The Dallas Cowboys got their first win of the 2026 season, defeating the Washington Commanders, 37-20. It was a game that saw a franchise record fall, and a few rookie defenders stepping up to ensure the Cowboys evened their record at 1-1.
Despite the final score, it wasn’t an easy route to victory. The Cowboys’ passing game was nearly unstoppable, but their rushing attack and defense proved they have still have a long way to go to be a complete team. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly in the Week 2 win for the Cowboys.
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The Good: Prescott’s record day
After struggling in Week 1, the passing game for the Cowboys came to life against the Commanders. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns on his way to becoming Dallas’ all-time franchise leader in passing scores. The record-breaking toss was caught by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who torched the Commanders’ secondary for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
However, it was the perfect execution on a 2nd-and-12 late in the fourth quarter that was the play of the game for the offense. After the Commanders scored to close the gap to 10 points, Prescott threw a dime to Lamb going up the right sideline.
It was a gain of 35 yards and five plays later the duo connected again, this time for their second touchdown, to give Prescott the record and seal the win.
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Prescott’s other two passing touchdowns went to tight end Jake Ferguson, who also had a quiet Week 1. Prescott now stands alone atop the Cowboys’ passing touchdown list with 249 passing scores.
The Bad: First-half defense
The score and statistics may show it was a better performance from Christian Parker’s defense, but it didn’t look that way in the first half when Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was in the game. The Cowboys had trouble slowing down Washington’s rushing attack, especially containing Daniels when he got outside the pocket.
Daniels ran for 69 yards in the first half and threw for a touchdown as the Commanders were difficult to stop in the first 30 minutes, punting only once. The game was close to being tied at the half, but Daniels’ awkward fall coupled with poor clock management saved the Cowboys’ defense.
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It wasn’t until Daniels was out of the game did the Dallas defense offer up more resistance.
The Ugly: Parker’s Miller pass rushing plan
When the Cowboys signed Von Miller, the prevailing thought was that he’d be a designated pass rusher. However, against the Commanders, the veteran edge rusher didn’t look like he was put in the best position to affect the game.
With the Cowboys leading by double digits in the fourth quarter, Miller lined up on the edge to presumably rush the passer. Instead, he was asked to bump WR Stefan Diggs and drop into coverage.
Miller did get the hit on Diggs, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from running his route to the back corner of the end zone. Diggs caught the pass for the 20-yard score, his second touchdown of the game, cutting the lead to 10 points, and leaving the outcome in doubt. Miller was left standing in the flat with no one near him and rendered useless.
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The Cowboys didn’t have a sack in the win, and the plan for Miller feels confusing. The team brought him in to be a designated pass rusher to finish out games, not for him to drop into coverage. Leading late and knowing the offense must throw the ball is the ideal situation for Miller, but he wasn’t used enough as a pass rusher.
If the rest of the defense was garnering pressure and sacking the Commanders quarterbacks, it would be easier to understand. That wasn’t the case and Miller’s best talent was wasted against Washington.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: What is Von Miller’s role? Cowboys’ Good, Bad, Ugly from Week 2
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
