Cowboys must lock in to avoid repeating history vs Washington

The Dallas Cowboys have not played to the standards that we are accustomed to in 2024. Injuries, a stagnant offense, and a sieve of a defense have all contributed to their 3-7 record thus far. It doesn’t get any easier either.

Dallas travels to Washington this week to take on a Commanders team who are playing well above the standards we are used to seeing from them. Former Cowboys’ DC Dan Quinn is now the head coach in Washington, and his team has surprised the NFL by starting the season with 7-4 record.

Washington has used stellar play from their defense, plus superstar-level play from rookie QB Jayden Daniels to secure quality wins over Cincinnati, Arizona, and Cleveland. They aren’t just winning close games either. They’ve won games by margins of 33, 28, and 21 points.

Daniels, under OC Kliff Kingsbury, is unarguably the catalyst for the Commanders’ ascension to one of the better teams in the NFC East, and to challenge Philadelphia for the division crown.

Don’t look now, Cowboys fans, but we have seen this movie before, and it didn’t end well for Dallas. The Cowboys must lock in this Sunday to avoid repeating history versus Washington.

Remember the Griffin

There was another time, about 12 years ago, when I was still in my 20s and had much less gray hairs showing on my head. The Washington Redskins held the #2 overall pick in the draft, and they selected Robert Griffin III as their franchise quarterback of the future.

The father/son combo of Mike Shanahan and Kyle Shanahan as head coach and offensive coordinator helped Griffin take the league by storm with his ability to read defenses, accurately deliver the football to his weapons, and use his legs to move the chains.

Dallas’ first exposure to Griffin was a Thanksgiving Day date at Cowboys Stadium. Griffin and the Redskins came into Dallas and ran through the Cowboys’ defense like a hot knife through butter.

Griffin was spectacular. He completed 19 of 27 passes (70%) for 304 yards and 4 TDs. The worst part about it is that the Cowboys did a tremendous job of keeping Griffin from escaping the pocket, limiting him to just 29 yards on seven carries.

They dared Griffin to beat them with his arm, and he did just that in the 38-31 victory. He might not have done much with his legs, but the threat of his legs was enough to open up lanes for Alfred Morris, who rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Don’t Repeat History

Robert Griffin III was a problem, and Jayden Daniels is shaping up to repeat history for the Commanders. It’s Daniels’ first matchup against Dallas, and he surely will have Griffin’s 2012 performance as a goal.

Daniels has played well this season, aided by an innovative offense and weapons like Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson, and Austin Ekeler.

The rookie phenom has thrown for 2,338 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions. On the ground, he has racked up 482 yards and four touchdowns. His rushing attempts have decreased weekly since the start of the season. That’s a sign that he is progressing as a passer.

Daniels poses a threat to run, but has more arm talent than many give him credit for. Sound familiar? It’s the same thing we already saw in 2012 with Griffin under center.

I imagine the Cowboys will come out and do everything in their power to make sure Daniels doesn’t burn them with his legs. If they aren’t careful, he can destroy them with his arm like we saw Griffin do almost 12 years ago to the day.