Can the Cowboys Keep up with the Commanders?
At the start of the season, many would have thought that the Cowboys would be the clear favorite over the Commanders in this matchup. However, both franchises have gone in opposite directions since the start of the season. The Cowboys season was already going south, and then it got even worse when Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury. With Cooper Rush now running the show for “America’s Team,” the Cowboys are likely to only continue their five-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Commanders, with rookie sensation Jayden Daniels, are looking like a dominant force in the NFC. What are the key factors for each team in this NFC East matchup?
Commanders: Keep Offensive Balance
The Commanders have done an outstanding job of having a nearly perfect balance between the rushing and passing attacks this season. With this great balance, they have minimized turnovers, and their offense is ranked within the top six of both points scored and yards gained per game. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler have been a fantastic running back duo in this offense, as this rushing attack ranks sixth and averages 148 yards per game. This prominent rushing attack has allowed Jayden Daniels to develop well within this offense, and it allows him to be an extremely efficient passer. As long as the Commanders don’t lose this balance early in the game, as they did against the Eagles, they should put up a lot of points against this bad Cowboys defense.
Cowboys: Need Several Players to Breakout
The Cowboys must be shaking in their boots, as I'm sure Dan Quinn has had this revenge game circled on his schedule since the start of the season after they let him go last year. Mike McCarthy and this Cowboys organization are under a lot of pressure as it appears they are spiraling further into dysfunction with each passing week. With no Dak Prescott to command this offense, Cooper Rush has to perform admirably in this game for them to stand a chance. This Commanders’ defense is not good, but will the Cowboys be able to take advantage? Unless CeeDee Lamb and Rico Dowdle go off, then this offense will likely stall out a lot throughout this game. In order for the Cowboys to stand a chance, they will also need the defense to step up as well. Micah Parsons has been silent this entire season for the Cowboys because he’s been dealing with injuries, which is unfortunate timing for Parsons as he still doesn’t have a long-term deal locked up for after this season. If there aren’t several breakout players for the Cowboys in their game against the Commanders, I would expect a blowout in the nation’s capital on Sunday.
