Cowboys at Redskins game prediction: A repeat of Week 1?

After an impressive win over a divisional foe, the Dallas Cowboys take their show on the road in hopes to duplicate their Week 1 success. Can they do so?

Last week, the Dallas Cowboys were unquestionably one of the most impressive teams out of the block. The offense racked up nearly 500 total yards and 35 points. Over 400 yards of that total came through the air. There was balance with 32 pass attempts and 30 rushes.

The defense showed up, especially on the money downs. On third down, the Dallas defense got off the field nine of eleven times. On fourth down, they stopped their opponent 67 percent of the time.

The trick for this team is to repeat these successes week to week. Today offers that opportunity for the Dallas Cowboys to show the football world they are up to the task. Once again, they face a divisional foe. Once again, they are favored to win.

The difference this time is that they take their new offensive show on the road. Week 2 has the Dallas Cowboys facing the Washington Redskins. While you should always respect your opponent, there is no reason why Dallas should not continue to look dominate.

The Dallas Cowboys are 8-1 in their last nine NFC East showdowns. That one loss came last year at FedExField against Washington. That loss was largely due to sloppy play. Dallas turned the ball over twice and forced none from Washington. The Cowboys allowed four sacks yet only got Washington’s quarterback to the ground once.

The Cowboys gave away a touchdown, fumbling while backed up against their own goal. They missed a game-tying field goal. Basically, they could not have played much worse, yet they were still in it until the end.

Here’s why that same result will not occur. Receiver Amari Cooper was not on that field last October. The offense has looked far different with him wearing a star on his helmet. In the last five regular season games, Dallas has scored 27 or more points with Cooper as a Cowboy four times.

It may just be one game, but this offense is definitely different with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in place. The pre-snap motion. The usage of formations that put pressure on the defense and the willingness to attack downfield. The Cowboys are still largely predicated on their ability to run the football, but they are no longer bound to it.

Speaking of different, it’s clear that quarterback Dak Prescott is different. He looks comfortable, confident and free. Just like Cooper, Prescott has been on fire in four of the last five regular season games. Prescott has completed 74 percent of his passes, throwing 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions, while posting two 400+ yard games and a passer rating of 121.7 in these contests.

Washington is also coming into this game, already banged up and missing three key players. Tight end Jordan Reed, running back Derrius Guice and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen are all out. Playing Dallas without your best defensive lineman and two offensive contributors to an already weak offense is not a good recipe for success.

I believe the Dallas Cowboys move to 2-0 at the end of the afternoon. The game may not be as big of a blowout as you might expect, but the win should be convincing. I have Dallas beating the Washington Redskins, 30-20.