Schedule Preview – Cowboys
June 15, 2022
By Noonefromtampa
The Washington Commanders will face the Dallas Cowboys in weeks four and eighteen. Last year they lost both games to the Cowboys and one was a fifty-burger game.
Game Details
Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
When: Week 4 – Sunday, October 2 at 1:00 P.M; Week 18 – To be determined (January 7th or 8th)
Where: Week 4 – away, at AT&T Stadium; Week 18 – home, at Fed-Ex Field
TV Network: Week 4 – Fox, Week 18 – to be determined
2021 Cowboys
Record: 12-5 – wildcard, lost to the 49ers
Offense: 1st [passing 1st, rushing 9th]
Defense: 19th [passing 20th, rushing 16th]
Points Scored: 1st
Points Allowed: 7th
Head-to-Head: 75-45-2 regular season from 1960 to 2021, 0-2 postseason
Cowboys Coaching
After the Cowboys fired Jason Garrett after a disappointing 2019 season, they hired Mike McCarthy as their new head coach. Previously, he spent 13 years as the Green Bay Packers head coach and won a Super Bowl Championship in 2010. Overall, in his 15 years as head coach his record is 143-92-2 and 5-5 lifetime versus Washington.
Kellen Moore is the offensive coordinator. He was held over from Garrett’s staff because of the good work he did with Dak Prescott. The 2022 season will be his fourth as the Cowboys offensive coordinator.
Dan Quinn, the former Atlanta head coach, is the defensive coordinator. He replaced Mike Nolan, whose 2020 defense was not very good. The defense was much improved in 2021. Quinn declined to be interviewed by other teams for a head coaching job to remain with Dallas.
Cowboys Schemes
The Dallas offense runs a modified West Coast system. Moore has borrowed plays from several different schemes and has woven them into a unique offensive blend. The Cowboys frequently run different plays from the same formation look, especially if the play was successful the first time; for example, a wide receiver screen may become a stop and go double move the next time. The idea being that the defense adjusts to the previous successful play and gets caught flatfooted with an entirely different play call. It was very successful last season with Dak Prescott at the helm.
Dallas runs a 3 – 4 defense, which was much improved under Dan Quinn moving from 28th to 19th last year. Micah Parsons, who had 13 sacks won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season, was an important factor for Dallas. Quinn likes to move Parsons around and give a 4-2-5 look against three wide receiver sets.
Roster Changes
Key Losses: WR Amari Cooper (CLE trade), OLB Randy Gregory (DEN), T La’el Collins (CIN), G Connor Williams (MIA), K Greg Zuerlein (NYJ), S Keanu Neal (TB), WR Malik Turner (SF), S Damontae Kazee (PIT)
Key Additions: DE Dante Fowler Jr. (ATL), WR James Washington (PIT), RB Ryan Nall (CHI)
Draft Picks: OL Tyler Smith (1-24), DE Sam Williams (2-56), WR Jalen Tolbert (3-88), TE Jake Ferguson (4-129), OL Matt Waletzko (5-155), DaRon Bland (5-167), LB Damone Clark (5-176), DT John Ridgeway (5-178), LB Devin Harper (6-193)
Key Players Returning: QB Dak Prescott, T Tyron Smith, RB Ezekiel Elliot, G Zack Martin, WR CeeDee Lamb, WR Michael Gallup, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, CB Anthony Brown, LB Micah Parsons, CB Trevon Diggs, TE Dalton Schultz, S Malik Hooker, P Bryan Anger, LB Leighton Vander Esch, S Jayron Kearse,
Conclusions
The Cowboys underwent some significant changes in personnel during the offseason. The offensive line and wide receiver groups will have to be re-worked. Lamb became the number one wide receiver, replacing Cooper, and Smith will be starting somewhere on the offensive line. The defense got younger and faster last year and with the draft picks this season, that trend continues. Lhe Cowboys outscored the Commanders 66-7 in the first half alone in the two games last year. The Commanders must play much better to have a shot at what expects to be a very good Dallas team.
Noone’s Prediction
This year I think we split the series with the Cowboys, losing the week 4 game in Dallas while winning the week 18 home game in January.
Week 4: Dallas come off the short week following a Giants game on Monday night but are playing at home; Cowboys 28 – Commanders 17
Week 18: Dallas comes off 10 days of rest following playing the Titans on Thursday night; Commanders 28 – Cowboys 27