Dallas got the win it needed against Washington, and Dak Prescott made a little history along the way. But the Cowboys also left some familiar questions unanswered. With Lamar Jackson and Baltimore waiting in Rio, Week 3 should tell us considerably more about what this Dallas team is becoming.

Dallas and Washington have been making each other miserable for more than six decades. As both teams enter Week 2 looking for their first win of 2026, one of the NFL's great old rivalries suddenly has new stakes.

Forty years ago, Dallas beat the Giants on opening night. The scoreboard said the Cowboys had won. History eventually told a very different story.

He didn't suddenly forget how to run the football. The very qualities that made Zeke great may also help explain why greatness disappeared so quickly. There was a time when Ezekiel Elliott getting through the line of scrimmage felt like the beginning of a problem for somebody else. A linebacker had to tackle him. A safety had to decide how badly he really wanted to. And occasionally, a defensive back discovered that his job description had suddenly become trying to catch No.

The dynasty wasn't built by trying to save what Dallas had. It was built by deciding what Dallas needed to become. There is something wonderfully convenient about remembering a dynasty after it has already happened. Troy Aikman is already a Hall of Famer. Emmitt Smith is already the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Michael Irvin is already wearing three Super Bowl rings. The offensive line is already The Great Wall of Dallas. Jimmy Johnson is already standing on a platform some

What the Cowboys' joint practice with the Rams reminded us about the difference between progress and proof Training camp can make you believe almost anything. A receiver catches everything thrown his way, and suddenly he's ready for a breakout season. A young defender strings together several good practices, and we're wondering whether Dallas has discovered its next star. The offense looks sharp. The defense looks fast. The coaches like the energy. Everybody is improving. The

Today's Headlines Become Tomorrow's History There was no scoreboard in Oxnard on Wednesday morning. No final score. No roaring crowd. No playoff implications. Just eleven defenders standing beneath the California sun, waiting for the next call. Then the voices disappeared. The headset communication was gone. For a few moments, the coaches stepped away from the conversation. There would be no instructions flowing into a helmet. No immediate correction from the sideline. The de