The Dallas Cowboys are facing a close to “must-win” game as going 0-2, especially within the NFC East, is a tough hole to climb out of. They face the Washington Commanders in hopes of evening things in regards to their record, and a lot of winning in the NFL comes in the trenches. Today, we’ll look at the Cowboys offensive line against the Commanders defensive line.
Trench Dashboard
Here are the Cowboys offensive line metrics for the 2026 season so far.
Pass Block Win Rate – 58% 10th
Run Block Win Rate – 71% 26th
Pressure rate allowed – 27% 13th
Sacks allowed – 0 (1st)
Last three week trend: N/A
The Pressure Point
Every opponent will look at the Cowboys offensive line and ask, where can we break it? Here’s what to watch for.
PRESSURE POINT: Washington’s pressure packages
Do not let Washington’s 25th-ranked Pass Rush Win Rate fool you. The Commanders caused Philadelphia plenty of problems in Week 1 because defensive coordinator Daronte Jones did not simply ask four defensive linemen to win their individual matchups. He attacked the Eagles with pressure from different places.
Washington blitzed a considerable amount on Philadelphia’s dropbacks, well above the league average, and generated good pressure in doing so. The Commanders finished with three sacks and five quarterback hits. That is what Dallas has to prepare for.
Cooper Beebe has to identify where the pressure is coming from, and the players will need to communicate to avoid free rushers. With Tyler Smith still unavailable and T.J. Bass filling the left guard position, Washington will surely test that communication.
PRESSURE POINT: The right side gets a close examination
Tyler Guyton was asked last week to answer one of the biggest questions in Week 1, and he answered.
Brian Burns faced Guyton on 20 pass-rushing matchups but failed to record a single pressure. In fact, Guyton allowed only two total pressures all night, demonstrating his exceptional clean play on the blindside. After spending the offseason wondering if left tackle would be a weakness, Dallas should be encouraged by Guyton’s performance.
What that means is this will encourage Washington to look elsewhere to find the weakness. Terence Steele remains the obvious player to test this week. Steele allowed 52 pressures and six sacks last season, and his pass protection was the weak point of an otherwise fairly stable Cowboys line. Washington has the player to attack him in Oweh.
Oweh recorded a sack against Philadelphia after producing 10.5 sacks during the 2025 season. He combines excellent speed with enough power to attack a tackle directly rather than simply trying to run around him.
Where to attack
Every defensive line has a weakness, here’s the Commanders soft spots and where the Cowboys offensive line should attack.
GREEN LIGHT: Trust the pass protection
This is where ESPN’s numbers become particularly useful. Dallas currently ranks 10th in Pass Block Win Rate at 58%. Washington is only 25th in Pass Rush Win Rate at 36%. That tells Dallas something important. When Washington rushes four and asks its defensive linemen to simply beat the Cowboys blockers, the advantage should lean toward Dallas.
Washington’s pressure against Philadelphia was largely created by bringing extra defenders and confusing the protection. That creates risk for the defense. Every additional linebacker or defensive back sent toward Prescott is one fewer defender available in coverage. Dallas should make them pay for it.
Quick throws to CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Jake Ferguson can force Washington to reconsider how aggressively it wants to blitz. Screens can do the same thing. Prescott can also use play-action to make linebackers hesitate before attacking the line.
GREEN LIGHT: Use Washington’s aggression against it
The Cowboys running game was one of the biggest disappointments in Week 1. Their 71% Run Block Win Rate ranks 26th, and the traditional numbers were equally poor with Dallas averaging just 3.8 yards per carry. Washington’s defensive front, however, can be attacked differently.
The Commanders allowed Philadelphia to rush for 136 yards at 5.4 yards per carry. Saquon Barkley gained 83 yards, while Jalen Hurts added another 46. Simply running directly at Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw over and over may not be the answer. Washington’s interior defensive line has plenty of size, and Payne has historically been one of its best run defenders.
Instead, Dallas should force Washington’s aggressive linebackers and edge players to move. Counters, outside runs, screens and plays where Tyler Booker or another lineman pulls across the formation can punish a defense that is flying toward the backfield.
That also gives Booker a chance to do what he does best. Rather than standing still and absorbing a defender, Dallas can get its powerful right guard moving into space where he can create contact against linebackers and defensive backs.
The Chaos Report
Here’s the Washington Commanders trends for this season on the defensive line.
Sack Total – 3 (8th)
Pass Rush Win Rate – 36% 25th
Run Stop Win Rate – 28% 16th
Stunt Rate on third down – 64% 1st
Last three week trend: N/A
Matchup of the week
Terence Steele vs. Odafe Oweh
Tyler Guyton against Brian Burns was the matchup to watch last week. This time, the attention moves to the other tackle. Oweh immediately made his presence felt in his Commanders debut by recording a sack against Philadelphia. He played 46 of Washington’s 55 defensive snaps, showing this is not simply a situational pass rusher. He is going to be on the field a lot.
Steele will not see Oweh on every snap because Washington can move its edge defenders around, but whenever he lines up over the Cowboys right tackle, keep an eye on it. Oweh’s athleticism is the danger.
Best route to success:
Communicate against Washington’s blitzes, make the Commanders rely on their four-man rush, and use their aggression against them with quick passes, screens and movement in the running game.
Injury Updates:
The coast is clear this week in terms of the Dallas offensive line, with nothing major report other than Tyler Smith’s thumb surgery.
On the Commanders side, Jer’Zhan Newton and Deatrich Wise have both put on injured reserve. And keep watch of both linebackers, Frankie Luvu and Jordan Magee, who both left last week’s game early.
