5 sneaky threats Commanders should worry about at Cowboys in Week 12
By James Dudko
Commanders need physical approach for Jake Ferguson
He won't stretch the field the way Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks can, but Jake Ferguson is quarterback Dak Prescott's safety valve underneath. He's a big body who does his best work between the numbers.
Taking Ferguson away will require hitting the 6-foot-5, 244-pounder early and often. The Washington Commanders can do it, even if it means having rush defensive ends Casey Toohill and K.J. Henry abandon their attempts to get after the quarterback and smack the Dallas Cowboys tight end coming out of his breaks.
Putting Ferguson on the deck early in his routes will force Prescott to hold the ball and wait for deeper patterns to develop. That extra time will be a massive boost to a pass rush still developing after defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat were both dealt before the 2023 NFL deadline.
Getting to the quarterback isn't a problem for the Cowboys. While most of the attention goes to All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons, one unheralded defensive lineman can cause havoc on the inside.