Prescott Passes Romo as Cowboys Handle Commanders 37-20 — and Washington Loses Daniels
Dak Prescott threw four touchdown passes to break Tony Romo's franchise record, but the night's most consequential moment was Jayden Daniels being carted off with a dislocated elbow just before halftime.
Dallas got a franchise record and a needed win on Sunday. Washington may have lost far more than a game. The Cowboys beat the Commanders 37-20 to even their record at 1-1, while Washington fell to 0-2 and watched quarterback Jayden Daniels leave on a cart, per CBS Sports.
Dak's record night
Dak Prescott was close to flawless: 26 completions for 279 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. His second scoring pass to CeeDee Lamb was the 249th touchdown pass of his career, moving him past Tony Romo's franchise record of 248. Lamb finished with eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns, tight end Jake Ferguson added scoring grabs of 10 and 12 yards, and Brandon Aubrey drilled a 60-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, per the team's recap. Prescott is now 8-0 at home against Washington, the team noted.
Three seconds before halftime
The game — and possibly Washington's season — turned on its final snap of the second quarter. With three seconds left in the half, Daniels dislocated his left (non-throwing) elbow when a teammate stepped on his foot as he retreated from center, his arm bending awkwardly as he braced his fall. He was carted off; imaging later showed no fracture, according to CBS Sports, which noted Daniels missed most of last season with a similar injury.
Marcus Mariota relieved him and was serviceable — 11-of-16 for 111 yards and a 20-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs, who scored twice on the night — but Washington never seriously threatened after the break. Dallas rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham forced a third-quarter fumble that helped keep the Commanders at arm's length.
What it means
The box score carries a warning for Dallas: Washington outgained the Cowboys 389 to 332, and the Dallas run game managed just 66 yards on 21 carries. Efficiency — four red-zone finishes and zero turnovers — is what separated the teams. For Washington, everything now waits on the medical reports. An 0-2 start is survivable; an extended absence for Daniels would change the shape of the NFC East race entirely.