The Dallas Cowboys used a sharp offensive performance to beat the Washington Commanders 37-20 in Week 2, improving to 1-1 and easing pressure after a season-opening loss.
Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 26 of 31 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. He posted a 143.8 passer rating and added 26 rushing yards on four carries.
The four scoring throws also moved Prescott past Tony Romo for the most passing touchdowns in Cowboys history. Prescott now has 249 career touchdown passes.
Dallas opened the game with a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb. Prescott later found Jake Ferguson twice in the red zone and added another scoring throw to Lamb.
The Cowboys’ passing attack has been the center of the offense through two weeks. Prescott has completed 73.8 percent of his passes for 454 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.
His total QBR of 86.7 ranked second in the NFL after Week 2. Those numbers have given Dallas a clearer picture of what the unit can look like when protection holds and receivers stay on schedule.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones discussed Prescott’s start during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan. Jones credited the quarterback’s preparation and consistency.
“He’s a product of his own work ethic,” Jones said. “He’s a product of his focus on getting better at every detail of his game. I’m happy to say that he’s a better quarterback today than he’s ever been. And he’s playing a position that … if you approach it the way he’s approached his career, you will be a better player.”
Jones also tied Prescott’s form to the team’s longer goals.
“I’m glad we’ve got him. … How he got where he is, is to me a noteworthy leg on his chair of being the best. And he can be the best out there as far as I’m concerned. … He’s playing at an extremely high level (and) that gives us our best chance (to win a Super Bowl). We still have the opportunity to get him championships.”
The comments followed a bounce-back win after Dallas managed only 244 total yards in Week 1 against the New York Giants. Prescott threw for 175 yards in that game, with two touchdowns and one interception.
Sunday’s result restored some margin in the NFC East. Washington dropped to 1-1, while Dallas avoided an 0-2 start that Jones had described as a concern heading into the home game.
Prescott is in his 11th season and is signed through 2028 after a four-year, $240 million contract signed in 2024. At 33, he remains the face of a franchise that has leaned on him for regular season production while still seeking deeper postseason runs.
The rushing game has not carried much of the load so far. That has left Prescott to work from the pocket and keep drives alive with short-to-intermediate throws.
Week 3 presents a different test. The Cowboys are scheduled to face the Baltimore Ravens, a team known for one of the league’s stronger run defenses. That matchup is expected to put more of the offense on Prescott’s arm.
Dallas has treated the early schedule as a measuring stick after missing the playoffs in recent seasons. Prescott’s efficiency, rather than volume alone, has been the most consistent marker through two games.
The Cowboys now have a week to prepare for Baltimore with a winning record and a quarterback operating near the top of the league’s early efficiency charts.
