FRISCO, Texas – It's always hard to beat a team the second time around, and that'll especially be the case with the Washington Commanders coming to Dallas after losing in a thrilling game back in Week 12. That doesn't mean that the Cowboys can't do it again and try to play spoiler in Washington's playoff seeding though, this season's final edition of "Here We Goooo" outlines some ways they can finish the year 8-9. Let's get to it:
1. Reignite the pass rush
In a 41-6 loss the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys pass rush was nowhere to be found. Dallas tallied only four pressures the entire game, three coming from Micah Parsons and one from Osa Odighizuwa. That can't happen against the Commanders, but the good news is Dallas got pressure on Jayden Daniels 20 times in the first meeting, and has everything necessary to do it again.
In Week 12, now four-time Pro Bowler Micah Parsons was double teamed on 28.9% of his pass rushes, the most he's faced all year. And still, he managed to generate three pressures and two sacks. More importantly, he opened the door for his teammates to get home on Daniels and make things difficult for Jayden Daniels.
Speaking of Daniels, pressure from the Cowboys was his kryptonite in the first meeting this season. Daniels completed just one of his nine passing attempts for a four yard touchdown, but also threw two interceptions. Getting Daniels into uncomfortable situations again gives the Cowboys a chance to create more opportunities for their offense.
Additionally, Daniels wasn't the best against the blitz, something that Mike Zimmer sends at opposing offenses 32% of the time, the 10th highest rate in the NFL. Daniels was six of 13 through the air for 51 yards, a touchdown and an interception earlier this season against the Cowboys.
The dangerous twist to watch is when Daniels gets out of the pocket and scrambles, as he leads the NFL with 584 rushing yards and an average of 7.5 yards per rush on scrambles this season. The Cowboys defense has given up 470 yards on quarterback runs in 2024, the third most in the league.
One injury note to watch heading into Sunday: Former Cowboy and current Commanders center Tyler Biadasz has not practiced this week with an ankle injury. In the first meeting this year, he gave up two pressures and a sack.
2. Replicate special teams' success and play the field position game
Although it did not look like it in the early goings with several miscues and penalties, special teams was a huge component in winning the Cowboys their first meeting against the Commanders in Week 12, and the third phase of the game should once again have an impact on Sunday.
Brandon Aubrey missed two field goals in Washington, a stadium that Aubrey has struggled to kick in throughout the course of his career, but is coming back to the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium, where he's made 20 of his 21 field goal attempts this year. Aubrey, who is now the first kicker in Cowboys history to make the Pro Bowl in consecutive years, is a weapon and should be utilized as such if the offense isn't able to drive too far into opposing territory.
To add to that, KaVontae Turpin's electric 99-yard touchdown return may have scarred the Commanders into never kicking to him again, but any opportunity he may end up getting in both the kickoff and punt return game gives Dallas an opportunity to set themselves up in better field position, something that they didn't do as well against Washington in the first meeting. Turpin, who was also named a Pro Bowl return specialist again, makes plays with the ball in his hands and can help the Cowboys more than anyone in the field position game.
The Cowboys average starting field position was at their own 30-yard line, while Washington's was at their own 35. That may not seem that drastic of a different, but factor in that Dallas started six drives inside their own 20-yard line while Washington had just three, and that could be a larger whole to climb out of.
With playing the field position game comes playing the time of possession game as well, something that Dallas was in complete control of in their first meeting. They kept the ball for 35 minutes and 12 seconds compared to Washington's 24 minutes and 48 seconds, their largest time of possession advantage of the season. If the Cowboys can replicate a similar performance, they have a chance to give themselves another opportunity to win this game.
3. Lean on your offensive line, run game
With uncertainty around who will start at quarterback for the Cowboys in their final game of the season, this offense can lean on the two sure-fire components of the game that must be true regardless of who is under center: Good play from your offensive line, and the ability to run the football.
The good news is they've been able to as of late with Rico Dowdle, who just became the first Cowboys undrafted free agent to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and has gone over 100 yards on the ground in four of his last five games. Since Dallas' bye week in Week 7, he's averaged 5.6 yards per carry and generated +97 rushing yards over expected between the tackles, both ranking the 2nd most in the NFL.
Speaking of between the tackles, Tyler Smith earned his second Pro Bowl nod in as many seasons this week, becoming the third quarter in NFL history to make two Pro Bowls before turning 23. At left guard this season, he's only allowed 21 pressures and two sacks in 517 pass blocking snaps, with a 4.1% pressure rate that is the lowest among left guards with at least 200 pass blocking snaps this season.
Whether it's Cooper Rush, Trey Lance or even Will Grier, being able to lean on the front with Smith and company as well as Rico Dowdle is the ultimate steadfast component of an offense, and gives them an opportunity to set up either quarterback in manageable situations.
