The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The Washington Commanders are traveling to Texas to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. Here are three keys to securing a division win.
1. Get started earlier on offense.
There were moments late in Washington's Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles where the offense moved the ball well against the Eagles. Nearly half of Washington's 295 total yards came on their final two drives, when the team was in a position where they needed production to keep things competitive. But that was also one of Washington's biggest problems last weekend; its offense needed three quarters to get comfortable.
While the Eagles are expected to have one of the league's best defenses this year, it wasn't as if the Commanders were lacking in opportunities to swing momentum in their favor. They actually possessed the ball about seven minutes longer than the Eagles and started two drives past their own 40-yard line. And yet, aside from their four scoring drives, they only amassed 47 yards on 28 plays.
There were several reasons for those struggles. Receivers like Stefon Diggs had drops on passes that would have resulted in decent yardage. It's also the first time the entire starting offense was running the new scheme in a game, so the spacing in the passing game wasn't up to standard. The Eagles' defense didn't offer many opportunities for explosive plays, but the Commanders also struggled to capitalize in key moments.
Fortunately for Washington, the Cowboys had their own issues in Week 1. Like Washington, the Cowboys invested in improving their defense, but the players are still learning coordinator Christian Parker's system. It should be easier for the Commanders to move the ball in Week 2, but as Jayden Daniels said after their 24-22 loss, the offense can't "shoot ourselves in the foot."
2. Limit explosive plays from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
The Commanders' defensive performance against the Eagles was "solid," defensive coordinator Daronte Jones said on Thursday. The Commanders mostly held their own against the Eagles' offense, and they stuck to many of the philosophies they established in the offseason. They were fast and athletic up front, putting pressure on Jalen Hurts that directly led to the Eagles punting seven times.
Explosive plays were an issue for the unit, though, and those moments helped keep the Eagles in command. Plays like Dontayvion Wicks' 64-yard catch and Saquon Barkley's 42-yard run flipped the field for the Eagles and led to points shortly thereafter. Whether those plays occurred due to miscommunication or a lapse in performance, the coaches and players know the issues need to be corrected.
"The game comes down to chunk plays, keeping the chunks off the tape and being successful and efficient on the weighty downs," Jones said. "And I thought that's where we lacked and we have to definitely improve on those situations."
The Cowboys' offense will present another unique set of challenges with Lamb and Pickens. The duo was the driving force behind an offense that ranked second in passing yards per game last year. They also combined for 25 catches and six touchdowns on passes of at least 20 yards.
Jones is aware that containing Lamb and Pickens will require a team effort. The secondary needs to improve, but the other levels of the defense need to do their jobs as well.
"Overall, it's not so much about this matchup versus that matchup," Jones said. "It's the collective unit coming to forces with that."
3. Attack the perimeter on the ground.
Week 1 results in the NFL can vary wildly, but they can contain moments of truth for future opponents to exploit. One of these areas for the Cowboys could be on the ground, particularly on outside runs to the defensive perimeter. The Giants rushed for 165 yards on 37 carries, and whether it was a handoff to Cam Skattebo or a scramble from Jaxon Dart, they had open grass in front of them outside the tackles.
The Commanders had similar success against the Eagles, rushing for 132 yards with an average of 4.1 yards per carry, but like everything associated with Washington's offense, it took time for the ground game to find traction. They also had to settle for smaller gains, as their longest run was just 14 yards.
The Cowboys ranked 20th in run stop win rate against the Giants, so there should be opportunities for the Commanders to establish a stronger ground presence. The Cowboys have Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark manning their interior, so it might make sense to run away from them rather than plowing into them. They will need to rely on Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who led the Commanders with 63 yards last week, and his quickness to escape outside, but offensive tackles Brandon Coleman and Josh Conerly, both known for their athleticism, will need to win their matchups as well.
It circles back to Washington's need to get started earlier in the game. If the offense can establish the run quicker, it'll keep the Cowboys off the field, tire out the Dallas defense and hopefully lead to more scoring opportunities.
