Lamb posts huge statline as Daniels injury sours Commanders defeat

America’s game of the week took place in Dallas on Sunday, as the Cowboys hosted the Washington Commanders for both teams’ second NFC East matchup in consecutive weeks.

Both sides entered on the back narrow losses, desperate to avoid falling to the dreaded 0-2 record, in an offense-heavy showdown between 2 different, but equally as talented quarterbacks in Dak Prescott and Jayden Daniels.

The predicted offensive trend of the game got off to a hot start, with CeeDee Lamb hauling in 3 receptions, including the opening touchdown of the evening, as the Cowboys got on the board first with the Commanders defense once again looking inept against one of the league’s leading offenses.

Lamb had 79 receiving yards in the first 7 minutes of the game, as the offensive enslaught looked set to continue, although it was briefly halted by a much-needed red zone stop by Washington, limiting Dallas to a Brandon Aubrey field goal, which Drew Stevens cancelled out with one of his own.

The floodgates began to open for the Cowboys thereafter, as George Pickens began to get involved with a few catches to set up a 10-yard touchdown catch by Jake Ferguson to blow the margin out to 14 points halfway through the second period.

The Commanders looked to the ground game as their avenue back into the game, rushing for 62 yards across 6 plays, before the drive’s first positive play through the air, in the form of a Stefon Diggs touchdown catch, halved the deficit, before they quickly regained possession with over 5 minutes left in the half.

A long drive to close out the half left offensive coordinator David Blough with a decision to make on 3rd down on the goal line with 3 seconds left on the clock. Electing to go for it, instant regret must have set in when the team not only came away empty-handed but also left Daniels in anguish, clutching at his non-preferred arm with what was later diagnosed as a dislocated left elbow, which caused him to miss most of 2025.

Marcus Mariota stepped in and was able to at least put points on the board first-up in the third quarter, giving Washington a glimmer of hope despite the major injury to their franchise quarterback.

A takeaway gave Dallas the wake-up call they needed with the Commanders knocking on the door, as Dee Winters picked up a loose ball from Dyami Brown’s fumble, giving the Cowboys field position that was only a bonus, given the dominance their offense had shown. It was much appreciated by Prescott and Ferguson, who hooked up for a second time, and just like that, the margin was back out to 14.

In a last-ditch effort to pull off a miracle, Diggs scored for a second time, but it was too little too late, as Lamb emphasised a stellar individual performance with his team’s 4th touchdown, capping off a 37-20 win in style.

Commanders fans’ worries lie not with the immediate result but the nervous wait surrounding the determination of the extend of Daniels’ elbow injury. It’s a cruel blow for the 3rd year quarterback, who looked to have made a strong return from the same injury in the first 3 halves of 2026.

Touchdowns
Washington: Diggs 2
Dallas: Lamb 2, Ferguson 2

Top Performers
Washington: Diggs, White, Kinlaw
Dallas: Lamb, Ferguson, Prescott, Winters, Aubrey

Injuries
Washington: Daniels (elbow), Cosmi (concussion), Kinlaw (shoulder), Coleman (finger)
Dallas: Lock (foot), Durant (hamstring)

Crowd: 93,188 at AT&T Stadium