Dallas Cowboys Explode Over Commanders: Recap & Takeaways From 37-20 Win

The Dallas Cowboys needed something that looked normal again.

For most of Sunday afternoon against the Washington Commanders ... their offense looked a whole lot more than that.

Dak Prescott carved up Washington's secondary en route to setting the Cowboys' all-time record for passing touchdowns, CeeDee Lamb looked every bit like CeeDee Lamb again and Dallas secured a much-needed response to its ugly Week 1 loss, 37-20.

Dallas' offense wasted little time looking completely different than it did at MetLife Stadium.

Prescott marched the Cowboys 66 yards on their opening possession, with Lamb hauling in catches of 15 and 23 yards before finishing the drive with a three-yard touchdown.

The defense answered with exactly the kind of disciplined opening series it didn't produce a week ago. Quinnen Williams swallowed up Jacory Croskey-Merritt for a loss on second down before Jaishawn Barham helped finish the three-and-out.

Then Lamb went back to work.

Prescott found him for 38 yards on Dallas' next possession, eventually setting Brandon Aubrey up for a 25-yard field goal.

Washington finally started generating momentum late in the quarter, with Jayden Daniels escaping pressure and breaking loose for an 18-yard scramble as the Commanders moved deep into Dallas territory.

1. Oh, there you are - After looking completely out of sync in Week 1, the Dallas offense looked much more like itself. Prescott was comfortable, the Cowboys sustained possessions and the ball consistently found their best player.

2. CeeDee. Wow - Lamb finished the opening quarter with five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. Washington simply had no answer.

3. Better discipline ... mostly - Dallas' first defensive possession was about as clean as Christian Parker could've asked for. Players stayed home, Williams wrecked the run and the Cowboys forced a quick punt. Daniels' legs made maintaining that discipline much harder as the quarter continued.

Washington's lengthy possession eventually ended with a 27-yard field goal, but Dallas promptly answered.

Prescott marched the offense back down the field, with George Pickens making a nine-yard catch before absorbing an unnecessary roughness penalty from Washington. Emari Demercado converted a third-and-one before Prescott found Jake Ferguson from 10 yards out.

17-3.

Daniels started making things far more uncomfortable from there.

The Commanders quarterback scrambled for 20 yards before appearing to hit Terry McLaurin for a 34-yard touchdown, only for replay to overturn the catch. Washington still found the end zone later in the possession when Daniels connected with Stefon Diggs from four yards out.

Dallas' next possession showed another problem entirely. With All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith on injured reserve following thumb surgery, Prescott took a nine-yard sack and the drive quickly died.

Washington proceeded to move all the way to the Dallas 1 in the final seconds, with Daniels repeatedly punishing a Cowboys pass rush that could get him moving without actually getting him down.

Then the game took a frightening turn.

On the final snap of the half, Daniels stumbled after taking the snap and landed awkwardly on his left arm. He was carted off and later ruled out with a left elbow injury after completing 11-of-17 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown while rushing seven times for 69 yards.

Dallas carried a 17-10 lead into halftime.

READ MORE: Dak Prescott Tops Tony Romo As Franchise's All-Time Passing TD Leader

1. Somebody has to finish these rushes - Dallas made Daniels uncomfortable plenty. The problem was everything that happened afterward. He turned broken pockets into 69 first-half rushing yards and repeatedly extended Washington possessions with his legs.

2. The Tyler Smith void showed up - T.J. Bass has proven capable in Smith's absence, but Washington started generating far more disruption as the half progressed. Losing an All-Pro guard was never going to be invisible.

3. Downs isn't becoming a traditional safety - After P.J. Locke left injured, Markquese Bell began showing up in his place while Caleb Downs continued operating in the versatile role Dallas has carved out for its rookie. The Cowboys clearly aren't interested in simplifying his job just because injuries hit elsewhere.

Marcus Mariota replaced Daniels after halftime, and Washington opened the second half with a 47-yard field goal to cut Dallas' lead to four.

The Cowboys answered with a lengthy possession of their own, though Washington finally killed the drive by sacking Prescott on third down. Aubrey's 44-yarder pushed the advantage back to seven.

Then Barham changed the game.

Mariota completed a pass to Dyami Brown behind the line of scrimmage, but Barham punched the football loose. Dee Winters recovered at the Washington 18 and returned it five yards.

Two plays later, Prescott found Ferguson again.

Touchdown.

And history.

The 12-yard score was Prescott's third touchdown pass of the afternoon and No. 248 of his career, tying Tony Romo for the most in Cowboys history.

Washington tried to get creative on the ensuing possession. Receiver Antonio Williams launched a pass toward McLaurin that fell incomplete, and another receiver pass went nowhere as Dallas stayed home on both.

Washington eventually attempted a 51-yard field goal.

Wide right.

1. Barhammer - It wasn't officially a strip-sack, but the nickname still works. Barham's forced fumble gave Dallas the short field it had been searching for, and the offense needed only two snaps to turn it into seven points.

2. Welcome back, Fergie - Ferguson responded to a two-catch, six-yard Week 1 with two touchdowns Sunday. It was his first multi-touchdown game since Oct. 19, 2025 ... also against Washington.

3. Dak joins Romo - Prescott's second touchdown to Ferguson tied Romo at 248 career touchdown passes. The tie wouldn't survive the afternoon.

READ MORE: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Injures Elbow vs. Cowboys, Marcus Mariota Takes Over

The Brandon Aubrey Experience returned immediately.

After Dallas' opening possession stalled near midfield — and Lamb nearly hauled in a ridiculous one-handed catch — Aubrey casually drilled a 60-yard field goal.

30-13.

Mariota responded with his best possession of the second half, eventually hitting Diggs for a 20-yard touchdown to pull Washington back within 10.

Dallas nearly answered with one run. Javonte Williams ripped off 25 yards into Washington territory, only for a George Pickens holding penalty to wipe it away.

No matter.

Prescott went right back to his best player.

He dropped a beautiful 35-yard pass into Lamb down the right sideline before returning to him later in the drive for a 24-yard touchdown.

Prescott's fourth of the afternoon.

Lamb's second.

And No. 249 for Dak, pushing him past Romo for the most touchdown passes in Cowboys history.

37-20.

1. History, Dak-style - Prescott didn't crawl past Romo. He completed 26-of-31 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns, tying the franchise record in the third quarter before breaking it with a strike to Lamb in the fourth.

2. CeeDee absolutely feasted - Lamb finished with eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. After a quiet opener by his standards, this was the full CeeDee Lamb experience.

3. Seriously ... no sacks? - Dallas finished Sunday with zero. Through two games, Caleb Downs remains the only Cowboy with a solo sack, while Donovan Ezeiruaku and Jonathan Bullard split Dallas' other one in Week 1. 

Dallas is scheduled to face the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with kickoff set for 3:25 p.m. CT in the NFL's first regular-season game in Rio.

Whether Maracanã will be ready has suddenly become part of the story.

Several Flamengo players have publicly criticized the condition of the playing surface, and the NFL and NFLPA are aware of the concerns.

The league says it has a plan to ensure a high-quality field, and no venue change has been announced as of Sunday night.