The Washington Commanders are preparing for an NFC East showdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. The Commanders have an opportunity to wrest control of the division from the suddenly vulnerable Philadelphia Eagles. And the Cowboys present an exploitable matchup for Washington’s offense. Unfortunately, the Commanders' offense has been decimated by injuries.
Jayden Daniels recovered from a knee sprain that cost him two games in September. But Terry McLaurin hasn't healed up from a quad injury suffered against the Las Vegas Raiders. On Sunday, Daniels will be missing his top two pass catchers. McLaurin will sit out his fourth straight game and Deebo Samuel was ruled out with a heel injury.
However, the Pro Bowl passer won’t be relying solely on backups in Week 7. Old reliable Zach Ertz is banged up but he's expected to play against the Cowboys, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Zach Ertz set to help Commanders exploit Dallas defense
Like most of the Commanders’ offensive weapons, Ertz is injured. The veteran tight end is dealing with shoulder and calf ailments that earned him a questionable tag for Sunday. But the team anticipates Ertz suiting up and playing through the injuries against Dallas.
The three-time Pro Bowler has taken the field in all six games for the Commanders so far this season, playing 64 percent of offensive snaps. Since arriving in Washington prior to the 2024 season, Ertz has played all 23 games, establishing himself as a reliable target for Daniels.
And Ertz will likely get all the targets he can handle in Week 7 with McLaurin and Samuel sidelined.
The Commanders are eager to put a brutal Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears behind them. Washington was unable to close out a 24-16 fourth quarter lead in the Monday Night Football matchup.
The Commanders committed three turnovers in Week 6. But Daniels’ critical fumble with three minutes remaining proved the most costly of the bunch. The second-year passer lost the ball on a handoff attempt and Chicago recovered. The Bears then drained the clock before hitting the game-winning field goal as time expired.
After a brilliant rookie season, Daniels has yet to find his footing in 2025. The sophomore QB hasn’t topped 235 passing yards in a game. But a date with the Cowboys’ league-worst defense could get Daniels and the Commanders' offense on track.
