Tim Warner/Getty Images
The Dallas Cowboys whipped the Washington Redskins Sunday afternoon by the score of 31-21.
Dak Attack
Dak Prescott and the Cowboy offense started the game off sluggish. They couldn't get anything going for most of the first half and the Redskins intercepted a tipped pass that led to an early 7-point deficit. But that was the only time the Redskins would lead in the game.A bout mid-way through the 2nd quarter the Cowboy offense found its rhythm and went on to score on five consecutive possessions.
Prescott finished the game 26/30 for 269 passing 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.He also ran the ball 5 times for 69 yards that included a 42-yard scamper down the left side. His longest career run helped lead to another Cowboys touchdown. Dak connected with 8 different receivers, which included a 51-yard bomb to Devin Smith that tied the game at 7.
With the offense clicking, Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott saw his workload increase and finished the day with 25 touches. He had 23 carries for 111 yards, 1 rushing touchdown, and 2 catches for 9 yards .When he has games like this, Dallas is extremely hard to beat.
The Cowboys are now 2-0 for the season and all alone in first place of the NFC East.
3 Things to Watch For
1.Ezekiel Elliott (Running Back): Looks like he is back to regular season form and is set for another big day this week when he goes up against the Miami Dolphins who are the worst defense in the league so far. Zeke should get 20+ touches again.
2.Randall Cobb (Wide Receiver): With #2 receiver Michael Gallup out for the next few weeks due to a knee injury, Cobb should see an increased amount of playing time.He was the second most targeted pass catcher last week and could be in store for a big day.
3.Cowboys Defense (All): The Dolphins are the worst team in the league so far and the defense should have multiple opportunities for turnovers, sacks, and maybe even scoring.Miami gave up 2 defensive touchdowns last week.I would expect career games from both Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch.
Coming Up
Sunday Sept. 22, the Dallas Cowboys (2-0) will be taking on the Miami Dolphins (0-2) at home in AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon Central time.I expect another easy win for Dallas. Dak and company should have no problem going to 3-0 and I am sure Zeke will have another 100 yard game with multiple touchdowns.
If you have any fantasy players, the only must start players are:
Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott (RB), Amari Cooper (WR), and Dak Prescott (QB)
Dolphins:N/A
For you gamblers out there, the Cowboys are currently -22.5 and the over/under is 47. 21+ points is ridiculous, I don't think I have ever seen the any team favored by this many points. There is no possible way anyone should take that. If you have to play it, I think the under might be the way to go. You would be banking on Miami not scoring more than 10 points.
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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