On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys returned to their winning ways in dominant fashion against the Washington Commanders. The final score of 44-22 was the second time this season that Dallas scored 40-plus points
in a game, the other being the Green Bay Packers matchup.
Since 2021, the Cowboys have scored 40+ points in 17 games, the most for any team over that span. Their record in those games is 16-0-1. The Detroit Lions (13), Buffalo Bills (10), Kansas City Chiefs (7), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6) round out the other top five teams. Considering how explosive those teams can be at scoring points, Dallas’s multiple-game lead in that area is impressive.
That was the theme for Sunday’s game—impressive. Dallas did almost everything right on Sunday and showed what type of team they could be when all the pieces come together. Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s win over the division rival Commanders.
First points: A resilient team
It’s a small sample size under Brian Schottenheimer, but the Cowboys are 2-0-1 in games following a loss. That’s the first sign of quality coaching. Schottenheimer talks about having the “midnight rule,” where the moment the clock hits 12:00 a.m., he wants the team to shift the focus of whatever happened in the game to the next opponent.
It’s easy for bad teams to keep stacking losses early in the season. Look at the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, and Miami Dolphins. All three teams have streaks of multiple losses in just seven games, with the Jets being the only team to not get one in the win column.
In the game against Washington, Dallas showed a few moments of resilience. Right after the Cowboys forced Washington to punt on their opening drive, they were backed up on their own one-yard line and allowed the Commanders to get a safety. Jayden Daniels would then march down the field and find Zach Ertz in the end zone, and just like that, the Commanders were leading 8-7.
It looked like the Cowboys could buckle and spiral out at that moment, but they didn’t. Dallas scored 13 points over their next four possessions and extended their lead to 20-8. The second moment of resilience in the game came when Washington scored a touchdown of their own right before halftime, making it 20-15, and left just 45 seconds on the clock for Dallas.
After getting sacked on the first play, Dak Prescott responded with a 44-yard pass to George Pickens, Javonte Williams broke off a 33-yard run, and Jake Ferguson capped it off with a touchdown reception. Just like that, Dallas carries the momentum into halftime 27-15.
Those are the hallmarks of a great offense and team, and Schottenheimer’s message is sticking with his players.
Second point: Dak Prescott owns the division
Any time Tom Brady faced the Bills, the New York Jets, or the Miami Dolphins back at the peak of his powers, all three fanbases would chalk up those matchups as losses. This way, if their team won, it would feel like the Super Bowl. Utter domination of a division is rare in the modern NFL, especially with the salary cap limiting teams from acquiring talent at a Los Angeles Dodgers level.
However, something about the NFC East gets Dak Prescott to be at his absolute best. The Cowboys signal caller is 35-9 all-time against the NFC East, a .791 win percentage that is the second-highest among NFL quarterbacks against one’s own division (min. 30 starts). Only Patrick Mahomes has a higher winning percentage against his division (.854).
Dallas has always been competitive with Philadelphia, but it’s been non-competitive against Washington for the most part, and that’s certainly been the case against the New York Giants. Prescott hasn’t lost to the Giants since his rookie season in 2016.
Third point: Shemar James getting more reps
The defense hopefully turned a corner against the Commanders, and if so, a lot of it is due to the growth of rookie linebacker Shemar James. James played a solid game and continues to get better each week.
Once Jack Sanborn left the lineup with a concussion, the rookie had more responsibilities, but even upon his return on Sunday, James remained the starter. The coaching staff has loved what they’ve seen from their fifth-round pick and the tenacity he plays with.
Against the Jets, James had 15 total tackles. That is the most by a Cowboys rookie in a single game since Leighton Vander Esch in 2018 and the most in a single game since Sean Lee in 2019 (17 tackles). On top of that, his first career sack ranks in the top ten according to Next Gen Stats as the third fastest recorded sack of the season. If he can keep being deployed as a rusher and fill in that role until DeMarvion Overshown returns, that would take Matt Eberflus’ defense to another level.
Adding Overshown to the mix with James having a few more weeks under his belt will give opposing offenses much more to worry about.
Fourth point: Jake Ferguson off to a historic start
Tight end Jake Ferguson has delivered in every way possible since signing his contract extension before the start of the season. After his performance in Week 7, Ferguson is the first tight end in NFL history with 50+ receptions and six TD receptions in his team’s first seven games of a season.
Not Jason Witten, not Tony Gonzalez, not Jimmy Graham—Mr. Jake Quinn Ferguson.
There’s no denying that not having CeeDee Lamb in the fold gave Ferguson his opportunity to shine, but it shouldn’t take away any less of what he has accomplished. How many tight ends have we seen come through Dallas since Jason Witten, and be nowhere close to being the same playmaker and reliable target as he was for Tony Romo?
Looking ahead to the future and the uncertainty around George Pickens, even if he moves on in the offseason to a new team, what Ferguson has been able to do in a Brian Schottenheimer offense and during Lamb’s absence has shown he can contribute at a high level as the supplemental No. 2 receiver. That’s why locking him up early for at least the next four seasons allows Dallas the flexibility to build on defense, knowing they have one of their premier offensive weapons for the long haul.
Fifth point: Dallas is starting to get healthier
After Week 1, the Cowboys were immediately bitten by the injury bug, which carried over into Week 6 when Trevon Diggs missed the Commanders game with a concussion he suffered at home. Now it looks like the worst may be over, with many players getting ready to return from injuries.
It started last week when Caelen Carson was activated for the first time all season. This was followed by Jonathan Mingo, DeMarvion Overshown, Cooper Beebe, and Shavon Revel being cleared to practice. Revel and Overshown might take a few more weeks to prepare for game action, but Beebe and Mingo could be ready to go as soon as Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
Dallas has been without its starting center since Week 3, when he suffered a significant ankle sprain in the shootout win against the Giants. Brock Hoffman has filled in admirably, but with Tyler Booker seeing action against Washington, Beebe is the last piece missing from the Cowboys’ starting offensive line.
Mingo has yet to play with Prescott. So, if he sees action in Denver, it’ll be the start of his evaluation and where he fits in the Cowboys’ future plans on offense. The Cowboys would have a decision to make because Mingo will join a crowded receiver room featuring CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Ryan Flournoy, and Jalen Tolbert.
Does Tolbert become the odd man out in a numbers game? Or is there a multi-week plan to try and shop him on an expiring contract to acquire more defensive talent? These are things to think about as the game gets closer. Either way, getting a lot of players ready to practice with their season debuts on the horizon should make the depth of the roster feel a lot better than where it currently sits.
