Washington
Commanders
0-1
21
FINAL
49
Dallas
Cowboys
1-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 2 matchup of the 2026 season, the Dallas Cowboys topped the Washington Commanders with a commanding score of 49-21. This victory not only boosts the Cowboys' confidence early in the season but also positions them as contenders looking to make a statement in the NFC.
Leading the charge for Dallas was quarterback Matthew Stafford, who showcased his elite arm with 370 passing yards and five touchdown passes, proving to be virtually unstoppable. Complementing Stafford's aerial assault was Justin Jefferson, who racked up 121 receiving yards, while Christian McCaffrey contributed solidly on the ground with 68 rushing yards, adding balance to the offense.
On the defensive side, the Cowboys' playmaking ability was on full display, particularly with Jeremy Chinn's remarkable three interceptions that shifted momentum and stifled Washington's attempts to get back into the game. The turning point came in the second quarter when Chinn's first pick led to another touchdown for Dallas, effectively putting the Commanders on their heels for the remainder of the contest. Despite Colton Hood's efforts with five tackles for Washington, the Cowboys’ defense overwhelmed their opponents, sealing a dominant performance.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | QB | 28 | 25 | 89% | 370 | 5 | 2 | 128.5 |
| Haynes King | QB | 22 | 7 | 32% | 126 | 0 | 5 | 12.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey | HB | 10 | 68 | 6.8 | 56 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| Haynes King | QB | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 4 | 17 | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Derius Davis | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Jauan Jennings | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| George Kittle | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 5 | 121 | 24.2 | 23 | 2 | 50 | 0 |
| Derius Davis | WR | 4 | 100 | 25.0 | 27 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 8 | 91 | 11.4 | 25 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| George Kittle | TE | 8 | 75 | 9.4 | 30 | 2 | 31 | 0 |
| Ricky Pearsall | WR | 2 | 46 | 23.0 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | HB | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 22 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Adonai Mitchell | WR | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Kayshon Boutte | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Chinn | SS | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Riley Moss | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Colton Hood | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Stephens | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kyler Gordon | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Hancock | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre Hawkins III | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Marlon Humphrey | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathon Cooper | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tarvarius Moore | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy II | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malaki Starks | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jevon Holland | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Winston Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ernest Jones IV | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Paul Jr | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nolan Smith Jr | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Szmyt | K | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |

