The Washington Commanders are set for the second divisional matchup on the road to open the 2026 regular season as we dive into the three week two storylines to watch
Washington Commanders (0-1) at Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
When: Sunday, Sept. 20, 4:25 PM
Where: AT&T Stadium
TV: Kevin Burkhardt (pep), Tom Brady (analyst), Erin Andrews & Tom Rinaldi (reporter)
After suffering a week one loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Commanders are set for the second consecutive divisional road matchup, this time against the Dallas Cowboys. With both teams looking to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start, we dive into the three storylines to watch.
Which is the Real Washington Offense?
Against Philadelphia, the Commanders struggled to move the ball for most of the first half. Between their two scoring drives, Washington had 3 three-and-outs and gained a total of 13 yards, with one first down. However, in the fourth quarter, the team found its footing, scoring on both drives and coming within one failed two-point conversion of a tied game. Jayden Daniels looked like his rookie self during those drives, completing 9 of 11 passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Newcomers Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams. Williams might have had the catch of the week with a low throw from Daniels that he somehow kept control of for the touchdown. Diggs played a part in every one of Washington’s scoring drives, catching a pass on each, but also had a lapse in judgment, earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after his 10-yard reception that prevented the team from attempting a two-point conversion to tie the game.
If Washington is going to have a chance at dropping the Cowboys to a 0-2 record, the offense must find more consistency. The offensive line needs to protect Daniels at all costs. Getting the running game going early on will help their chances of pulling it off.
Washington Secondary vs. Dallas WRs
Washington’s secondary wasn’t the best in the week one against Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts may have only completed 14 passes but made the most of the ones he hit. Philadelphia had completions of 43, 64, and 31 yards that became critical moments in Sunday’s game. Dontayvion Wicks’ 64-yard reception set up the Eagles’ first touchdown. Their last and ultimately convincing score was thanks to Dallas Goedert’s 43-yard catch, where he outran the Washington secondary on his way to the end zone.
The Commanders' secondary will now face perhaps the best receiving duo in the league with the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. With Trey Amos still out for a few more weeks, others have to step up and not allow themselves to get beat early and often. One player that needs a rebound is Mike Sainristil. He was the corner covering Wicks on both his 64-yard reception and 9-yard touchdown. Safety Nick Cross had a solid first-game performance, finishing with a team-leading eight tackles. Veteran safety Jeremy Reaves and cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Amik Robertson need to complement him better in week two. Pickens and George will nit be easy to cover, but the secondary has to find a way to limit the damage they do.
Pressure from the Washington Front Seven
The Giants defensive front created havoc in Dallas’ backfield right from the opening drive, stuffing Javontae Williams and forcing an incompletion on the first two plays. While they had no sacks, they made Dak uncomfortable most of the night, forcing an interception, and held him to just 5.1 yards per attempt. On the ground, the Cowboys had one rush go for at least 10 yards. The main heroes were their pass rush trio, and the Commanders duo of Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson hope to have the same effect. Oweh collected one of the Commanders’ three sacks against Philadelphia, along with two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. Chaisson, meanwhile, finished with two quarterback hits. The other two sacks were delivered by linebackers Frankie Luvu and rookie Sonny Styles. Styles’ first NFL game went solid, finishing with the same stat line as Oweh, but with four tackles instead of three. He, Daron Payne, and Javon Kinlaw will be responsible for keeping Javontae Williams and the running game at bay. Turning the Cowboys into a one-dimensional team will give them the best chance to come out with a win. The front seven has to work together to make that happen.
