The Washington Commanders entered Week 7 hoping to prove they could hang with one of the NFC’s elite teams. Instead, they left Arlington searching for answers after a humiliating 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. It's a game that quickly spiraled out of control following the injury to star quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Week 7 recap
What began with Washington briefly taking an 8-7 lead in the first quarter devolved into a masterclass in mistakes, miscommunication, and missed opportunities. The Commanders’ defense looked overmatched, the offense lost its rhythm once Daniels went down, and the Cowboys exploited every weakness. By the time Marcus Mariota’s pick-six to DaRon Bland sealed the outcome, the Commanders’ sideline looked shell-shocked.
The result dropped Washington to 3-4 on the season and left fans wondering whether this team’s early promise was fool’s gold. With Daniels’ hamstring injury adding a major concern for the weeks ahead, the Commanders are now staring down a crossroads in their 2025 campaign.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the Washington Commanders most to blame for their Week 7 loss to Dallas Cowboys.
Offensive line caves in again
For all the offseason investments made in protecting their young quarterback, Washington’s offensive line continues to underdeliver. The return of right guard Sam Cosmi was supposed to stabilize the trenches. Against Dallas’ ferocious front, though, the unit collapsed.
The Cowboys dictated the tone early. They consistently won at the point of attack. The Dallas pass rush penetrated at will, collapsing the pocket and forcing Daniels into hurried decisions. The result? A strip-sack fumble on the first drive of the second half that both cost Washington possession and left their quarterback limping off the field.
Mariota’s entry didn’t improve matters. The line’s communication broke down on blitz pickups. The Cowboys pinned their ears back and blitzed freely on passing downs. That reflected a line that failed to create any consistent rhythm or balance.
Head coach Dan Quinn’s plan to lean on play-action and zone runs was rendered useless by constant backfield penetration. For a line rebuilt to protect and control tempo, Sunday’s showing was a glaring reason why this offense remains inconsistent week to week.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt: missed opportunities on the ground
When your opponent’s front seven is aggressive, the best way to slow them down is through consistent, effective running. Unfortunately for Washington, Jacory Croskey-Merritt couldn’t deliver. Despite a handful of early carries, he never found a groove. Croskey-Merritt finished with just 33 yards on 13 attempts.
It wasn’t for lack of chances. The Cowboys’ defense entered this game vulnerable to the run, as evidenced by their struggles in recent weeks. However, Croskey-Merritt lacked vision and patience. He too often ran into traffic or bounced outside prematurely. By the second quarter, Washington had abandoned the run entirely. This forced Daniels and later Mariota to shoulder the offensive load.
Croskey-Merritt’s inability to generate chunk plays early made the Commanders’ offense predictable. This allowed Dallas to sit on routes and blitz aggressively. Washington’s inability to establish balance doomed them long before the fourth quarter.
Marshon Lattimore’s nightmare afternoon
On a day full of defensive breakdowns, Marshon Lattimore stood out for all the wrong reasons. Tasked with shadowing CeeDee Lamb for much of the afternoon, Lattimore was repeatedly burned in coverage and flagged twice for pass interference.
The defining moment came early in the first quarter. That's when Lattimore and safety Quan Martin collided mid-play. This allowed Lamb to stroll into the end zone for a 74-yard touchdown. That mental lapse set the tone for what became a disastrous day for the Commanders’ secondary.
Lattimore’s struggles also allowed multiple third-down completions to George Pickens in intermediate zones. Those extended drives that should have ended. The veteran corner just looked a step slow and out of sync.
For a defense that prided itself on physicality and discipline, Lattimore’s miscues were emblematic of a unit that lacked both. If Washington has playoff aspirations, this secondary must tighten up quickly.
Chris Moore’s vanishing act
Chris Moore’s up-and-down season continued with another frustrating performance. After showing flashes of reliability in recent weeks, Moore reverted to old habits. They dropped catchable passes and struggled to create separation. He was targeted five times and caught just two passes for 59 yards. Neary all of that production came on a single 44-yard grab early in the first quarter.
Moore’s inconsistency has become a growing concern for an already depleted receiver group. With Terry McLaurin drawing double coverage and Jahan Dotson still working back from injury, Washington needs veterans like Moore to step up—not disappear. Instead, his lack of focus and execution killed several drives.
As the season wears on, the Commanders will have to seriously reconsider Moore’s role in the offense. Dependability is everything for a unit this fragile. His lapses continue to hurt more than they help.
When discipline breaks down, everything follows
Beyond individual performances, this loss felt like a team-wide failure in fundamentals and focus. The Commanders committed eight penalties for 89 yards. Several of those came in critical moments. Missed tackles, blown assignments, and poor communication plagued both sides of the ball.
The defense gave up 416 total yards, and the offense turned the ball over three times. These are symptoms of a team struggling with identity and consistency.
Coach Dan Quinn called the defeat “a humbling experience” and emphasized accountability in his postgame comments. But with the team now under .500 and facing a tough stretch of games ahead, words alone won’t fix what’s broken.
Looking ahead
The Commanders’ playoff hopes aren’t dead, but their margin for error is shrinking fast. The silver lining? Jayden Daniels’ injury doesn’t appear season-ending. That said, his status for next week remains uncertain.
Still, this team must address its deeper issues. These start with discipline, protection, and composure. The loss to Dallas was about Washington failing to execute when it mattered. Until that changes, the Commanders will remain stuck in the NFL’s middle class.
