Washington Commanders vs Dallas Cowboys Final — September 20, 2026
Final score and result vs the closing line
Washington Commanders 20, Dallas Cowboys 37
Dallas Cowboys won by 17.
- Against the closing spread (Dallas Cowboys -4): Dallas Cowboys covered.
- Combined score 57 vs the closing total of 51.5: Over.
- Dallas Cowboys closed at -215 on the moneyline (a 65% no-vig market-implied chance).
The pre-game matchup
The Commanders (0-1) visited the Cowboys (0-1) at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, September 20 at 4:25 PM ET in Week 2.
The Commanders have the 15th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 21st-ranked defense. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have the 6th-ranked offense and the 31st-ranked defense. When the Commanders have the ball, a 15th-ranked offense (+0.060 EPA per play) meets a 31st-ranked defense (+0.369 allowed); when the Cowboys have it, a 6th-ranked offense (+0.221) meets a 21st-ranked defense (+0.071 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Commanders offense is at 42.6% (17th) and the Cowboys offense at 46.2% (12th). Through the air, the Commanders average +0.139 EPA per dropback (13th) against a Cowboys pass defense ranked 31st; the Cowboys average +0.314 (7th) against a Commanders pass defense ranked 21st. The Commanders score 22.0 points per game (20th) and allow 24.0 (16th); the Cowboys score 20.0 (22nd) and allow 28.0 (21st).
Dak Prescott has a 47.2% success rate (15th of 32 qualified quarterbacks) compared to Jayden Daniels' 37.5% (28th). Per dropback, Prescott is at +0.314 EPA to Daniels' +0.168, with 2 touchdown passes and 1 interception to Daniels' 2 and 0.
The Commanders are 0-1 and 1-0 against the spread; their last game was a 24-22 loss to the Eagles. The Cowboys are 0-1 and 0-1 against the spread; their last game was a 28-20 loss to the Giants.
The Cowboys closed as 4-point favorites at home against the Commanders. The spread opened at Cowboys -4.5. The total closed at 51.5, up from 50.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Commanders +178, Cowboys -215) prices the Commanders at 35% and the Cowboys at 65%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Tale of the tape
Commanders2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (32 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: play-by-play via the public NFL Lab tables (raw EPA, not opponent-adjusted).
Quarterback matchup
- Dropbacks38
- Success rate37.5%28th
- EPA per dropback+0.16812th
- Completion %52.9%31st
- CPOE−3.423rd
- Yards per attempt4.830th
- TD–INT2–0
- Sack rate2.6%8th
- Dropbacks36
- Success rate47.2%15th
- EPA per dropback+0.3148th
- Completion %64.7%17th
- CPOE+7.78th
- Yards per attempt5.129th
- TD–INT2–1
- Sack rate0.0%1st
Primary passer = most dropbacks over each team's last four games. Season to date; ranks among 32 qualified quarterbacks (at least 14 dropbacks per team game). Success rate = share of dropbacks and designed runs that gain expected points.
Players to watch
Stefon Diggs leads the Commanders wide receivers with 55 receiving yards (31st of 82 qualified wide receivers) with a target share of 31.0%. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has 63 rushing yards on 16 carries (15th of 47 qualified running backs). CeeDee Lamb leads the Cowboys wide receivers with 44 receiving yards (40th of 82 qualified wide receivers) with a target share of 26.7%. Javonte Williams has 41 rushing yards on 12 carries (30th of 47 qualified running backs).
- Carries16
- Rush yards6315th
- Yards per carry3.928th
- EPA per rush+0.1419th
- Rush success rate50.0%8th
- Targets / catches9 / 4
- Receiving yards5531st
- Target share31.0%6th
- Yards per target6.155th
- EPA per target+0.41738th
- Targets / catches3 / 2
- Receiving yards1330th
- Target share10.3%30th
- Yards per target4.329th
- EPA per target−0.23030th
- Carries12
- Rush yards4130th
- Yards per carry3.437th
- EPA per rush+0.11611th
- Rush success rate58.3%5th
- Targets / catches8 / 5
- Receiving yards4440th
- Target share26.7%16th
- Yards per target5.557th
- EPA per target+0.69927th
- Targets / catches2 / 2
- Receiving yards6
- Target share6.7%
- Yards per target3.0
- EPA per target−0.105
Lead back = most carries and lead receivers = most targets over each team's last four games. Season to date; ranks among qualified players at the position (6.25 carries, 3 targets for wide receivers or 2.5 for tight ends per team game).
Success by situation
| Situation | Commanders | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateCommanders offense vs Cowboys defense | 42.0%21st | 54.5%30th |
| Early-down success rateCowboys offense vs Commanders defense | 29.7%2nd | 41.5%22nd |
| Early-down EPA per playCommanders offense vs Cowboys defense | −0.04919th | +0.22727th |
| Early-down EPA per playCowboys offense vs Commanders defense | −0.1565th | +0.07613th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateCommanders offense vs Cowboys defense | 33.3%18th | 90.0%32nd |
| 3rd-down conversion rateCowboys offense vs Commanders defense | 42.9%19th | 72.7%2nd |
| 3rd-down EPA per playCommanders offense vs Cowboys defense | +0.19511th | +1.14932nd |
| 3rd-down EPA per playCowboys offense vs Commanders defense | +0.67226th | +0.7595th |
| Red-zone TD rateCommanders offense vs Cowboys defense | 100.0%1st | 100.0%24th |
| Red-zone TD rateCowboys offense vs Commanders defense | 66.7%14th | 100.0%1st |
| Red-zone success rateCommanders offense vs Cowboys defense | 53.3%9th | 66.7%27th |
| Red-zone success rateCowboys offense vs Commanders defense | 33.3%7th | 44.4%17th |
On early downs the Commanders succeed on 42.0% of plays (21st) against a Cowboys defense that allows 54.5% (30th); on 3rd down they convert 33.3% (18th) against a defense allowing 90.0% (32nd). On early downs the Cowboys succeed on 41.5% of plays (22nd) against a Commanders defense that allows 29.7% (2nd); on 3rd down they convert 72.7% (2nd) against a defense allowing 42.9% (19th). The Commanders score touchdowns on 100.0% of red-zone trips (1st). The Cowboys score touchdowns on 100.0% of red-zone trips (1st).
Each row pairs one offense with the defense it faces; for a defense the rank is how stingy it is (1st = allows the least). Ranks out of 32 teams, season to date before kickoff.
Coaching and tendencies
| Staff | Commanders | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Dan Quinn | Brian Schottenheimer |
| Offensive coordinator | David Blough | Klayton Adams |
| Defensive coordinator | Daronte Jones | Christian Parker |
| Offense tendencies | Commanders | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Pass rate over expecteddropbacks above what down, distance and score suggest · league −2.6% | −6.0%24th-highest | −0.1%12th-highest |
| Dropback rateshare of plays that are dropbacks · league 59.9% | 57.4%19th-highest | 69.2%8th-highest |
| Early-down dropback rate1st and 2nd down · league 54.6% | 52.0%18th-highest | 65.9%4th-highest |
| Shotgun rateshare of snaps · league 58.6% | 73.1%6th-highest | 76.9%3rd-highest |
| No-huddle rateshare of snaps · league 6.8% | 11.9%7th-highest | 9.6%9th-highest |
| Seconds per snapneutral situations; lower is faster · league 32.7 | 28.527th-slowest | 33.017th-slowest |
| Explosive passes (15+ yards)share of pass plays · league 14.9% | 13.5%18th | 8.3%25th |
| Explosive passes (20+ yards)share of pass plays · league 8.0% | 2.7%26th | 0.0%28th |
| Explosive runs (10+ yards)share of designed runs · league 10.6% | 6.9%23rd | 0.0%32nd |
| Sack ratesacks per dropback · league 6.3% | 2.6%7th | 0.0%1st |
| Turnovers per playinterceptions and lost fumbles · league 2.20% | 0.00%1st | 1.92%18th |
| Plays per gameoffensive snaps · league 59.6 | 67.06th-most | 52.023rd-most |
| 4th-and-short go ratewent for it on 4th-and-2 or shorter beyond their own 30 · league 45.7% | 2 of 3 | — |
| Defense | Commanders | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Sack rate generatedleague 6.3% | 9.1%7th | 6.1%16th |
| Explosive passes (15+ yards) allowedleague 14.9% | 16.7%20th | 19.4%25th |
| Explosive passes (20+ yards) allowedleague 8.0% | 13.3%24th | 0.0%1st |
| Explosive runs (10+ yards) allowedleague 10.6% | 5.6%5th | 12.5%23rd |
| Takeaways per playleague 2.20% | 0.00%25th | 1.54%22nd |
| QB hits generatedper dropback · league 15.8% | 15.2%15th | 15.2%15th |
| QB hits allowedper dropback · league 15.8% | 5.3%2nd | 8.3%6th |
The Commanders run more often than down, distance and score would suggest (−6.0% pass rate over expected, 24th-highest), while the Cowboys sit at −0.1% (12th-highest). In neutral situations the Commanders take 28.5 seconds between snaps and the Cowboys 33.0, so the Commanders play faster.
Season to date before kickoff, from play-by-play (regular season). Ranks out of 32 teams; for style stats with no better or worse, rank 1 = highest. Coaching staff: Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Injury report
- Frankie Luvu LBOutGroin
- Chig Okonkwo TEOutHamstring
- Javon Kinlaw DTQuestionableBack
- DeMarvion Overshown LBOutHamstring
Starters (and the primary passer) on the game's official injury report, as of the latest report captured before kickoff.
Travel and schedule
The Commanders have 7 days between games and the Cowboys 7. The Commanders travel about 1,207 miles, moving their body clock 1 hour back. It is their 2nd straight game away from home.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home stadium; time-zone change is at kickoff. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Recent form and rest
CommandersCowboysLast five results this season, oldest to newest. Against-the-spread and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
EPA rank trend
Season-to-date EPA per play rank after each week (offense: 1st = most efficient; defense: 1st = allows the least).
Head-to-head
The teams have met 22 times since 2015: the Commanders won 6 and the Cowboys 16. In the most recent meeting (December 25, 2025), the Cowboys won 30-23; the Cowboys averaged +0.213 EPA per play; the Commanders averaged +0.197 EPA per play.
| Date | Score | Spread | Total | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2025 | Cowboys 30, Commanders 23 Cowboys won | Cowboys -8.5 Commanders covered | 50.5 over | Cowboys +0.213 · Commanders +0.197 |
| Oct 19, 2025 | Commanders 22, Cowboys 44 Cowboys won | Cowboys -1.5 Cowboys covered | 54.5 over | Cowboys +0.098 · Commanders −0.221 |
| Jan 5, 2025 | Commanders 23, Cowboys 19 Commanders won | Commanders -7 Cowboys covered | 43.5 under | Cowboys −0.044 · Commanders +0.087 |
| Nov 24, 2024 | Cowboys 34, Commanders 26 Cowboys won | Commanders -10.5 Cowboys covered | 45 over | Cowboys −0.055 · Commanders −0.029 |
| Jan 7, 2024 | Cowboys 38, Commanders 10 Cowboys won | Cowboys -13 Cowboys covered | 47.5 over | Cowboys +0.364 · Commanders −0.299 |
The last five meetings since 2015, most recent first. Spread and total are the nflverse closing lines.
Closing line and line movement
Commanders +4.5 (-114)
Commanders +4 (-108)
Cowboys -193 63%
Cowboys -215 65%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Dig deeper
Teams
Washington Commanders
- Washington Commanders team stats
- Indianapolis Colts at Washington Commanders (Oct 4)
- Seattle Seahawks 31, Washington Commanders 33 (Sep 27)
- Washington Commanders 22, Philadelphia Eagles 24 (Sep 13)
Dallas Cowboys
- Dallas Cowboys team stats
- Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans (Oct 4)
- Baltimore Ravens 34, Dallas Cowboys 31 (Sep 27)
- Dallas Cowboys 20, New York Giants 28 (Sep 13)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
More NFL games on September 20, 2026
- Minnesota Vikings 9, Chicago Bears 3 (Sep 20)
- Cincinnati Bengals 20, Houston Texans 6 (Sep 20)
- Pittsburgh Steelers 3, New England Patriots 20 (Sep 20)
- Cleveland Browns 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19 (Sep 20)
- Philadelphia Eagles 24, Tennessee Titans 20 (Sep 20)
- Jacksonville Jaguars 13, Denver Broncos 20 (Sep 20)
- Las Vegas Raiders 26, Los Angeles Chargers 14 (Sep 20)
- Miami Dolphins 13, San Francisco 49ers 35 (Sep 20)
- Indianapolis Colts 30, Kansas City Chiefs 33 (Sep 20)
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