following week. While he and everyone else on the defensive front pressured Jayden Daniels, Ezeiruaku couldn’t bring him down.
The Cowboys defense will face its biggest test of the season against a mobile quarterback in Lamar Jackson. If Ezeiruaku has the opportunity to take him down, he has to capitalize.
Kenny Clark & Quinnen Williams (C):
The truth is, through two weeks, the Cowboys’ star defensive tackles have been average. They aren’t liabilities on the field, but they certainly haven’t flashed the way they did at times last season.
Williams not being the same player as last year would be a bit more alarming, considering the Cowboys handed him a hefty contract extension in the offseason. He’s supposed to be a core piece of the defense for years to come. Parker and Williams aren’t set to go anywhere anytime soon, so the defensive coordinator needs to find a way to maximize the best defensive tackle duo the Cowboys have had in a very long time.
D grades:
The Cowboys pass rush (D):
Another game, another week with the Cowboys’ defensive line earning a D grade. Along with Donovan Ezeiruaku, Kenny Clark, and Quinnen Williams, the entire defensive front and rotation of players aren’t getting the sacks they need.
The Cowboys have just two sacks through two games, tied with the Los Angeles Rams, who are without Myles Garrett, and just above the New York Giants (1) and Miami Dolphins (0). One of the offseason’s unsung hires was Dallas going after pass-rush specialist BT Jordan, who helped the Denver Broncos set records for quarterback sacks.
Dallas has a long flight to Rio this weekend, so it may give them extra time to plan how to exploit the Ravens’ offensive line. It’s not a five-alarm fire, but it’s becoming a concern.
