Dallas Cowboys Break Through With Victory Over Washington
In a much-needed turn of fortune, the Dallas Cowboys snapped a five-game losing streak with a decisive victory against the Washington Commanders in their Week 12 matchup. With a 4-7 record, the Cowboys are not in a position that many anticipated at the beginning of the season. However, there remains a sliver of hope for postseason play—an opportunity they could seize, given their relatively forgiving remaining schedule.
The Cowboys have been hampered by significant injuries this season, including the absence of their franchise quarterback and critical members of both their offensive and defensive lines. Despite these challenges, the team showed resilience in their recent performance. Brandin Cooks made his return from injured reserve, while DeMarcus Lawrence is expected to bolster the team's defensive lineup soon, adding to the team's growing sense of optimism.
Cooper Rush's Standout Performance
One of the game’s standout performances came from quarterback Cooper Rush. Rush completed 24 of his 32 passes, covering 247 yards and netting two touchdowns. His effort resulted in career-highs for both completion percentage (75%) and passer rating (117.6). This remarkable display underscores his capability on the field, even amidst a season fraught with difficulties.
Head coach Mike McCarthy reflected on the challenges faced by the coaching staff due to the team's injury woes: “As a staff, this is very challenging. As we've talked as a staff, we'll be better coaches because of this experience. I believe that. I've experienced it in the past. That's what this league's about. It's not about players getting injured. It's really when and who, the timing of it, getting the young guys ready to play as fast as possible. You have different levels of that each and every year. If you're going to coach in this league, you have to be able to coach through these times. I know all of us will be better for this experience.”
A Slim Path to the Playoffs
Despite the struggles, analysis from the SportsLine simulation model suggests a narrow 1.4% chance remains for the Cowboys to make a postseason appearance. Historically, teams that begin with a 4-7 record rarely find themselves in playoff contention; however, since 1990, seven teams have done exactly that. Notably, the 2023 Buccaneers found success after a similarly rocky start.
Dallas's upcoming opponents have a combined win percentage of .448, positioning the Cowboys with the eighth-easiest path forward according to Tankathon’s rankings. This offers a potential lifeline for Dallas as they push to improve their standing over the remaining games.
Building on Momentum
The players' confidence has visibly grown. Defensive back Jourdan Lewis expressed a renewed sense of unity within the team: “It feels like that because we know what we're doing. We know what we're doing, and guys are playing hard. We're executing the right way from all 11 of us on the field. So it feels good. ... We've been pretty good historically in the past. So we definitely have that confidence in each other that we can go out there and finish games.”
Lewis continued, “That's the plan. As a football player, as a competitor, we want to win games. We saw we were playing good ball the last few weeks. Everything as a team, it wasn't coming together. It came together in a better way last week, and I feel like that gave us the belief to say, 'We all can play good ball and win out.'”
The Cowboys' performance against the Commanders serves as a reminder that, despite past setbacks, the team remains capable of cohesive and spirited play. Whether this victory represents the dawn of a turnaround or merely a fleeting moment of success remains to be seen. However, the blend of skillful play by Cooper Rush and potential returns of key players like DeMarcus Lawrence and Brandin Cooks might be just what Dallas needs to salvage their season.
With the remaining schedule considered manageable, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether this rejuvenated spirit can carry the Cowboys into an improbable postseason berth.