The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The Washington Commanders are heading south to take on the Dallas Cowboys for their second division game. Here are three keys to them pulling out a victory.
1. Start fast.
Slow starts have perpetually plagued the Commanders all season. They have started games with either a punt or turnover in five of their six games, which has contributed to them getting into double-digit deficits in four matchups. They are 1-3 in those games.
It's an issue the Commanders have tried to fix this week, with head coach Dan Quinn saying that he intended to emphasize the issue in practice. There are a few reasons why the Commanders can't afford to be sluggish against Dallas, chief among them being the Cowboys' offense. Dak Prescott, who is second in the league in passing yards and touchdowns, has the unit performing at a top-tier level. They have scored more points than almost any other team, as their 29.7 points per game ranks third in the NFL.
The saving grace for the Commanders is that Dallas' defense is on the opposite end of the spectrum with struggles in nearly every facet. They give up the third most points in the fourth quarter and allow the most first downs on average. Five of the Cowboys' six opponents have scored at least three points on their opening drives, with the one exception being the Chicago Bears.
Granted, the Commanders have their own problems on offense with the lack of personnel because of injuries, but there should be opportunities for them to start the afternoon on the right foot if they can capitalize.
2. Win on third down.
Third downs are important in every game, but it will be a battle of strengths and weaknesses on Sunday. The Commanders and their 11th-ranked third-down defense will face off against the Cowboys' ninth-ranked third-down offense; conversely, the Commanders' 29th-ranked third-down offense will try to find success against the Cowboys' last-ranked third-down defense.
In other words, something's gotta give on either side of the ball.
Once again, the Commanders' offense seems like it will have a better matchup, although the unit has struggled to stay on the field for extended periods. Tight end Zach Ertz said there's not a singular issue to point to as the root of the problem. He wants to see all 11 players, including himself, work together to fix the problem. The pass protection has to be better; receivers have to run better routes; and running backs need to find more lanes.
On defense, the Commanders will face an offense that is getting reinforced with CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin at receiver. It's possible that cornerback Jonathan Jones will come back this week from Injured Reserve, but it's unclear how much that will improve the Commanders' bottom 10-ranked passing yards allowed per game.
There is a chance Sunday's game will be a shootout between the Commanders and Cowboys' offenses. Even if the defense can only force one or two punts, it could make the difference.
3. Dominate the ground.
While the Commanders had another 100-yard rushing performance against the Bears, it would be difficult to say they dominated on the ground. They averaged just four yards per carry with their longest run coming off a scramble from Jayden Daniels, rather than a designed run.
There should be another chance for the Commanders to establish a strong running game against the Cowboys, who rank 29th in yards given up on the ground. It's a weakness teams have continued to exploit; the Cowboys give up 10.2 rushing first downs per game -- by far the most in the league. The Carolina Panthers are the most recent team to take advantage of that, as they rushed for 216 yards -- the most given up by the Cowboys in a single game since Week 8 of last season.
The Commanders have a diverse rushing attack with multiple options on the ground. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is the most successful of the bunch, but Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jeremy McNichols and Daniels also provide their services.
There's also a chance for the Commanders to break off some explosive runs. The Cowboys have missed the fifth most tackles this season, while the Commanders have the second most yards after contact. They've also broken a combined 17 tackles, which is tied for the third most in the league.
The best way for the Commanders' offense to help its defense is by keeping the Cowboys off the field for as long as possible. The ground game has been Washington's best strength all season, so hopefully they can keep that going over the weekend.
