Back in August, I wrote this about the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 7 contest against the Washington Commanders:
“Facing a real possibility of being 3-3 one-third of the way into the 2025 season, the Dallas Cowboys will hit a critical two-game test for the 2025 season.
It will literally be a make-or-break stretch for Dallas. They will face two 2024 playoff teams back-to-back.
Both are legitimate contenders to win their respective conference championships on the final Sunday of January 2026.
A win against either the Washington Commanders at home or the Broncos in Denver and the Cowboys are still in the hunt.
Lose both games and Dallas is almost certainly below .500. With the brutal schedule that awaits, that is not a suggested place to be to make a playoff run from.”
And here we are. The Cowboys are 2-3-1 at the one-third mark of the 2025 season.
Right now, Dallas has to sweep these two games, or they can pretty much write off the playoffs before reaching the halfway point.
First things first though.
The Cowboys will host an old rival in Week 7, one they’ve enjoyed some success against in recent years.
- Who: Washington Commanders
- Where: at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
- When: Today, 3:25 p.m. (CDT)
- How to watch: FOX
Both teams are coming off disappointing losses with their respective defenses failing to get off the field at the end of the game.
In Washington’s case, it’s hard to ask a defense to hold up when its offense turns the ball over three times. Including once at midfield with two minutes left in the game.
In Dallas’ case, the Cowboys’ defense might as well not even walk onto the field.
It wouldn’t change the outcome of a majority of their opponents’ drives.
A Dallas win would elevate the Cowboys into second place in the NFC East. A Cowboys’ loss, coupled with a Giants win over the Broncos would drop Dallas into last place in the division.
All-Time Marks
Dallas is 79-49-2 all-time against Washington and are 43-18-2 when playing the Commanders at home.
Washington’s 23-19 win in the season finale last year snapped the Cowboys’ three-game home win streak along with an overall three-game winning streak when including games played in D.C.
The Cowboys have won seven of the last nine games played between the two teams at AT&T Stadium.
When it comes to Week 7 contests, the Cowboys are 32-28 overall in their previous 65 games.
They lost one Week 7 game to the 1982 strike and have had four bye weeks fall on Week 7 over the years.
Dallas is a very solid 21-5 when playing at home in the seventh week of the year. But they are only 1-5 when the Week 7 opponent is Washington.
Dallas’ lone victory came at home in 1999, a 38-20 win fueled by two Troy Aikman touchdown passes, an Aikman rushing touchdown, and a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Deion Sanders.
Washington has won the last two Week 7 meetings, in 2018 and 2020. Both were played at Washington.
The Prediction
Dallas seems to be able to score more points at home and indoors this year. The Commanders’ biggest weakness on defense is in stopping the run.
It also happens to be the Cowboys defense’s biggest weakness too.
The only difference being that Washington occasionally stops the pass and sacks the quarterback.
Whichever team establishes the run and sticks to it will win this game. Right now though, the Cowboys’ defense is the reason why they won’t win today.
Once again.
Commanders 34, Cowboys 31
