Quarterbacks were the story of the 133rd all-time meeting between Dallas and Washington. By the time the clock ticked down to all zeroes, the Commanders had lost Jayden Daniels to a dislocated elbow and watched their team lose most of their steam as he was carted away.
Across the sideline, however, Dak Prescott crowned himself the new all-time Cowboys leader in touchdown passes with a brilliant four-score performance in a decisive 37-20 win. Prescott's 26-of-31 outing was the seventh-most accurate game of his career, and his 143.8 passer rating ranks as his fourth-best as a pro.
Prescott's record day also delivered big numbers for CeeDee Lamb. The veteran wideout hauled in eight balls, scoring twice (his ninth multi-score game) and tallying 153
yards, his fourth-highest total ever.
that 4 ➡️ 88 connection for the TD 💥
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 20, 2026
📺: #WASvsDAL on FOX
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/XM2vIx7C1d pic.twitter.com/Un8hBit6i0
The Dallas running game was less successful. The team amassed just 66 rushing yards, but 26 of them came from runs by Prescott. Javonte Williams, Emari Demercado, KaVontae Turpin, and Hunter Luepke averaged a paltry 2.4 yards per carry combined. The ground output simply must improve.
Turpin was much better in his special teams role, averaging 30.5 yards over four kickoff returns. That helped the Cowboys to an average starting field position of their own 40, giving the offense a solid head start on their possessions. (Dallas ended up scoring on seven of their eight drives.)
Kicker Brandon Aubrey bounced back from a rare miss last week, connecting on all four of his PATs and each of his three field goal tries, including his seventh career try from 60 yards or beyond. That's the most in NFL history.
Defensively, coordinator Christian Parker's unit is clearly still finding itself. Missed tackles were a problem throughout the game; the Commanders actually outgained Dallas with 389 total yards to 332. Daniels was particularly difficult to contain, accounting for 69 rushing yards and averaging 9.9 yards per carry in only one half before his injury.
it's actually mind-boggling to see so many players so continually get their hands on the QB and not get the sack.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) September 20, 2026
i can't explain it. #Cowboys #Commanders
Sacks and takeaways are not yet coming at the clip the defense would like. Dallas registered zero sacks versus Washington and recovered only one fumble. That's just their second takeaway of the season; the team is still awaiting its first interception.
The Cowboys offense showed a return to form, hinting that the playmakers who sat out the entire preseason may now be finding their rhythm. The defense, however, is obviously still jelling. Washington's mistakes (and Daniels's injury) seemed to be more responsible for their low score than anything Parker's unit did. And now a grueling flight to Rio, a questionable playing surface, and a much better opponent are on deck.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Instant Analysis: Big days for Prescott, Lamb; Cowboys defense still jelling in Week 2 win
