The Washington Commanders are aiming for their eighth victory of the season against the Dallas Cowboys after their “mini bye.” Here are three strategies for achieving a 3-1 NFC East record.
Run the ball.
Due to a combination of injuries and playing two strong defenses, the Commanders were unable to run the ball effectively against the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Washington should take advantage of the chance to correct that against the Cowboys.
To begin with, the Cowboys have had a worse time defending the run this season than practically any other team. With an average of 151 yards per game, they are 31st in that statistic, only surpassed by the Carolina Panthers. In four of their last five games, including 223 yards against the San Francisco 49ers, they have allowed at least that amount.
Because they excel at it and because the “mini bye” has allowed players like running back Brian Robinson and the offensive line to recover from injuries they haven’t had in weeks, expect the Commanders to take advantage of that weakness. According to head coach Dan Quinn, every player in the starting lineup participated fully on Wednesday and this pattern persisted all week.
It is evident that the Commanders perform best when they are able to establish a robust ground presence. If they rush for 100 yards or more, they are 7-1; if they don’t, they are 0-3. They scored 42 points against the Arizona Cardinals, 34 against the Cleveland Browns, and 40 against the Panthers in games where they ran for at least 200 yards.
It’s fair to assume that the offense will be booming once more if everything goes according to plan on the ground.
Assault Cooper Rush.
Cooper Rush was 3-1 with the Cowboys in 2022, but the seasoned backup has not performed as well in his second stint as the team’s starter. He has a 28.5 QBR and is 0–2, completing only 57.3% of his throws. Dallas has only scored 16 points in the last two weeks with him in the middle, which is not shocking.
Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. are names Rush is undoubtedly aware with from their time in Dallas, but the same is true of the Commanders’ defensive coordinator and head coach. Whitt stated that although he and Quinn are aware of Rush’s shortcomings, they still respect the quarterback. With a 42.9% completion rate and a 46.4 rating from Pro Football Focus, Rush has performed poorly under pressure this season. Additionally, Washington’s defense will have an opportunity to put pressure on him given how injured Dallas’ offensive line has been over the last ten games.
The men up front have performed better than expected, but the Commanders lack what some would call “top-tier” edge rushers. This season, they are tied for 12th place in sacks, and Dante Fowler Jr. has contributed significantly to that total. With 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, the 2016 No. 3 overall choice is on track for a career season. He is joined by players like Frankie Luvu, who has been moved all over the defensive front and has ten quarterback hits, and Dorance Armstrong, another former Dallas player.
It will be difficult for the team to defend CeeDee Lamb, but the Commanders’ secondary has shown it can compete by giving up the fifth fewest throwing yards per game. The good news is that Rush has demonstrated that he is not as skilled as Dak Prescott as a passer and will make mistakes when put in a tight spot. Increasing his pace might result in the turnovers the defense is seeking, even if Washington’s pass rush doesn’t reach him.
Restore the rhythm of the offense.
This relates to the running game, but it’s obvious that Washington’s offense was out of sync against the Steelers and Eagles, whether it was due to injuries or playing good defense. The Cowboys will be the perfect opponent to demonstrate that the offense needed a full week of practice to get back on track, as Quinn, Jayden Daniels, and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury all emphasized.
Keeping offenses out of the end zone has been a problem for the Cowboys, especially during their recent five-game losing run. In four of the previous five weeks, they have given up at least 30 points; most recently, they gave up 34 points to the Houston Texans. The Cowboys are once again most hurt in the ground game, as they have given up the most running touchdowns in the NFL this season (18).
Even though Dallas’ secondary is playing a little better—allowing 230.5 yards via the air—it still struggles in the red zone. The Cowboys rank bottom by more over four percentage points, with teams scoring touchdowns on 74.29% of their red zone efforts.
The Commanders have also struggled in that area, especially against the Eagles and Steelers, but the Cowboys will provide them with an opportunity to complete drives more quickly than they did in those two defeats. Against those teams, they punted 11 times in total, which is equal to the number of times they punted in their first six games.
Most of the external worries about the offense should vanish if Washington is able to capitalize.
