He was supposed to be a liability entering the 2026 NFL season, and to many, he still is after Week 1. But Nick Allegretti is also secretly the key to the Washington Commanders beating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
The starting center has a vital job to perform at AT&T Stadium. Namely, to help control the middle of the line of scrimmage against the Cowboys' defensive tackles Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams.
That duo shares seven Pro Bowl berths between them, so Allegretti may appear overmatched against Williams and Clark. Another look reveals something different, though.
Nick Allegretti fared better than it appeared in Week 1
Something that can give the Commanders belief they'll win the crucial matchups this week.
He couldn't make the key block against Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Moro Ojomo when Commanders' offensive coordinator David Blough called a baffling two-point play with the game on the line, but Allegretti had fared better than expected before the fateful play.
Specifically, Allegretti did a creditable job combining with guards Chris Paul and Sam Cosmi to double Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, according to ESPN's John Keim.
Looked at all 38 pass block snaps by C Nick Allegretti. uncovered at the snap on 32 of those. Eagles got him with a stunt on 1 for a sack (Ojomo). Carter pressured on another. Mostly, helped out the guards -- yes, helped Cosmi on multiple reps vs. Carter; helped Paul a few times
— John Keim (@john_keim) September 15, 2026
Keim also noted that the Eagles left Allegretti uncovered for 32 snaps. The implication is that the converted former Kansas City Chiefs guard struggled with movement and pressure from angles, as slants across his face and line twists run around him.
Those things won't be as big a problem against the Cowboys. Not when the Dallas defense is likely to align with Clark head-up over Allegretti more often.
Allegretti can win this matchup by leaning his 6-foot-4, 310-pound frame on Clark. Once he wins a few of those battles, Allegretti can pass Clark off along the interior and get free to combination block on Williams.
The latter is the more disruptive member of the Cowboys' defensive front and already has his sights set on quarterback Jayden Daniels, but the Commanders can't ignore Otito Ogbonnia.
He's a tough-to-move 320-pounder who clocked 40 snaps against the New York Giants last week as a key member of the five-man fronts preferred by Dallas defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Controlling and moving those overloaded fronts will be crucial for the Commanders to establish their running game and keep Daniels clean to execute play-action passing. It's a lot of responsibility to put on Allegretti, but fortunately, he'll get help from a strong source.
Commanders' lone linchpin Sam Cosmi can help own the interior
Appearances can be deceptive, but there's no doubt Allegretti endured some rough plays alongside his solid reps against the Eagles. He certainly didn't match the one-on-one dominance shown by right guard Sam Cosmi.
His performance inspired a "helluva effort" from the Commanders' O-line to keep Carter under wraps, according to NFL Network's Brian Baldinger.
.@Commanders @Eagles @SamCosmi helluva effort by this group and especially Cosmi going up against Carter....Not many OG's in this business can stop Carter 1 on 1. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/TEUz7K0hNr
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 14, 2026
Making life difficult for Carter is no small feat, since he's arguably the most disruptive defensive tackle in the NFL at his best. The plays Baldinger highlighted prove this Washington offense can open running lanes and preserve the integrity of the pocket against a fearsome defensive interior.
Helping the Commanders do those things again will not only repair some of Allegretti's damaged reputation. Doing so should lead to a first win of the season at the expense of the team they love to beat.
Add us as a preferred source on Google