The history between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders is entering its 67th season, with their 133rd meeting set for Week 2.
For a rivalry treated with such reverence, it's hardly been a back-and-forth struggle. Dallas has mostly dominated its longtime division foe, and they could certainly use another victory in Sunday's critical matchup.
Cowboys lead Commanders 81-49-2 in all-time series
Last week, we talked about Dallas' longstanding dominance over the Giants. It's even slightly higher against Washington: a 63.1% winning percentage against the Commanders/Football Team/Redskins versus 61.7 against New York. The Cowboys' record against the Eagles come in well below both at 55.4%, so it's clear who their favorite punching bag is in the NFC East.
In fact, Dallas' all-time record against Washington is one of its best among all NFL teams. Only the Panthers (75%), Buccaneers (70%), Bengals (66.7%), Colts (64.7%), and Jets (64.3%) have had tougher histories with America's Team.
As with the Giants, the Cowboys and Commanders have been meeting annually since Dallas' first season in 1960. They became division rivals in 1961 and have played mostly twice a year ever since, plus a few postseason meetings.
When Dallas was still an expansion team, Washington started their all-time series 3-1-2 record. But as the Cowboys began to find their first stride as a franchise, the wins against the then-called Redskins started rolling in.
A six-game Dallas win streak from 1968-1970 helped balance the all-time record, and the two would continue to trade blows for much of the 70s and 80s.
The Cowboys' dominance over Washington has come in its more modern eras. Surprisingly, they split their 12 games from 1991-1996, when Dallas won its three "Dynasty" Super Bowls. But in 1997, two years before Dan Snyder bought the Washington franchise, Dallas started a 14-2 run to take a big lead in the all-time series.
The next big run started in 2013 and continues to this day. Those last few Tony Romo-led Cowboys teams went 4-2 against Washington, and Dallas has since gone 15-5 against them after Dak Prescott became QB1. Of those five losses, only two were in games that Prescott started. The others were either when he was out injured or sitting in a meaningless late-season game.
Signature Moment: Cowboys ruin Joe Theismann's birthday
There are so many great moments in this storied rivalry. Times when both teams played the spoiler to the other, either by ending playoff runs or pulling off shocking upsets. Or, they were simply both involved in important franchise moments.
When the 1989 Cowboys went 1-15, Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones' first season as coach and owner, their one victory came on the road in Washington. Roger Staubach's final regular-season game in Dallas in 1979 was a heroic comeback against the Skins. When DaRon Bland broke the pick-six record in 2023, who else could it have been against but the Commanders?
Washington has inflicted its own wounds, too. They twice defeated Dallas in NFC Championship games, in 1982 and 1972. That '82 team would go on to win the Super Bowl. Washington also won the famous 1987 contest during the Players Strike, using a roster made up entirely of replacement players while some of the Cowboys true talent had crossed the picket line.
But rivalries are for fans, and there's one moment that stands out the most for fan involvement. In the 1985 season opener, the Redskins met Dallas in Texas Stadium. Washington's legendary QB Joe Theismann was celebrating his 36th birthday, but it was the Cowboys who received all the gifts.
Theismann threw five interceptions in one of his, and any other quarterback's, all-time worst games. Dallas crushed Washington 44-14, and Cowboys fans mockingly serenaded Theismann with "Happy Birthday" songs. It wasn't the most meaningful Dallas-Washington game in terms of postseason stakes or individual records, but it best shows why this is one of the most cherished rivalries for the most important people involved, the fans.
Last Time Around: Malik Davis saves Christmas
The last installment of the rivalry was last year's Christmas Day game in Washington. There nothing on the line but pride: the Commanders were 4-11 going in, and Dallas had just been eliminated from playoff contention the week before at 6-8-1.
Nevertheless, with a national audience watching, both teams came to play. The Commanders were down to veteran Josh Johnson at QB with Jayden Daniels out, and were down 24-10 at halftime, but narrowed the lead to just seven points going into the fourth quarter.
Thankfully, the Cowboys refocused and held on to win. It was a career day for backup RB Malik Davis, who had 103 yards on 20 carries, WR KaVontae Turpin only had one catch but made the most of it: an 86-yard touchdown bomb from Dak Prescott.
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