The Washington Commanders surprised many around the league by winning double-digit games for the first time since 2012 and coming one victory away from reaching the Super Bowl. Now, there are higher expectations for the squad in the second year of the Jayden Daniels era.

The Commanders will have a tougher schedule this year by virtue of finishing second in the NFC East. Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions loom later in the year along with talented teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. They will also experience a dramatic increase in travel miles, which includes a trip to Europe to play the Miami Dolphins.

Now that the season is on the horizon, Commanders.com is going to break down each of Washington's opponents. We'll move on to the Dallas Cowboys, who are going through a regime change with Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach.

Game information

Date: Oct. 19
Time: 4:25 p.m.
Location: AT&T Stadium

Individual stats leaders

• Passing Yards -- QB Dak Prescott (1,978)
• Passing TDs -- QB Cooper Rush (12)
• Rushing Yards -- RB Rico Dowdle (1,079)
• Rushing TDs -- RB Ezekiel Elliott (3)
• Receiving Yards -- WR CeeDee Lamb (1,194)
• Receiving TDs -- WR Jalen Tolbert (7)
• Tackles -- LB Eric Kendricks (138)
• Sacks -- DE Micah Parsons (12)
• Interceptions -- S Israel Mukuamu, S Malik Hooker LB Eric Kendricks and CB Trevon Diggs (2)

Key additions

• RB Miles Sanders (free agency)
• DE Dante Fowler (free agency)
• G Tyler Booker (draft)
• DE Donovan Ezeiruaku (draft)
• DL Solomon Thomas (free agency)

Key questions

• Can the offensive line return to its former glory? There was a time when the Cowboys' offensive line was considered the best in the NFL with Zack Martin at guard and Tyron Smith at left tackle. It is still a good group, but Smith left in 2024 and Martin retired. The Cowboys are hoping the draft picks they have made in recent years -- tackle Tyler Guyton, center Cooper Beebe and guard Tyler Booker -- will provide stability for the foreseeable future. There's reason to believe in all three players; Beebe is a physical blocker who knows how to move in the interior; Guyton is raw but has traits that the Cowboys can develop; and Booker was one of the best offensive line prospects in the draft with good technique. There is confidence that the group will be good at some point, but the Cowboys might need to streamline that process.
• Will Prescott have another strong season in 2025? It seems like Prescott puts up top five numbers about every other year. The trend started in 2019, when he passed for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns. He only played five games in 2020 with an injury and went 2-3 in those starts. The next year, he hit a career-high in passing touchdowns and passed for 4,449 yards. That was followed by another disappointing performance in 2022, when he led the league in interceptions in 12 starts. The 2023 season was arguably his best, as he led the league in completions and passing touchdowns. And of course, there was last season, when he battled injuries and passed for just 1,978 yards. If we follow the trend, that means the 2025 season should be a good one for Prescott. He still has Lamb as his No. 1 receiver and a quality defense to get him the ball back. This isn't a revolutionary take, but the Cowboys' success hinges on Prescott. When he's in form, the Cowboys can be a dangerous team and even a Super Bowl competitor. When he's not, they're a team that is simply fighting for a lower seed in the playoffs.
• Who will be the starting running back? The Cowboys' running back position has been in flux since Elliott was first released from the roster. Dowdle played well as their primary option and even rushed for 1,079 yards, but the team clearly believes they can do more at the position. There are currently three contenders for the spot on their roster -- Sanders, Javonte Williams and Jaydon Blue. Sanders has failed to repeat his Pro Bowl performance in 2022 and rushed for 205 yards last season. Williams is younger and had more production in recent years but has yet to rush for 1,000 yards. Blue, who the Cowboys drafted in the fifth round, could be a name to watch in training camp. He had nearly 1,100 scrimmage yards in his last season with Texas, including 368 receiving yards. He is a smaller player but has versatility that could help open up Dallas' offense. All three running backs will likely get time, but it will be interesting to see how the Cowboys solve what may be their biggest offensive question.