The Washington Commanders (3-3) versus the Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1) Week 7 matchup at AT&T Stadium is not a sport that might formally eradicate both workforce from the postseason, however it has a few of these vibes.
Each groups blew leads within the fourth quarter and misplaced on game-winning fields objectives as time expired in Week 6: the Cowboys suffered a 30-27 defeat on the Carolina Panthers after main 24-20 within the fourth quarter, and the Commanders skilled a 25-24 defeat vs. the Chicago Bears after main 24-16 within the fourth quarter. There are 10 groups within the NFC that enter Week 7 with two or fewer losses, so a defeat right here will set again the loser of this matchup because the second third of the 2025 season begins.
“We bought to win it. We bought to win this sport,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott mentioned Thursday. “We have to get higher in each side of this, and we have to win within the fourth quarter. I perceive the place a few of these losses have come late. We bought to count on to win. We bought to go do what’s crucial and simply win.”
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Dallas enters Week 7 because the NFL’s most Jekyll and Hyde workforce: they’re the No. 1 complete offense (387.5 complete yards per sport) and No. 3 scoring offense (29.7 factors per sport) whereas additionally being the second-worst scoring protection (30.7 factors per sport allowed) and the worst complete protection (411.7 complete yards per sport allowed. That locations loads of strain on Prescott and Dallas’ offense to be primarily good, an unattainable commonplace that the Cowboys assault will proceed to try to chase in Week 7.
“It is my commonplace [getting points on every possession]. It is our commonplace: it is what we imagine that we are able to do, what we count on to do,” Prescott mentioned. “So I do not suppose it is any added strain by our protection’s early struggles. One, we have to belief them. We will do our job, that is a part of being a professional: doing all of your job and trusting the person subsequent to you goes to do theirs. … Once we come off the sector, if we do not rating or we get to the pink zone and get a discipline aim and never a landing, that complete group is pissed and unhappy. … It is as a result of we count on to, and it is as a result of we’ve the power to. … Rattling positive not unrealistic. I really feel like I would like to attain each time. I really feel like I would like to finish each go. … You higher really feel that manner and also you higher suppose that manner.”
Each groups shall be with out two of their most impactful gamers on Sunday with Commanders Professional Bowl extensive receiver Terry McLaurin (quad) and Cowboys Professional Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs (concussion) each dominated out on Friday.
The place to observe Commanders vs. Cowboys reside
- When: Sunday, Oct. 19 | Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- The place: AT&T Stadium — Arlington, Texas
- TV: Fox | Stream: Fubo (strive totally free)
- Observe: CBS Sports activities App
- Odds: Commanders -1.5; O/U 54.5 (by way of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Cowboys vs. Commanders: Have to know
How will Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott distribute the soccer vs. Dan Quinn’s protection with WR CeeDee Lamb rejoining George Pickens within the lineup?
Prescott has thrown 10 touchdowns and no interceptions within the three video games Lamb missed from Weeks 4 by 6 after struggling a sprained ankle in a Week 3 defeat on the Chicago Bears. He was capable of proceed producing at a prolific clip due to how explosive, 24-year-old extensive receiver George Pickens stepped up. Pickens’ six receiving touchdowns are tied with Detroit Lions All-Professional receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for the NFL’s 2025 season lead, and his 525 receiving yards stand because the third-most. He’s additionally on a five-game streak with a receiving landing, tied for the longest energetic landing streak within the NFL with Tampa Bay Buccaneers extensive receiver Jalen McMillan.
So will the soccer be drive fed to Lamb with a purpose to knock the All-Professional’s rust off? Not in line with Prescott, however Lamb will clearly proceed to be a featured part of the Cowboys’ high-flying aerial assault.
“It is as a lot Schotty, the play caller, and the fellows’ [coaches] within the sport plan, [their] accountability of placing them in these positions the place they’re learn No. 1 or learn No. 2,” Prescott mentioned. “From there, it is simple for me. Simply keep inside myself, hold studying the protection the way in which I have been seeing it, staying inside the play, whoever will get open will get it. … Clearly from the way in which that they orchestrate it, he’ll [Lamb] get his probabilities.”
Each Lamb and Pickens ought to get loads of probabilities on Sunday going through Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who labored as Dallas’ defensive coordinator for 3 years from 2021 to 2023 when the Cowboys gained 12 video games in three consecutive seasons. Quinn’s unit with Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., who labored as Quinn’s passing sport coordinator in Dallas from 2021 to 2023, calling the performs runs man protection on 29.1% of their defensive snaps, the ninth-highest charge within the NFL.
“They’re very aggressive. He [Whitt] trusts his again finish [the secondary] and rightfully so: these guys are younger, gifted, they usually can play man,” Lamb mentioned Thursday. “It reveals all around the tape, they usually have [pass] rush. Very accustomed to a whole lot of guys on that defensive finish over there. For me, it is actually simply getting ready towards what I have been coping with [in practice] my second by fourth years right here [2021-2023] when he was right here. I am very accustomed to their [Quinn’s and Whitt’s] protection and really accustomed to Joe Whitt.”
Will Jayden Daniels, Washington’s high-powered floor sport stomp Dallas’ ailing protection?
On the flip facet of the ball, Dallas’ protection is contemporary off being shredded on the bottom by former Cowboys operating again Rico Dowdle in a Week 6 defeat. Dowdle exacted revenge on the Cowboys for letting him stroll in free company this offseason in favor of signing Javonte Williams by rumbling for 183 yards on 30 carries, a 6.1 yards-per-carry common. Dallas now ranks because the NFL’s fourth-worst run protection, permitting a mean of 142.2 dashing yards per sport.
That is not superb getting into a matchup with Commanders 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Yr twin menace quarterback Jayden Daniels and Washington’s second-ranked floor sport, 151.0 dashing yards sport.
“We’ve got to be higher with our strategies, higher with our arms. It is all stuff that is correctable and fixable,” Cowboys defensive sort out Kenny Clark mentioned Wednesday. “We simply need to get all that stuff sorted away.
Even when Clark and the Cowboys can do higher on the bottom, they should tighten up towards Daniels, who has thrown seven touchdowns and just one interception in 4 begins, and the passing sport as properly since Dallas enters Week 7 because the NFL’s worst passing protection, permitting 269.5 passing yards per sport.
“We’ve got to have the ability to rush to him, however on the similar time be capable of rush sensible,” Clark mentioned. “He is an elusive man, and he has a whole lot of velocity, so we simply have to have the ability to work collectively. On prime of that, simply get hits on him. That is the largest factor: having the ability to play good protection on his receivers, and once we get alternatives, we’ve to verify we get hits.”
Chief amongst Dallas’ points is one thing fundamental underneath new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus: communication. Missed calls in each the run and go video games have led to 49 explosive performs allowed this season — the second most within the league, trailing solely the Miami Dolphins (50). A lot of the problems have come due to Dallas’ corners like Diggs, DaRon Bland and others struggling to all get on the identical web page in Eberflus’ zone protection primarily based scheme. Dallas is operating zone on 87.2% of their defensive snaps, the best charge within the NFL, and operating man on simply 7.9% of their defensive snaps, the bottom charge within the league. Each Diggs and Bland led the NFL in interceptions in seasons underneath Quinn, whose defenses are rather more man protection primarily based. Eberflus may really feel comfy enjoying extra man protection this week with Washington’s prime two receivers, Terry McLaurin (quad, dominated out) and Deebo Samuel (heel, listed as questionable) coping with accidents this week.
“It’s totally irritating. It is all these factors [given up], the receivers are operating extensive open down the sector, too many busted coverages,” Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs mentioned Sunday, by way of The Dallas Morning Information. “It is quite a bit. I really feel like we’re in all places, and we actually haven’t got an id.”
| Cowboys protection this season | Stat | NFL rank |
|---|---|---|
| Factors per sport allowed | 30.7 | thirty first |
| Complete yards allowed | 411.7 | Final |
| Yards per play allowed | 6.2 | thirtieth |
| Go yards per sport allowed | 269.5 | Final |
| Rush yards per sport allowed | 142.2 | twenty ninth |
| Third-down conversion charge allowed | 53.2% | Final |
| QB strain charge | 38.6% | eleventh |
| Sacks | 11 | T-Twenty second |
| Passer ranking allowed | 116.9 | Final |
| Takeaways | 4 | T-Twenty sixth |
Cowboys vs. Commanders prediction, choose
Washington being with out McLaurin and doubtlessly Samuel in Week 7 will permit Dallas’ protection to get a cease or two, and Prescott ought to proceed to mild up the scoreboard with each Pickens and Lamb on the sector towards the acquainted Quinn/Whitt scheme. That shall be simply sufficient for the Cowboys to flee with a slim victory.
Prediction: Cowboys 38, Commanders 35
