ARLINGTON — Welcome to the Dallas Cowboys’ rollercoaster. Keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle as the Cowboys take you up and down. Where will they go next? Nobody knows – especially after another escalating ride on Sunday.
The Cowboys beat the Commanders 44-22 on Sunday. The only thing brighter than the sun setting through the open windows at AT&T Stadium was the Cowboys’ offense. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw three touchdowns and no interceptions, marking the fourth-straight game he’s accomplished that feat.
The Cowboys were low after the last-second loss in Carolina last Sunday. Now, they might be at their apex in Brian Schottenheimer’s first season after a dominant win.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
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Dynamic duo: See photos as CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens go wild vs. Washington
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Schottenheimer, speaking to 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) before the game, had a message for those who have asked the Cowboys to run more man coverage. The request, it seemed, had fallen on deaf ears through the first six games. Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, a disciple of former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, had stuck to an almost entirely zone approach, featuring a limited willingness to blitz.
“I hope they understand,” Schottenheimer said almost sternly, “we have man-to-man calls in our defense.”
Sometimes in football it takes seeing to believe, however — and for the first time this season, we saw some evidence of those man-coverage calls.
Instead of primarily zone coverage, the Cowboys actually ran more man coverage in the first quarter. They ran 56% man coverage in the first quarter, according to the Fox broadcast. They blitzed more than a third of the time in the first quarter, as well, according to the broadcast — an increase from their season average of 21%. They sent a five-man pressure later in the game when rookie Shemar James sacked and forced a fumble of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The broadcast cameras caught Eberflus excited after a fourth-down stop in the first half. He had every reason to be. The Cowboys changed things up and immediately saw the benefits of it.
Bland on the board
DaRon Bland set the NFL record for most interception returns for touchdowns in a season against Washington in 2023. That was the last time he found the end zone – until Sunday.
Fittingly, Bland returned to the end zone with a 68-yard interception return in the third quarter against the Commanders. It was his first interception of the season.
Ironically, turnovers and explosive plays were an essential part of the Cowboys’ defense when Dan Quinn was their defensive coordinator. Quinn was in the booth for the pick-six in 2023; he was on the opponent’s sideline this time around.
The Cowboys’ defense could use a boost of turnovers. Maybe Sunday could help turn the tide.
The dynamic duo
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said he could’ve played last Sunday in Carolina, but the Cowboys decided to be cautious. They wanted him fully healthy and without limitations when he returned.
He sure looked that way against the Commanders. Lamb announced his return in fantastic fashion. He had over 100 yards receiving by the end of the first half — sparked by a highlight-worthy, 74-yard touchdown pass from Prescott.
Lamb went up to Britt Brown, the Cowboys’ director of rehabilitation, and hugged him after that touchdown. Brown and his crew deserved a hat-tip for getting Lamb back on the field and fully healthy after missing three games with a high ankle sprain.
There was another impressive part of the Cowboys’ passing attack. While Lamb was out, George Pickens starred, setting career highs in receiving yards in two of the three weeks Lamb was out. Could Pickens keep up his production without Lamb? The answer proved to be yes. Pickens had 84 yards on four receptions, including a 44-yard pass that helped the Cowboys score before the half. He also drew a 37-yard defensive pass interference to spark the Cowboys’ first touchdown.
The Cowboys do, in fact, have two No. 1 wide receivers.
No time like the end of the half
The Cowboys have done a good job of scoring quickly before the half multiple times this season. They did it against the Packers at home, then they did it against the New York Jets two weeks ago.
It’s been a pivotal spark for them: getting points before the half when it wasn’t expected. The same thing happened on Sunday.
Prescott started the last drive before the half by taking a sack, forcing the Cowboys to use their second timeout. They then went 79 yards in 21 seconds to score. Pickens had a big catch, Javonte Williams had a big run, and Prescott found tight end Jake Ferguson in a tight window for the touchdown.
The extra seven points sparked momentum for the Cowboys heading into the second half.
So, who are they?
The Cowboys are now 3-3-1. They head to Denver next week to play a Broncos team that’s also been confusing the past couple of weeks. They then welcome the Arizona Cardinals for a Monday night home game.
It’s funny, because Prescott was asked earlier this season about learning about who this team actually is. He guessed that they’d know either after the New York Jets game or after the Carolina game. After the win over the Commanders, we still don’t know.
What we do know, however, is that this offense is good. Really good, in fact. It’ll keep them in many, if not all, of the remaining games. And if the defense has turned a corner like it potentially showed on Sunday, then this Cowboys team has a chance.
But let’s hold judgment until we see what the rollercoaster has for us next week.
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