Washington

Cowboys 2025 rookie report: Promise and problems against Washington

Published

4 months ago

December 28, 2025

Cowboys 2025 rookie report: Promise and problems against Washington

The Dallas Cowboys managed to scrape a win on Christmas Day against the Washington Commanders in a game that got close, closer than what some fans would have preferred. But how did the Cowboys rookie class perform during the divisional victory? Let’s take a look.

(Game stats- Snaps: 92, Pass Blocks: 49, Pressures: 1, Sacks: 2, Penalties: 1)

Booker turned in another heavy-workload performance against Washington on Christmas Day, playing all 92 offensive snaps and earning a 74.6 overall grade, one of the better marks on the Cowboys’ offense in the 30–23 win. Dallas leaned hard on the interior run game, piling up 211 rushing yards and repeatedly gashing the middle of the Commanders’ front. Booker was a big part of those double teams and combo blocks with Cooper Beebe, helping Malik Davis and Javonte Williams stay on schedule and letting Brian Schottenheimer live in fourth-and-short territory.

It wasn’t a clean day in protection for the unit as a whole. Dak Prescott was sacked six times and hit repeatedly, with rookie phenom Jer’Zhan Newton racking up three sacks and five QB hits as Washington generated 19 total pressures. Interior pressure was prominent in postgame breakdowns, so Booker clearly had some rough snaps dealing with Newton’s quickness and power on games and stunts, even if not every sack can be laid at his feet.

One blemish on his night was an early bad penalty flagged on Booker on the opening drive, which, paired with a sack, put the offense behind the chains before they worked their way back into scoring range. To his credit, the moment didn’t snowball. He settled in, and as the game wore on his physicality in the run game helped Dallas salt away clock on multiple long marches in the second half.

(Game stats- Snaps: 39, Total Tackles: 2, Pressures: 3, Sacks: 0, TFL: 0)

Ezeiruaku had one of his quietest games of the season against Washington, more solid in assignment than impactful on the stat sheet. He was on the field for just 26 defensive snaps off the edge and registered only one total tackle with zero sacks, zero tackles for loss, and one total pressure. With the Cowboys generating only two sacks and three quarterback hits as a team and still allowing 8.6 yards per play and 138 rushing yards on just 17 carries, this was clearly not a night where the front consistently lived in the Commanders’ backfield.

Through this week, PFF has Ezeiruaku at a 76.4 overall grade with 35 total pressures on 580 snaps, ranking him among the league’s better rookie edge defenders. Pre-game advanced scouting had highlighted his recent 25% pass-rush win rate and 12% pressure rate over the previous month, even though that stretch produced hits rather than sacks. Against Washington, that underlying disruption never really showed up in the box score. He finished the game in a low-impact role while others, notably Jadeveon Clowney and Quinnen Williams, handled the actual finishing on Josh Johnson.

(Game stats- Snaps: 42, Total Tackles: 6, PBU: 1, INT: 0, TD Allowed: 0, RTG Allowed: 109.7)

Revel’s Christmas Day against Washington was another bumpy outing in what has become a tough rookie year, and it ended in a way that almost certainly pushes his focus to 2026. PFF graded him at 50.1 overall, the third-worst mark on the Cowboys’ defense, with of 43.0 against the run, 33.5 in tackling and 59.4 in coverage. On the coverage side of things, he was targeted six times and allowed four catches for 84 yards, his second straight game giving up 80-plus yards, as Washington repeatedly found space on his side of the field. The tackling issues that have dogged him all season showed up again too, he’s now credited with eight missed tackles (18.6%) on the year, and open-field whiffs in this game turned short gains into bigger plays.

Midway through the second half he took a blow to the head, walked off slowly and did not return. Postgame reports confirmed he’s been placed in the concussion protocol, with the team acknowledging he faces an uphill battle to be cleared for Week 18. With only one game left and nothing to play for in the standings, there’s a good argument for Dallas to shut him down, effectively ending his rookie season so he can recover fully and attack 2026. That might be the wisest move given his backdrop coming off an ACL tear, missing the entire offseason program, camp, preseason and a big chunk of the regular season.

(Game stats- Snaps: 36, Total Tackles: 6 TFL: 0, Sacks: 0)

James finally looked like a real part of the defensive plan against Washington, not just a special-teams body. He played 36 defensive snaps, his heaviest load in weeks, and he responded with six total tackles, tied among Dallas’ leaders on the night. He didn’t register a sack, tackle for loss, or any takeaways, and he stayed out of the penalty column, so his stat line is all about volume rather than splash. The Commanders ran only 41 offensive plays but still churned out 138 rushing yards thanks in large part to Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 72-yard touchdown. James spent most of the evening in clean-up mode by fitting inside runs, rallying to Johnson’s checkdowns and helping get bodies on the ground after chunk gains rather than creating those big negative plays himself.

It’s fair to be harsh on the linebacker group as a whole, especially Kenneth Murray, and calling the heavy dose of Murray and James ugly against the run is also a fair criticism as Washington found creases between the tackles. On film, it’s a mixed bag for James, he was active and around the ball, but there were snaps where he got caught in traffic or arrived a beat late on cutbacks, contributing to a run defense that gave up far too much on a low play count. At the same time, this game underlined why Dallas has been nudging his role upward as he handled a starter-level snap share without blowing assignments, and his six stops push his season totals into genuine starter territory.

The best way to call James’ game is it was a busy but imperfect outing. James was heavily involved, did enough to look like a viable long-term piece, but he was also part of a front seven that made Washington’s ground game look more efficient than it should have.

(Game stats- Snaps: 18, Total Tackles: 1

*Snap count are all special team snaps*

Clark’s Christmas Day against Washington was another quiet but functional special-teams outing. He didn’t log any defensive snaps, with his entire workload coming in the kicking game as a core coverage and return-unit player. On those snaps he made one tackle and didn’t factor into any of the big swings. For a depth safety in his role, that kind of you didn’t notice him performance is basically neutral. He did his assignment work on special teams, avoided hurting the Cowboys in a game where field position and explosive runs were already a problem, but didn’t provide the kind of momentum-changing play that would jump off the tape going into 2026.

(Game stats- Snaps: 15, Total Tackles: 0)

*Snap count include special team snaps*

Bridges played almost entirely on special teams, with just a tiny glimpse of him on defense. He logged the bulk of his work on the kicking units, running lanes, taking on blocks and doing the dirty work that doesn’t show up much in the box score but matters for field position and consistency. On defense he saw only two snaps, essentially a cameo as an emergency outside corner rather than a true part of the game plan, and he didn’t figure in any major targets or tackles on those plays. Bridges handled his special-teams role and gave Dallas a reliable back-end option without ever having the kind of exposure that would define the game one way or the other.

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Washington

Boys lacrosse: Cold Spring Harbor vs. Port Washington

Published

6 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Boys lacrosse: Cold Spring Harbor vs. Port Washington

Cold Spring Harbor played Port Washington in a Nassau boys lacrosse game on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Andrew Ioannou of Cold Spring Harbor shoots against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Daniel Touhy of Cold Spring Harbor changes direction while looking to evade the Port Washington defense during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Max Eynon of Port Washington makes a save against Cold Spring Harbor during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Matt Kammer of Cold Spring Harbor deflects a shot for a save against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Colby Koeningsberger of Cold Spring Harbor advances the ball against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor controls the ball late in the 4th quarter against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Andrew Ioannou of Cold Spring Harbor runs past Jimmy Gannon of Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Dylan Reilly, left, and Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor celebrate after a goal during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Dylan Reilly of Cold Spring Harbor rips a shot on goal against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Colby Koeningsberger #2 of Cold spring harbor looks for an open teammate to pass to against Port Washington during a league 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Credit: David Meisenholder

Andrew Ioannou of Cold Spring Harbor looks to dodge Jimmy Gannon of Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Rex O’Connor, left, and Jake Telesco of Cold Spring Harbor celebrate after a goal against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Dylan Reilly of Cold Spring Harbor controls the ball against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Roy Testa of Cold Spring harbor looks for an open teammate against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Roy Testa of Cold Spring Harbor advances the ball against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Jake Feinstein of Port Washington puts pressure on Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor looks to dodge the Port Washington defense during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Harry Eynon of Port Washington comes around the crease against Cold Spring Harbor during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Credit: David Meisenholder

Goalie Matt Kammer of Cold Spring Harbor advances the ball after a save against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

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Washington

Aviation safety bill based on DC midair collision faces House vote Tuesday

Published

18 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Aviation safety bill based on DC midair collision faces House vote Tuesday

An aviation safety bill seeking to address lessons learned from last year’s midair collision of a jet with an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital is up for a vote Tuesday evening in the House, but key senators and the families of the 67 victims think the bill needs to be strengthened.

The House bill, called the Alert Act, has the backing of key industry groups. The National Transportation Safety Board said recently that the legislation, since amended, now addresses its recommendation to require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have key locator systems that let pilots know more precisely where other aircraft are flying around them.

The NTSB has been recommending the new technology systems since 2008, and Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy has said such a system would have prevented the collision of the American Airlines jet and Army Black Hawk helicopter that sent both aircraft plunging into the icy Potomac River.

Two key House committees unanimously advanced the bill last month. The bill is now being brought up for a full House vote under rules that won’t allow any amendments. But victims’ families said they want to make sure the bill has strict timelines to guarantee the reforms will be completed. And they worry the House bill would allow military flights to continue flying without broadcasting their locations on routine training flights and not just secret missions.

“January 29, 2025 made clear what is at stake. The 67 lives lost that day should be honored with an improved system that prevents this from happening again,” the main families group said Tuesday in a new statement. “And the flying public should not have to wait longer than necessary for those protections to be in place.”

Sponsored by Republican Sam Graves and Democrat Rick Larens, the legislation needs to secure two thirds of House support to advance to the Senate. Separate legislation called the ROTOR Act that the Senate crafted came up one vote short in the House. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell have also said the Alert Act still needs to be improved.

Earlier this year, the NTSB’s Homendy sharply criticized the original version of the bill as a “watered down” measure that wouldn’t do enough to prevent future tragedies. But the board said the revised version would now address the shortcomings their investigation identified and require the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Department and the military to take needed actions.

National Transportation Safety Board members at a hearing in late January were deeply troubled over years of ignored warnings about helicopter traffic dangers and other problems, long before the collision.

Everyone aboard the American Airlines jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter died when the two aircraft collided. It was the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001, and the victims included 28 members of the figure skating community.

A helicopter route in the approach path of a Reagan National Airport runway didn’t ensure enough separation between helicopters and planes landing on the airport’s secondary runway, and the route wasn’t reviewed regularly, the board said. The poor design of that route was a key factor in the crash along with air traffic controllers relying too much on pilots seeing and avoiding other aircraft.

The bill now requires planes to have Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In systems that can receive data about the locations of other aircraft. Proponents of the use of such systems said they would have alerted the pilots of an American Airlines jet sooner about the impending collision with the Black Hawk helicopter. Most planes already have the complementary ADS-B Out systems that broadcast their locations.

The NTSB cited systemic weaknesses and years of ignored warnings as the main causes of the crash, but Homendy has said that if both the plane and the Black Hawk had been equipped with ADS-B In and the systems had been turned on, the collision would have been prevented. The Army’s policy at the time of the crash mandated that its helicopters fly without that system on to conceal their locations, although the helicopter involved in this crash was on a training flight, not a sensitive mission.

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Washington

Fred Hutch funds 10 Washington state initiatives to expand cancer prevention

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Fred Hutch funds 10 Washington state initiatives to expand cancer prevention

Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s Community Grants Program has recently awarded 10 cancer prevention projects across Washington state up to $15,000 each, for a total of $145,500. These dollars will support community-led solutions for cancer prevention, screening and education, particularly for historically underserved populations.

Since it began in 2014, the Community Grants Program, overseen by Fred Hutch’s Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (OCOE), has awarded 71 grants totaling nearly $700,000.

Record interest highlights growing need

This 2026-2027 grant cycle drew a record number of project proposals for the second year in a row, reflecting both a growing awareness of the program and the continued need for locally driven cancer prevention initiatives.

The awardees come from all regions in Washington state, ranging from Whidbey Island in the west to the Spokane region in the east to the Yakama reservation in Central Washington.

The year’s funding focuses on projects designed to address socio-economic drivers of health, or SDOH, such as housing instability and transportation access.

“When you’re worried about paying rent or finding transportation, getting a cancer screening is often the last thing on your mind,” said Katie Treend, MPH, community benefit manager for OCOE. “That’s why these projects are so important — they support cancer prevention and whole-person health by meeting people where they are at.”

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