3 Cowboys Players Who MUST Step Up Against The Commanders
0 views · September 17th, 2026
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The Dallas Cowboys have no time to dwell on their Week 1 loss to the New York Giants.
Washington is next, and Mauricio Rodriguez believes three Cowboys defenders MUST step up if Dallas wants to avoid falling to 0-2.
That urgency matters because the Cowboys' schedule gets significantly more difficult after Week 2, with upcoming games against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, the Houston Texans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. Dallas entered the season with one of the NFL's toughest schedules, so the Cowboys need results early.
The first player under pressure is rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham.
Mauricio acknowledges that it is unfair to put a third-round rookie in this position, especially after Barham played edge rusher at Michigan last season. But after DeMarvion Overshown suffered an injury, Barham is now the Cowboys' primary option at Mike linebacker.
That means he'll be responsible for communicating the defense, playing with the green dot and handling a much larger role than Dallas originally expected.
Barham had some difficult moments during his NFL debut against the Giants, making his Week 2 assignment even more important.
The second player is rookie safety Caleb Downs.
With Malik Hooker unavailable, Downs is expected to take on an even larger role in the Cowboys' defense. Dallas wants Downs playing close to the line of scrimmage, where he can contribute as a tackler and blitzer.
But Washington presents a difficult test.
The Commanders have Jayden Daniels at quarterback and Stefon Diggs at wide receiver. Diggs showed in Week 1 that he can create problems for opposing defensive backs, and Mauricio expects Washington to target him frequently.
Downs doesn't need to be perfect.
He needs to respond quickly when he gives up a play and make enough positive plays to keep the matchup competitive.
Finally, Quinnen Williams needs a bounce-back performance.
Williams admitted that he didn't play his best football against the Giants, and Mauricio agrees after reviewing the film.
Williams was not the biggest problem on the Cowboys' defense, but Dallas needs much more from its highest-profile defensive tackle.
Fortunately, Washington's offensive line may provide the perfect opportunity.
Mauricio believes the Commanders' interior offensive line showed vulnerability against Philadelphia, particularly at left guard and center. If Williams and Kenny Clark can consistently reset the line of scrimmage, Dallas' linebackers should have much cleaner opportunities to make plays.
That could be especially important for Barham.
If Quinnen Williams dominates up front, he can make life easier for the rookie linebacker behind him.
If Caleb Downs makes enough plays against Washington's passing game, Dallas' defense can survive some of its youth.
And if Jaishawn Barham handles the Mike linebacker responsibilities, the Cowboys may have enough pieces to bounce back.
Mauricio breaks down all three players and explains why each one is critical to Dallas' Week 2 matchup against the Washington Commanders.
Who needs to step up the most?
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0:00 3 Cowboys who MUST step up vs. Washington
0:48 Why 0-2 would be a major problem
1:09 No. 1: Jaishawn Barham
2:13 Why Barham has no choice
2:50 No. 2: Caleb Downs
3:43 Downs' expanded defensive role
4:51 Why Stefon Diggs is a HUGE test
5:59 What Dallas needs from Downs
6:29 No. 3: Quinnen Williams
7:15 Why Quinnen needs a bounce-back
7:40 Washington's offensive line weakness
8:36 Why Quinnen can make Barham's job easier
9:00 Final thoughts
#DallasCowboys #Cowboys #Commanders #NFL #CowboysNation #JaydenDaniels
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