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Cowboys at Redskins: 3 things we learned

By Matt Couden

Jan 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) in action during the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. The Redskins defeat the Cowboys 34-23. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) in action during the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. The Redskins defeat the Cowboys 34-23. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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A look back at Sunday’s Cowboys at Redskins game and three big takeaways from their 2016 NFL regular season matchup in Week 2.

On Sunday afternoon, NFC East rivals competed in Landover, Maryland. It was the second-straight home game for the Redskins, and a chance at a first win this season for both teams. However, Dallas ultimately came up with the big victory in this away matchup, 27-23, and stopped the Redskins on several big drives.

Once again, the two rookies were also on display for Dallas at the quarterback and running back positions. One of them played well, while the other had some trouble holding onto the ball late. As for the Redskins, their season continues to be a question mark after this tough loss.

Here’s a look at three of the takeaways from Sunday’s game moving forward.

1. Dak Prescott is incredibly poised so far in his rookie career.

He’s the first rookie quarterback to start in Weeks 1 and 2 since a guy named Troy Aikman. Ahead of today’s game, many analysts may have expected some rookie jitters to affect Dak Prescott. Not the case. For his second-straight game, he played with confidence in leading the Dallas offense. If Prescott keeps this up, fans may be asking “Tony who?”

He finished with 22-for-30 in passing and tallied 292 yards. He didn’t throw for any touchdowns but Dallas was fine with their ground game. Prescott added a rushing touchdown of his own with a sweet pump fake pass play that caught the Washington defenders off guard. It certainly shows he is well suited for the role of starting quarterback, although once he plays one of the league’s top tier defenses, he could be exposed.

2. Kirk Cousins is still making some questionable decisions

On Sunday, Kirk Cousins had a rough start in the first half, but looked to be back on track in the second. Still, there were overthrown balls to DeSean JacksonCousins was unable to get a bigger scoring drive together when it really counted, though. They had the ball inside Dallas’ 40-yard line on two consecutive possessions but managed just a field goal.

Cousins made his share of mistakes throughout the game. He overthrew Crowder on what should have been an easy scoring play during the Redskins’ opening drive. Later he overthrew star receiver DeSean Jackson. Cousins did come to life at certain points but just made bad decisions too. He nearly guided the team towards the end zone late, but his team’s failure to effectively spike the ball and stop the clock cost them.

This is the same Kirk Cousins who helped steer the Redskins into the postseason last season. As of right now with a 0-2 start, things are not looking as good for Washington.

3. The Dallas defense can step up when it matters most.

Throughout the game, this Cowboys defense was unable to effectively contain the Redskins. A look at the box score shows that Cousins and the Redskins had over 400 yards of total offense. However, as the final stanza of this contest was playing out, it was the defensive unit that prevented another come-from-behind victory.

Among the key plays that the Dallas defense pulled off was an interception of Kirk Cousins’ attempted touchdown pass in the endzone. They also shut down Cousins and the Redskins’ offense on two late drives, causing them to turn the ball over on downs.

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The defense came up big in terms of holding the opposition to field goals throughout this game. One could argue that Cousins made some bad decisions and was more of the catalyst for this loss. However, the Cowboys defense has shown they are willing and able to help close out a game when needed.

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With today’s win, the Cowboys are now 1-1 on the season, while the Redskins are 0-2. It was a huge win for Dallas as it will certainly give them some momentum going forward. Next week, they’ll host the Chicago Bears for Sunday Night Football in what should be another compelling matchup.

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