6 things to know about Cowboys’ Week 4 opponent, the Washed Commanders

After their victory on Monday night, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in second place in the NFC East with a 2-1 record. The win showed the Cowboys are far from done despite being down their starting quarterback as they return home to take on another rival. The Washington Commanders will visit in Week 4 and they are coming off a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles as all four division foes squared off last weekend. At 1-2, the Commanders haven’t won since their opener and they’ll be hoping to respond after getting embarrassed at home in Week 3.

A win from the Cowboys would put them at 2-0 inside the division and give them a leg up on two rivals four weeks into the season. It’s the third-straight start for quarterback Cooper Rush, who has yet to lose in Dallas. The team is inching closer to getting Dak Prescott back, but going 3-0 without him would be an impressive feat. Here are six things to know about team standing in the way of that goal.

Out for revenge

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

It wasn’t a pretty sight the last time these two teams played. The Cowboys dominated on their way to winning the NFC East with a 56-14 victory. In the game, the Cowboys scored almost every way possible, which included an interception return for a touchdown, a blocked punt returned for a score and a tackle eligible touchdown from RT Terence Steele.

Of course, there was also this from last season, when the Commanders were on a roll and hosted the Cowboys.

Last week, it wasn’t the Cowboys doing the beating, but the Commanders were thrashed by the Eagles on their home field. It would be hard to believe the Cowboys will get anything other than the best effort from the Commanders this time around.

Quarterback Carson Wentz returns

(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Dallas gets to welcome their old friend Wentz back to the division. After spending a year with the Indianapolis Colts, Wentz was traded to the Commanders and has mixed results in his first three games with the team.

Wentz has thrown for seven scores against three interceptions, but he’s also only won one of his first three outings. He was only out of the NFC East for one season, so the Cowboys are very familiar with what Wentz can do.

The last time Wentz played the Cowboys, he threw two interceptions on the way to a win over a Ben DiNucci-led team in 2020. Unfortunately for Wentz, a player who picked him off twice, CB Trevon Diggs, remains on the Cowboys and he’s only gotten better.

Washington gives up sacks

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If there’s one matchup to pay attention to, it’s the pass rush of the Cowboys versus the Washington offensive line and Wentz. After their five sacks against the New York Giants, Dallas now leads the league in sacks with 13 after three weeks of the season.

That’s bad news for the Commanders since they have allowed the most sacks in the league with 15, nine of which came last week against the Eagles.

Not all sacks can be attributed to the offensive line, as Wentz has a propensity to hold onto the ball for much too long trying to make plays. After last week’s performance there’s little doubt the Commanders will be stressing that Wentz needs to get the ball out quickly.

The Cowboys probably don’t get to nine sacks, but the Commanders don’t have a strong enough offensive line to hold off Dallas’ pass rush. The defense has three players with at least three sacks already and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is scheming up ways to put pressure on the quarterback.

Commanders have strong receivers

(AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)

The Commanders don’t have an explosive offense, averaging just 21 points per game, but they do possess a potent trio of wide receivers who can stress a defense. They’re led by fourth-year wide out Terry McLaurin, who has 235 yards and a touchdown this year. His biggest number, however, is 19.6, which is how many yards per catch he’s averaging, good for third in the league.

McLaurin is paired with former college teammate Curtis Samuel, who leads the team in catches (22) and targets (30). After his first season in Washington was washed out because of injury, Samuel has come back strong, and will also get some carries out of the backfield.

Wide receiver Jahan Dotson has also had an impact early in his rookie season, with three touchdowns.

After a week where the Cowboys weren’t challenged by receivers, they’ll be tested by the Commanders’. The secondary needs to be up to the task of slowing three good options for Wentz, four if including mammoth TE Logan Thomas.

Commanders can be thrown on

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Washington’s defense isn’t living up to its potential yet, partly because their top pass rusher Chase Young is on IR, and they are getting torched through the air. The Commanders are 28th in the league against the pass, giving up 274 yards a game.

In Week 2, the Commanders allowed Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff to throw for four touchdowns, and last week Eagles signal caller Jalen Hurts lit up the secondary for 340 yards and three scores. Hurts’ damage was almost all done in the first half, so it could have been worse if the Eagles didn’t mercy rule the Commanders early.

Washington’s defense has given up the most passing touchdowns in the NFL with eight scores through three weeks. The Cowboys should take advantage of a shaky secondary that doesn’t have much quality.

DTs can bring pressure

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

The Commanders give it up through the air, but they can get to the quarterback with the interior of the defensive line. Even without Young, the Commanders boast two first-round picks out of Alabama who have combined for three of the defense’s eight sacks on the season.

Defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen might be the best DT duo in the league and they can get after the quarterback. Both Allen and Payne have their most sacks in their careers against the Cowboys, who have struggled to slow down the elite duo. Allen and Payne also lead the Commanders in tackles for a loss, with three apiece.

If the Commanders are going to win this game, it might come from pressuring the interior of Dallas’ offensive line and throwing off the rhythm of Rush. Payne and Allen have the ability to do just that.

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire