The Dallas Cowboys bounced back from last week’s loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, rolling past the Washington Commanders 44-22 at AT&T Stadium behind the long-awaited return of star wideout CeeDee Lamb.

Back after missing three games with an ankle injury, Lamb wasted no time reminding everyone of his impact — hauling in five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Dak Prescott continued his stellar stretch of play, completing 21 of 30 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

The Cowboys’ offensive balance was on full display. Running back Javonte Williams powered through Washington’s defense with 19 carries for 116 yards and a score, helping Dallas control the game from the start.

While the defense has been inconsistent this season, it stepped up when it mattered most. Cornerback DaRon Bland delivered a momentum-swinging 68-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Washington’s offense took a major hit when quarterback Jayden Daniels left early in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Before exiting, Daniels completed 12 of 22 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Coach Dan Quinn said after the game that Daniels would have an MRI on Monday.

With the win, Dallas improves to 3-3-1 and now turns its attention to a Week 8 road matchup against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos (4-3). The Commanders (3-5) will try to rebound on the road against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (4-3).

Cowboys bounce back

After losing the way they did last weekend in Charlotte, the Cowboys badly needed this type of performance. Williams and the run game got back on track. The defense made adjustments without Trevon Diggs, playing more man-to-man coverage and blitzing more often. DaRon Bland even made it look like old times with a pick-6. Most of all, though, Prescott, Lamb and George Pickens played like arguably the NFL’s top QB/WR/WR trio.

That group will be what takes this Cowboys team however far it can go. There are some positives from how the defense played, but it’s important to note that Washington was without several of its top offensive weapons and lost star QB Daniels early in the third quarter. Regardless, you never apologize for division wins. Dallas is now second in the NFC East at 3-3-1 and improved to 7-2 in its last nine against Washington. Playoffs still seem like a long shot for the Cowboys with their remaining schedule, but Sunday was a positive step. — Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer

Commanders shorthanded on offense

The Commanders arrived in Dallas without their top three receivers — Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown and Deebo Samuel — and left with their starting QB back on the lengthy injury list. Daniels suffered a right hamstring injury while getting strip-sacked by Jadeveon Clowney early in the third quarter. He immediately grabbed the back of his leg, then hobbled off the field and eventually back to the locker room, where he was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Daniels already missed two games this season because of a left knee injury, so the prospect of losing him for more time would be a significant blow to an already difficult season for Washington. — Nicki Jhabvala, Commanders beat writer

What’s next for Washington

Even if he were medically cleared Sunday evening, there was no chance Daniels was going to return. The Commanders’ defense was a train wreck for most of the afternoon, missing tackles and giving up explosive play after explosive play. The Cowboys had four plays of 20 or more yards and 27 points in the first half alone. Washington’s two biggest issues at this point are pretty damning: injuries have depleted the roster leaving it with personnel unfit to contend, and poor execution has led to persistent mistakes. — Jhabvala