Key takeaways from disastrous Washington Commanders loss to Dallas Cowboys

BOX SCORE

The Commanders and Cowboys started their seasons with a tough divisional loss.  

Washington mounted a comeback that fell a failed 2-point conversion short against the Eagles. Dallas got absolutely embarrassed by the New York Giants on national television.  

To say that these teams desperately needed a rebound victory would be an understatement.  

Starting the campaign 0-2 on the season and within the division is a nightmare scenario.  

The Commanders are sitting right there after a 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.  

Another nightmare scenario unfolded before the final result, with franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels lost to a significant elbow injury. To make matters somehow even worse, the Commanders also had right guard Sam Cosmi, left tackle Brandon Coleman and defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw go down and not return.

Here are some key takeaways after watching this mess of a game live:  

Daniels was at his explosive best during the first half of Sunday’s game in Dallas.  

He was 11-for-17 passing for 96 yards and a touchdown. He ran seven times for 69 more. He had the Commanders offense moving, proving accurate and elusive and all the things that makes him so special.  

Then, on the last play of the first half, disaster struck.  

Guard Chris Paul seemed to step on Daniels right after the snap, sending Daniels towards the turf. He tried to brace himself while falling down.  

He suffered a gruesome elbow injury that took him out of Sunday’s game at the very least. It’s highly likely that Daniels will miss more games than that after suffering that injury.  

Marcus Mariota’s a capable backup and can move the football, but Daniels is on another level and makes Washington a threat to beat anyone. They’re just a different team without him, losing that dynamic playmaking ability unique to No. 5.  

We’ll have to see how much time Daniels will miss, but his absence will have an irrevocable impact on this Commanders season just as it’s getting started.  

Washington struggled without him in 2025 — he dealt with several injuries last year, including a dislocated left elbow presumptively similar to the one he just suffered — and will have an uphill battle to remain competitive while he’s out. 

The Commanders were one yard from the end zone with three seconds left in the first half. That’s when Daniels got hurt on a disastrous play where Washington failed to score and left that scenario without point.  

Washington got possession to start the second half, and Mariota pushed the ball down the field and found Dyami Brown with an excellent deep shot to the end zone. The play was ruled incomplete on the field, and the Commanders challenging the ruling, which sure looked like a touchdown in every possible way, as you can see below:  

The incomplete pass call was somehow confirmed on review, and the Commanders eventually ended up kicking a field goal. Then Brown lost a fumble on the next drive which Dallas turned into a touchdown.  

The bad luck continued, with another seemingly easy touchdown unrealized. The Commanders fooled Dallas on a pass from receiver Antonio Williams, who just overthrew a wide open Terry McLaurin in the end zone. All those missed points added up and put the Commanders in a bind as the game progressed.  

The regular-season opener held some encouraging signs for an attacking Commanders that looked good outside of a few explosive plays allowed.  

That did not carry over. Washington’s defense was awful at the outset, allowing 17 points on Dallas’ first three series. The Cowboys drove into the red zone each time, with one third-down stop preventing a three-touchdown start to this game.  

Washington wasn’t able to get pressure and a suspect secondary therefore got gashed by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Commanders were routinely penalized during that stretch as well, struggling to put up any sort of resistance.   

The defense should count itself thankful the Commanders offense kept the game close heading towards halftime. The Cowboys scoring run didn’t last forever, with the Commanders getting a stop and forcing the first Dallas punt with just roughly five minutes left in the first half.  The Commanders defense played better after that, but Washington could’ve overcome an early deficit that proved costly.

Overall, Washington had no answers for Prescott, who had 279 yards and four touchdowns.

What are your immediate takeaways from the Commanders Week 2 contest in Dallas? Let us know in the article comments below.