Is there any such thing as a must-win game in Week 2? Probably not, but it's also not an exaggeration to say that the Dallas Cowboys' season could spiral if they don't beat the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon.
The New York Giants flipped the script and punched Dallas in the mouth in Week 1. How the Cowboys respond versus Washington will tell us a lot about how this season will unfold.
In any event, let's get into the latest Cowboys happenings as the team heads into a gotta-have-it contest
- Latest on the Jaishawn Barham ordeal
- Quick Slants
- Must-see Cowboys quotes
- Who's under the most pressure in Week 2?
- Must-see Cowboys stories from around the web
Latest on the Jaishawn Barham ordeal
Jaishawn Barham has been a hot topic in the aftermath of the Cowboys' loss after a clip circulated of him giving questionable effort late in the fourth quarter against the Giants with Dallas trailing by just one score.
Later in the week, another clip surfaced of Christian Parker consoling an emotional Barham on the Cowboys' sideline. The rookie linebacker seemingly did not want to hear what Parker had to say and walked away. It blew up on social media, with folks slandering both Parker and Barham.
"Parker can't even get through to his players" and "Barham is a headcase" were the gist of the hot takes being thrown around. Parker, though, downplayed the exchange during his media availability.
“I think he was frustrated," Parker said, via The Athletic's Jon Machota. "It was his first NFL game. Things aren’t going to be perfect. This isn’t a fairytale at all. Jaishawn cares as much as anybody in that locker room about us winning, No. 1, but No. 2 our defensive performance.
“He was a little frustrated with himself and frustrated with our side of the ball (with how) we played. I don’t think anyone in our building has any doubt about what he’s gonna do coming real soon.
We don’t have any reservations about his mentality. We welcome that passion. Have to channel it better. That’s something that young players have to go through. It’s a natural progression ... We got a lot of confidence in Jaishawn.”
Consider the damage control complete, though Cowboys fans will be keeping a close eye on Barham against the Commanders. It's great that he cares, but he has to keep a cooler head during adversity.
Quick Slants
Your late-week dose of Cowboys news, injury updates, and other notable developments.
Cowboys re-sign Israel Abanikanda to the practice squad
The Cowboys waived Abanikanda earlier this week after signing running back Tyler Goodson off the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad. Since Goodson went straight to the active roster -- the case when players are signed off of practice squads -- Dallas had to make a corresponding move, and Abanikanda drew the short straw.
As expected, though, Abanikanda was quickly brought back to the practice squad, further signaling that the Cowboys still value what he brings to the RB room despite bumping him from the 53-man roster.
Brian Schottenheimer confirms Barham will start at MIKE
This was the expectation all along, but Schottenheimer announced on Friday that Jaishawn Barham will start at MIKE linebacker in place of DeMarvion Overshown, who's expected to miss 1-2 weeks with a hamstring strain.
Barham will also begin Sunday's matchup against the Commanders wearing the green dot as the defense's main communicator.
Don't be surprised if Barham wears the green dot for the entire game. The Cowboys didn't really experiment with Dee Winters in that role this summer, and Shemar James, who barely saw the field in Week 1, is the only other candidate.
This is a big test for Barham, who made waves this week after he walked away from Christian Parker while the Cowboys' DC was coaching him up on the sideline against the Giants. He was Dallas' best linebacker in Week 1, but he also made his fair share of rookie mistakes.
Must-see Cowboys quotes
Jerry Jones is adamant that the defense will play better:
"The improvement from where we played on Sunday [on defense] will be there … I’ll go on record saying that," Jones told 105.3 The Fan.
On one hand, there's a minuscule chance Dallas' defense plays worse than it did against New York. The Cowboys allowed a higher EPA per play than the Carolina Panthers, who surrendered 59 points to the Chicago Bears. The Giants weren't nearly as explosive as Chicago, which resulted in more plays and prolonged the misery, but that stat paints a pretty damning picture.
On the other hand, why even make that kind of statement with your team's back against the wall? Maybe Jones thinks he's lighting a fire under the defense, but nothing good can come from guaranteeing a better performance. He had better be right.
Quinnen Williams critical of his Week 1 performance:
"I think I did decent, man, but the player that I am, man, I can do more," Williams said. "The group that we have, we can do more. The player I am, I can do more. I could be more disruptive in the backfield; I can be more disruptive when it comes down to gap and a half and making plays and different things like that. I just watch the film, learn and grow from it."
Williams is his own harshest critic. He did a lot of good things against the Giants, but he was the first to admit that he didn't play up to the standard he (and others) have set for him.
The Cowboys don't need Williams to dominate every week to field a competent defense, but it sure would go a long way. And when you're paid like one of the best defensive players in football, dominance is the expectation.
George Pickens addresses his two drops vs. the Giants
"It's football. You're gonna have something here. You're gonna have something there. But you definitely wanna limit those and to make the big plays, because that's what I know what I'm capable of. Football is football, and I'm just trying to get better."
That's the right mindset, but like Williams, the Cowboys need Pickens to be better. While the defense deserves the biggest share of blame, Pickens' two drops loomed large in a game that Dallas ultimately lost by one possession. The second drop was soul-crushing.
Pickens' second drop came on a deep ball from Dak Prescott that was placed perfectly. On the next play, Prescott threw an interception that the Giants turned into seven points. Pickens might have scored a touchdown had he caught the pass. It was a 14-point swing.
Who's under the most pressure in Week 2?
Power-ranking the Cowboys who face the most pressure to perform vs. Washington
1. Brian Schottenheimer and Christian Parker
The Cowboys need better from both of their leaders. Schottenheimer coached way too conservatively in Week 1, while Parker was overmatched by Greg Roman and Matt Nagy. More conviction and more organization, pretty please with a cherry on top.
2. George Pickens
We can't recall Pickens dropping a single pass during training camp. He caught everything, making his Week 1 performance all the more stunning. He's going to be better, and the Commanders present a get-right matchup. With Dallas badly needing a victory, Pickens had better show up.
3. Rashan Gary
We saw the physicality from Gary that was promised, but his overall impact against New York was minimal. He finished with one defensive stop, two pressures, two quarterback hits, and a 47.4 PFF run-defense grade. Donovan Ezeiruaku was significantly better.
4. Dak Prescott
Prescott's 89.3 QBR in Week 1 was among the best of any quarterback. He played extremely well, but his interception before halftime completely flipped the momentum. Nobody could have anticipated Dallas getting just two possessions in the second half, but that's why Prescott had to make every opportunity count. The Cowboys need him at the top of his game against Washington.
5. DaRon Bland
Bland was responsible for the miscommunication on Isaiah Likely's touchdown grab at the end of the first half. He was solid otherwise, tallying five defensive stops and allowing just 38 yards in coverage. As CB1, though, he can't be the only one not on the same page with his teammates at a crucial moment in the game. Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs will make him pay.
Must-see Cowboys stories from around the web
- Cowboys’ defensive woes support ultra-aggressive offensive strategy (Cowboys Wire)
Reid Hanson of Cowboys Wire dives deep into Brian Schottenheimer's decision to punt on 4th-and-inches from Dallas' 37 on the game's opening drive. Given that the defense may need time to settle into Christian Parker's scheme, Hanson believes Schotty should coach more aggressively in the weeks to come.
- Ranking every 0-1 team in the NFL by their playoff chances (FanSided)
Wynston Wilcox of Fansided ranked all 16 teams that started 0-1 by their playoff chances. Even though Dallas dropped the ball in Week 1, Wilcox still believes this is a "good team."
History says Cowboys can bounce back against the Commanders (Blogging The Boys)
Vibes surrounding the Cowboys might be low, but Mike Poland of Blogging The Boys believes America's Team will bounce back in Week 2, citing Dallas' dominance over Washington since Dak Prescott took over as the starting quarterback in 2016. The last time these teams met in Jerry World, the Cowboys put on an offensive clinic, scoring 44 points and racking up over 400 total yards.
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