The Cowboys and Commanders find themselves in familiar territory this week, both sitting at 0-1 in the division and trying desperately to avoid falling two games back so early in the season. The Cowboys at least get to play at home, where they've had plenty of success against Washington in recent years.
Here are five storylines for each team as we prepare for the Week 2 matchup.
Commanders
Road Warriors - When the schedule came out in May, the Commanders couldn't have been thrilled to see a pair of road division games to start the season. After a close loss in Philadelphia last week, they now have a chance to earn a split and knock off the Cowboys on the road.
Obviously, head coach Dan Quinn, who spent three years as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator, would love nothing more than to have his team earn a road win in Dallas. But it won't be easy for the Commanders, who have lost four of their last five games in Dallas and eight of the last 10 overall.
New DC in D.C. - Unlike his counterpart in Dallas, Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones is receiving praise for how he called his first game in Philadelphia. While it wasn't enough to secure a victory, Jones had Washington's defense attacking the Eagles' offense and keeping Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley relatively in check.
Jones mixed up his blitz packages, coverages, and defensive line rotations, presenting a different look than Philadelphia may have expected. We'll see what he has in store for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' offense this week.
Daniels Back to Form? -After a rookie season that put the NFL on notice, Jayden Daniels took a step back in 2025, appearing in just seven games because of injuries. He didn't have the same impact as he did during his debut season, but he's looking to regain that form in 2026.
After one game, it's still difficult to determine what kind of season he'll have, but Daniels was effective in the second half against Philadelphia. He led two fourth-quarter scoring drives that put Washington in position to tie the game, although the two-point conversion attempt fell short. Daniels finished 18 of 34 for 317 yards and two touchdowns while adding 31 rushing yards on five carries.
Styles Points - Three Ohio State defensive players were selected within the first 11 picks of April's draft. The Cowboys have one in Caleb Downs, they faced another in the Giants' Arvell Reese last week, and now they'll see Washington linebacker Sonny Styles.
Like Downs in his NFL debut, Styles recorded the first sack of his career last week by bringing down Jalen Hurts. He also added four tackles.
Terry Mac? - One of Washington's offseason storylines centered around new offensive coordinator David Blough making a greater effort to get the ball into Terry McLaurin's hands. Through one game, that wasn't the case.
McLaurin didn't record his first catch until the final five minutes and finished with just two receptions for 14 yards on four targets. After missing seven games last season because of injury, McLaurin caught only 38 passes in the 10 games he played, resulting in a career-low average of 3.8 receptions per game.
Cowboys
Week 2 a "Must" - It's still early for "must-win" scenarios, but the Cowboys are certainly looking to avoid an 0-2 start, especially with both losses coming inside the division.
Dallas entered the season with much higher expectations than what it showed in Sunday's 28-20 loss to the Giants. And with a challenging upcoming stretch that includes a game in Rio against the Ravens, followed by matchups with the Texans and Buccaneers, the Cowboys know there's little room for error.
Familiar D - The Cowboys believed they had addressed many of their defensive issues this offseason by changing coaches and adding key players through free agency and the draft. While the unit still may improve as the season progresses, the Week 1 performance provided some familiar concerns.
The Giants scored a touchdown in every quarter and used a ball-control approach to continually move the chains. Not only did New York score 28 points, but it also dominated time of possession and kept the Cowboys' offense off the field, limiting Dallas to just two second-half possessions.
Offense Had Issues, Too - Let's not place the entire Sunday night performance on the defense. The offense had its share of issues from start to finish. The Cowboys opened the game by punting instead of attempting a fourth-and-inches conversion. Dak Prescott made a poor decision that resulted in an interception before halftime, helping swing momentum permanently toward the Giants.
George Pickens had two costly drops, and even Javonte Williams contributed to the mistakes with a taunting penalty that not only cost Dallas a point but potentially altered a two-point conversion opportunity. Regardless, 20 points weren't enough, especially considering another slow offensive start in the first half.
Injuries Piling Up - After training camp and the preseason, the Cowboys had avoided any significant injuries. Since then, Tyler Smith (thumb) has been sidelined for at least a month, and backup running back Malik Davis suffered a season-ending hip injury.
On Sunday night, the Cowboys also lost safety Malik Hooker (forearm) and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) during the second half. Neither player is expected to play this week, although injured reserve does not appear to be under consideration.
Into the Fire... - Interestingly enough, the Cowboys were already relying on several young defensive players. But injuries to Hooker and Overshown could create even bigger opportunities for some of their recent draft picks.
Caleb Downs is expected to see additional snaps at safety with Hooker sidelined, while Barham was the primary replacement for Overshown following his injury. The Cowboys will also continue to lean on first-round pick Malachi Lawrence and fourth-round selection L.T. Overton as they take on larger roles within the defense.
