Cowboys OT Tyron Smith Tears Hamstring; Commanders Affected?

Tyron Smith could miss a good chunk of the 2022 season.

The Washington Commanders' biggest rival has been dealt a crushing blow.

Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith suffered a hamstring tear in practice Wednesday, which could keep him out for the entire season. An injury to an important player like Smith is enough to derail an entire team's season. Now, the Cowboys are forced to scramble and find a less than adequate solution.

But how does this affect the Commanders?

The Cowboys won the NFC East last season with a 12-6 record, winning the division by three games over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Commanders are looking to bounce back and win the division like they did in 2020, and this Smith injury helps Washington's chances.

According to FanDuel, the Cowboys' odds of winning the NFC East have shifted since the Smith injury. Before he tore his hamstring, the Cowboys had +135 odds. Now, it's at +145.

The Eagles have been the main beneficiary of the injury as their odds have increased and are now almost even with the Cowboys. The Commanders remain with the third-best odds, but that may not be the case when the season starts.

The Cowboys play three of their first five games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams ... all of whom have been to the Super Bowl within the past two seasons.

There's also a Week 4 meeting between the Commanders and Cowboys, one that Smith will almost certainly miss.

If the Commanders can pull out a win in Dallas and couple it with wins against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears early in the season, Washington will have a big lead that could be very difficult for America's Team to overcome.