Two weeks after it seemed the sky was falling for the Dallas Cowboys, suddenly, there is a very real chance the franchise is the second-best team in the division. This is due to a myriad of injuries to the Washington Commanders as well as the emergence of an elite offensive attack. While there are still obvious improvements needed from the defense of Matt Eberflus, the door is ajar with the most recent injury updates illustrating why.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Noah Brown, Sam Cosmi, and Terry McLaurin have all been ruled out for Sunday's game. On top of this, quarterback Jayden Daniels is coming off an injury and a bit of a question mark, while star offseason addition Deebo Samuel has consistently missed practice throughout the week. Leaving zero questions that the Commanders are going to be decided underdogs against a Los Angeles Chargers team coming off a surprising loss to the New York Giants. With this in mind, Dallas has an opportunity to catch up with a division rival.
Cowboys Given a Clear Opportunity by Division Rival's Frustrating Injuries
While you never root for injuries, they are an unfortunate part of the game and have clearly opened a chance for Dallas to establish itself as the best team in the division. The Cowboys are dealing with a long list of injury concerns themselves, but have weathered the storm, securing a tie with Green Bay a week ago and leaning on the offense to carry them.
This has left only a half-game difference between the two rivals, with this week appearing to be a chance for the Cowboys to pick up their second win of the season and elbow their way past a Commanders team that appears poised to lose to the Chargers in Week 5. If that happens, the franchise is right back in the playoff mix and has a clear argument as the second-best team in the division.
It wouldn't even be a debate if the defense of Eberflus could offer even close to league-average production. If the missing piece were to be unlocked suddenly, the Cowboys would go from a fringe contender to a potentially interesting matchup for anyone in the first round. This is simply based on an offense that, in the early going, has proven itself capable of scoring with anyone.
For Washington, it is unfortunate, but it has clearly pushed the franchise in the wrong direction a year after making a surprise run. It works in the favor of the Cowboys, giving the team a chance after appearing to be dead days into the season. The Commanders simply appear to lack the offensive firepower of a Dallas team that is better equipped to win through serious injuries. A great development for a fanbase that was overdue for positive developments after the last year of frustrations.