Blogging The Boys
On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys returned to their winning ways in dominant fashion against the Washington Commanders. The final score of 44-22 was the second time this season that Dallas scored 40-plus points in a game, the other being the Green Bay Packers matchup.
Since 2021, the Cowboys have scored 40+ points in 17 games, the most for any team over that span. Their record in those games is 16-0-1. The Detroit Lions (13), Buffalo Bills (10), Kansas City Chiefs (7), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6) round out the other top five teams. Considering how explosive those teams can be at scoring points, Dallas’s multiple-game lead in that area is impressive.
That was the theme for Sunday’s game—impressive. Dallas did almost everything right on Sunday and showed what type of team they could be when all the pieces come together. Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s win over the division rival Commanders.
It’s a small sample size under Brian Schottenheimer, but the Cowboys are 2-0-1 in games following a loss. That’s the first sign of quality coaching. Schottenheimer talks about having the “midnight rule,” where the moment the clock hits 12:00 a.m., he wants the team to shift the focus of whatever happened in the game to the next opponent.
It’s easy for bad teams to keep stacking losses early in the season. Look at the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, and Miami Dolphins. All three teams have streaks of multiple losses in just seven games, with the Jets being the only team to not get one in the win column.
In the game against Washington, Dallas showed a few moments of resilience. Right after the Cowboys forced Washington to punt on their opening drive, they were backed up on their own one-yard line and allowed the Commanders to get a safety. Jayden Daniels would then march down the field and find Zach Ertz in the end zone, and just like that, the Commanders were leading 8-7.
It looked like the Cowboys could buckle and spiral out at that moment, but they didn’t. Dallas scored 13 points over their next four possessions and extended their lead to 20-8. The second moment of resilience in the game came when Washington scored a touchdown of their own right before halftime, making it 20-15, and left just 45 seconds on the clock for Dallas.
After getting sacked on the first play, Dak Prescott responded with a 44-yard pass to George Pickens, Javonte Williams broke off a 33-yard run, and Jake Ferguson capped it off with a touchdown reception. Just like that, Dallas carries the momentum into halftime 27-15.
Those are the hallmarks of a great offense and team, and Schottenheimer’s message is sticking with his players.
Any time Tom Brady faced the Bills, the New York Jets, or the Miami Dolphins back at the peak of his powers, all three fanbases would chalk up those matchups...
