At Washington, a lot of folks spoke up for the Cowboys.
What a thrilling finish at Northwest Stadium on Sunday afternoon. After struggling to score all season, the Dallas Cowboys suddenly came alive in the fourth quarter. Their intense battle with the Washington Commanders came down to the final moments, and a Cowboys team that had been criticized and depleted pulled off a hard-earned road victory. Heroic plays from both expected and unlikely sources were key to the exciting win. Here are three standout players from the upset.
Josh Butler
Josh Butler might be the most intriguing player in the NFL that most fans have never heard of. If you weren’t familiar with him before Sunday, here’s a glimpse into his journey and character.
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Despite facing numerous challenges, Butler was ready when his opportunity came. His performance against the Commanders was nothing short of cinematic. Starting in place of the injured Trevon Diggs, Butler did an impressive job of containing Washington’s top receiver, Terry McLaurin, for most of the game, despite a late breakdown in coverage by the secondary.
Butler’s stats are remarkable: 12 tackles (10 solo) and three passes defended. He played physical, disrupting passes at the point of catch and nearly intercepted a pass intended for Noah Brown. Butler also recorded a sack on Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Known as a social media star with over 3.3M followers on TikTok, Butler gained even more attention after his stellar performance.
The Offensive Line
Like Josh Butler and the secondary, the offensive line played through injuries, missing All-Pros Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Additionally, the Cowboys rotated between Asim Richards and Tyler Guyton at left tackle, making continuity difficult. Despite these challenges, the offensive line held strong, providing enough opportunities to secure the win.
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The line cleared paths for Rico Dowdle, who rushed for 86 yards on 19 carries, just shy of his best performance of the season. In pass protection, they did a solid job of keeping Cooper Rush clean, allowing him to complete 75% of his passes. The offensive line also did an excellent job picking up blitzes, including on Rush’s touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker.
Among the key performers was Brock Hoffman, who opened lanes for Dowdle and protected Rush in the pocket. Hoffman’s performance was even better than his start at Washington last season. T.J. Bass also did well filling in at the other guard spot.
Micah Parsons
With all the excitement in the final moments, Micah Parsons’ contribution might have been overlooked. Since returning from injury, Parsons has been a force, with four sacks in his last three games. On Sunday, he was relentless, sacking Jayden Daniels twice and forcing Washington into negative yards with two tackles for loss. Parsons chased Daniels down all game, even when it seemed like he was out of the play.
His speed and athleticism allowed him to pursue the quarterback and force him out of bounds. Although some fans may have wanted the team to lose for a better draft pick, Parsons was focused solely on winning. After the game, he made his stance clear on tanking:
“I’m not done yet. I don’t plan on tanking,” said Parsons, via The Athletic. “If the higher-ups are looking for a draft pick, I hope that’s ruined, because we got a lot of football left to play. As long as I’m a part of this team, we’re always going to fight.”
In a season that seemed to be slipping away, Parsons’ attitude and effort were a refreshing reminder that quitting was never an option. It was a standout game for him and a crucial win for the team.
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