One team barely holding onto its playoff hopes by a thread will have it snipped Thursday night when the Washington Redskins (5-6) travel to AT&T Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys (5-6) on Thursday Night Football.
The game will be presented right into your waiting face by NBC and its network of affiliates as well as the NFL Network at 8:25 p.m. EST.
The Game: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys (+1.5)
O/U: 45.5
The History
The Redskins and Cowboys have faced off against each other 115 times with Dallas holding a 69-44-2 advantage in the all-time series.
The Cowboys won their first match up with Washington this season, 33-19, at FedEx Field on October 29.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-6)
Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way because I know the suspense is killing you. Yes, tight end Jordan Reed is out again with his hamstring. That makes the fifth game in a row the Pro Bowl tight end has missed and I write the same thing every week. Redskins, shut this kid down and let him heal up for next season. Pack it in for 2017. What good are you doing here?
In addition to Reed, the Redskins will be without center Chase Roullier, safety Montae Nicholson and defensive lineman Terrell McClain. Plenty of guys are questionable on their injury report, including left tackle Trent Williams, but they all practiced Wednesday and should play.
Washington rolls into this game with a week’s rest after a Thanksgiving day 20-10 victory over the New York Giants in what might have been Eli Manning’s final game in New York. Kirk Cousins had another solid outing, going 19 for 31 for 242 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. Unfortunately for Cousins, when he wasn’t completing a pass, he was being sacked. He went down six times in the game and nobody can consistently take that kind of beating.
Cousins did get some solid help from the running game. Rookie Samaje Perine carried the ball 24 times for 100 yards. He added three catches for 30 yards. Jamison Crowder made some Daily Fantasy players money, catching seven passes for 141 yards.
On defense, the Redskins sacked Manning four times, forced a turnover and got six stops in the backfield. New York was held to just seven total first downs in the game, 170 total yards and was 2-of-14 on third down.
DALLAS COWBOYS (5-6)
The Cowboys too played on Thanksgiving, but had considerably less to be thankful for in a pitiful 28-6 loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers. It w as Dallas’ third consecutive loss. In all three of those defeats, the Cowboys haven’t scored in double digits. It’s been a bad scene, man.
As good as Ezekiel Elliott is, his absence alone can’t account for Dallas’ complete offensive ineptitude. Something is broken here that has to be fixed quickly before what looked like a promising season gets flushed down the toilet.
First off, Dak Prescott must step up. Last week against the Chargers, Prescott was 20 of 27 for 179 yards and two interceptions. Prescott protected the ball well last season, and maybe you could argue those picks come from forcing the ball and trying to do too much, but he’s got to get that under control. He’s already thrown twice as many picks (9) as he did last season (4).
As much as the Cowboys want to run the ball with Alfred Morris and Rookie Rod Smith, they must get Dez Bryant involved early and often in this game. Last week Bryant had just three catches for 37 yards. It’s time for the two current members of the Big Three that can suit up to actually put up Thursday.
Linebackers Justin Durant and Sean Lee will miss the game. Lee is still dealing with a hamstring and Durant has a concussion.
The Pick
Listen, I know I said I’d be wary about picking the Cowboys again, but I’m weak. This game looks like a shootout to me and I’ve been pretty good about calling those this year. Even for a Thursday nighter, both these squads will be fighting for their lives and it should show up on the scoreboard. Washington can move the ball and score points, but I’m going with Dallas one last time. God help me. Cowboys 34, Redskins 31
Last week
Straight up: 11-5
Against the spread: 10-6
Season
Straight up: 104-72
Against the spread: 91-85
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