Game Preview, Week 7: Washington at Dallas Cowboys
October 18, 2025
by Steve Thomas
Well, last week didn’t go well, did it? After losing in fairly negative fashion to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football last week, Washington looks to rebound against their Hated division rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. Whether or not that actually happens, of course, depends on a variety of circumstances which we’ll get into, but the bottom line is that Washington needs to figure it out, quickly, or risk the season start to slip away. Neither the offense nor the defense has performed up to expectations so far this year, with the exception of two weeks ago against the Chargers, and despite their record, Dallas isn’t the team to tempt fate with. That having been said, the Cowboys are really beat up and have a ton of injuries right now. Can the good guys return from the abyss and win this game? I’m honestly not sure, but here’s to hoping they come out with some intensity and give it their best effort. Our game preview is below.
Game time & location: Sunday, October 19, 2025, 4:25 p.m. ET, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas; Gates open at 1:25 p.m. CT; parking lots open at 11:25 a.m.
Television: FOX
Television announcers: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
TV broadcast map: Click here
DC-area radio: BIG-100 (WBIG FM)
Washington radio network: Click here
Cowboys radio network: Click here
Satellite radio: SiriusXM: 382 (Wash. broad.); SiriusXM internet: 831 (Wash. broad.); internet: 831
Washington roster: Click here
Washington depth chart: Click here
Cowboys roster: Click here
Cowboys depth chart: Click here
All-time head-to-head record vs Cowboys: 47 – 79 – 2 (last 10: 4 – 6)
Last meeting: W, January 5, 2025, 23 – 19
Cowboys record: 2 – 3 – 1 (3rd place) / NFC: 1 – 3 – 1 / NFC East 1 – 1 / Home: 1 – 0 – 1
Washington record: 3 – 3 (2nd place) / NFC: 1 – 3 / NFC East 1 – 0 / Away: 1 – 2
Early odds: Washington, -2.5
3 KEYS TO THE GAME
Pressure on Dak Prescott
The fact of the matter is that, despite their record, Dallas has a dangerous offense that has been in a number of shootouts this year. Quarterback Dak Prescott has only been sacked 7 times this season, which is tied for fifth-least in the NFL. Washington has been good with sacks so far this season – they have 18, which is ranked 6th, but they’ve been bad in overall pressure percentage, which is a measure of overall pressure put on quarterbacks, including pressure, sacks, and hits. Washington fans may not want to admit it, but Prescott has been very good this year – better than Jayden Daniels – and Washington needs to consider him a serious threat in order to have a chance to win. Prescott has put the Cowboys into positions to win several games this year only to have his defense mess it up.
Quality secondary coverage
Washington’s secondary has for the most part been less than ideal so far this year. This week, they are facing a team with a quality receiver in George Pickens as well as a highly productive tight end, Jake Ferguson. Washington’s corners and safeties have blown way too many assignments this season, and it needs to end now in order to keep a shootout from happening this week. Marshon Lattimore was fairly quiet last week, and that needs to remain so. Washington’s coaching staff needs to come up with a solid gameplan for this group. I don’t know what that could possibly be, mind you, just that it needs to happen. This is a huge key to this game.
Eliminate turnovers
Washington killed themselves last week against the Bears with three turnovers. Specifically, Jacory Croskey-Merritt has to stop fumbling. No team can win many games when they give the ball up without getting a bunch of turnovers on defense. This is particularly true with an offense as explosive as Dallas’ has been at times this season. Let’s not give them extra chances, please, Washington.
3 KEY MATCHUPS
Josh Conerly Jr. vs Dante Fowler
This battle should be interesting,, because it puts Washington’s leading pass rusher in 2024 against the team’s underperforming 2024 first round pick. I don’t think Fowler holds any particular ill-will against Washington, but this nevertheless is a pretty high profile matchup. Fowler may very well take advantage of Conerly. Fowler hasn’t produced much in his six games so far this season, but it would be a very Washington this to happen for Fowler to play with a vengeance against Conerly in a game that Washington needs to win.
With Terry McLaurin out for another week, and Trevon Diggs out with a knee injury and concussion, this matchup becomes the #1 receiver by default versus the #1 corner by default. This is, of course, assuming Samuel plays on Sunday, because he’s listed as questionable on Sunday himself. Washington very much needs Samuel to produce in order to keep up with the Cowboys’ high-powered offense, so look for Washington to – hopefully – take advantage of the fact that Dallas’ star corner won’t be on the field.
Bobby Wagner vs. Jake Ferguson
The truth is that I very much don’t want to see this matchup happen much. Wagner has shown his age at times this year, and Ferguson is Dallas’ leading receiver as measured by total receptions. Wagner probably doesn’t need to be doing much in coverage anymore, but as the starting middle linebacker, it’s inevitable. Pay attention to whether Dallas designs its plays to intentionally put Ferguson into Wagner’s coverage zones during this game. If that happens, there’s a chance that this might not go well.
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT (active roster only)
LP – limited practice FP – full practice DNP – did not practice
NIR – not injury related Q – questionable O – out
D – doubtful
| Washington | Cowboys |
| WR T. McLaurin, quad; Wed: LP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | CB T. Diggs, knee/concussion; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| DE D. Armstrong, hamstring; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: Q | G T. Keegan, neck; Wed: LP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| G S. Cosmi, knee; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP; game: | CB C. Carson, knee; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP; game: Q |
| TE Z. Ertz, shoulder, calf; Wed: DNP; Thurs: FP; Fri: LP; game: Q | T A. Cornelius, knee/knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| CB J. Jones, hamstring; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP; game: Q | DE M. Kneeland, ankle; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| WR D. Samuel, heel; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: LP; game: O | WR J. Mingo, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP; game: Q |
| QB J. Daniels, knee; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | DT M. Smith, ankle; Wed: NL; Thurs; NL; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| LB A. Kaho, illness; Wed: NL; Thurs: DNP; Fri: FP | S J. Thomas, migrane; Wed: NL; Thurs: LP; Fri: DNP; game: Q |
| RB C. Rodriguez, calf; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: FP | G T. Booke, ankle; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP |
| DE D. Jackson, knee: Wed: DNP; Thurs; to IR | DE J. Houston, knee; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP |
| WR C. Lamb, ankle; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP | |
| LB J. Sanborn, concussion; Wed: LP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | |
| G T. Smith, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP | |
| WR K. Turpin, foot; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP | |
| S D. Wilson, elbow, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP |
Steve’s Prediction
Sorry kids. Dallas wins this one, 34 – 24.
Activated from PUP list
G Sam Cosmi
Activated from IR
CB Jonathan Jones
Elevated
WR Robbie Chosen
DT Sheldon Day