It's admittedly difficult to pin a Week 7 contest as a must-win, but games in the middle of the season don't get much bigger than the Dallas Cowboys' showdown against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
The Cowboys blew an opportunity in Week 6 to gain ground on the Commanders and Eagles, who both lost and look far from the juggernauts they were last season. The Commanders especially look very unspectacular, and that came to a head in their Monday night loss to the Bears, where they committed three turnovers and made just one trip inside the red zone.
While star wide receiver Terry McLaurin is trending toward returning after a three-game absence, Washington may be without standout pass rusher and former Cowboy, Dorance Armstrong, who's been nursing a hamstring injury.
Cowboys would catch a huge break if Commanders DE Dorance Armstrong misses Week 7
"I think there's always concern," head coach Dan Quinn said about Armstrong's injury. "He was able to do the walkthrough (on Wednesday), so I was encouraged by that. But I'll have a better feel for him tomorrow as we get a little more movement."
Armstrong was in and out of Washington's loss to the Bears, and now a short week has him racing the clock to get cleared by Sunday. The fickle nature of hamstring injuries puts Quinn and the Commanders' coaching staff in a tough spot. One sprint or sudden move could aggravate the injury, and just like that, Armstrong could be looking at a long-term absence
The Cowboys would catch a huge break if Armstrong can't go. The 28-year-old is in the midst of a breakout season in year two of a three-year, $33 million deal he signed with Washington in the 2024 offseason.
Armstrong is fifth in the NFL with 5.5 sacks, tied for sixth with seven tackles for loss, and tied for 21st with 22 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. No other Commanders defender has more than 12 pressures, and he has six more hurries (15) than the next-closest defender.
The former fourth-round pick has also been impactful against the run, ranking seventh among EDGE defenders with a 77.5 run-defense grade and tied for seventh with eight run stops.
The Commanders have some big names on their defense, like Bobby Wagner, Von Miller, Marshon Lattimore, and Frankie Luvu, but Armstrong is the engine of the defensive front.
In a game where the Cowboys will likely struggle to slow down Jayden Daniels and Washington's offense, they'll need every competitive edge they can get. Not having to face Armstrong would be a big win.