Dallas Cowboys (3-7) visit the Washington Commanders (7-4) on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST on Fox.
The current BetMGM odds favor the Commanders by 10.5 points. In terms of performance against the spread, the Cowboys stand at 2-8 while the Commanders are at 7-4. Historically, the Cowboys hold the advantage in their series record with 78 wins, compared to Washington’s 48 victories and 2 ties. The last time these teams met was on January 7, when the Cowboys secured the NFC East title with a decisive 38-10 victory over the Commanders in Washington.
In their most recent games, the Cowboys suffered a defeat to the Texans, losing 34-10 on Monday, while the Commanders fell to the Eagles, 26-18, on Thursday, November 14th.
Examining the statistics, the Cowboys’ offense ranks 20th overall, with their rushing game sitting at the bottom in 31st place. However, their passing attack ranks 7th. Scoring-wise, they are tied for 24th. On defense, the Cowboys are struggling, ranking 27th overall, again in 31st for rushing defense, 19th for passing defense, and 31st in scoring defense.
In contrast, the Commanders boast one of the more efficient offenses, placing 6th overall. Their rush offense is also ranked 6th, while their pass offense positions them at 15th. In terms of scoring, they rank 4th. On the defensive side, the Commanders are 18th overall, with a struggling rush defense (30th) but a strong pass defense placed 5th, while their scoring defense ranks tied for 14th.
The turnover differential shows the Cowboys at a minus-11, compared to the Commanders at plus-5, indicating a marked difference in performance in this aspect of the game.
For the Cowboys, a key player to watch is star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who has performed notably against Washington in the past, accumulating six of his career’s 43.5 sacks against them, marking the highest against any single opponent. With the rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels being a challenging adversary, Parsons’ impact in pressuring him could be crucial for Dallas to remain competitive in the match.
On the Commanders’ side, rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil showed promise against A.J. Brown, despite a significant height disadvantage. He may face a similar challenge against CeeDee Lamb, who has proven reliable irrespective of who is under center for the Cowboys, especially if Marshon Lattimore is still sidelined.
A key matchup is between the Commanders’ rushing offense and the Cowboys’ rushing defense, which has faced difficulties this entire season. Following a poor showing against Houston RB Joe Mixon, who ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns, Dallas has to fortify its run defense. Washington’s Brian Robinson Jr. returns after a two-game absence due to a hamstring injury, supplemented by depth from Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols.
In terms of injuries, several are concerning for the Cowboys. All-Pro right guard Zack Martin and young guard Tyler Smith both experienced ankle injuries during a critical drive against the Texans and didn’t return. Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton also re-injured his shoulder. Their statuses remain uncertain coming into this short week. Tight end Jake Ferguson is dealing with a concussion, and Coach Mike McCarthy mentioned that his return might be unlikely.
Additionally, the Cowboys were without cornerback Jourdan Lewis (neck) and running back Hunter Luepke (calf) for the Houston game. However, potential returns could include wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee), rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee), cornerback DaRon Bland (foot), and tackle Chuma Edoga (toe). Meanwhile, defensive back Markquese Bell is set for season-ending surgery, which is a blow to special teams.
For the Commanders, Lattimore being unable to practice indicates he might miss another game due to his hamstring issue following his trade from New Orleans. Kicker Austin Seibert shows signs of recovering from a right hip injury that kept him out for the last two games.
As for the historical perspective, Dallas has triumphed in five of their last six matchups, with Washington’s only victory occurring during the 2022 season finale—a game that lacked stakes for the Cowboys, who had already secured their playoff spot. The Cowboys hold a 16-4 record against NFC East teams since 2021 and have not lost consecutive division games since 2020. Notably, this game marks Commanders coach Dan Quinn’s first encounter with his former team since his time leading their defense.
From a statistical viewpoint, the Cowboys are experiencing their longest losing streak since 2015, and Coach Mike McCarthy has equaled his longest stretch of defeat as a head coach—a five-game streak from his time with the Green Bay Packers. With each loss, his chances of returning diminish.
Dallas holds a 3-2 road record, while quarterback Cooper Rush is struggling in his recent starts, having lost his last three after beginning 5-0. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is close to reaching 6,000 career receiving yards, needing just 81 more yards to achieve this milestone quickly.
In fantasy football advice, expect a notable uptick in targets for McLaurin this week as he and the offense are likely to benefit from a week full of practice, setting him up for a potentially big game.
The current BetMGM odds favor the Commanders by 10.5 points. In terms of performance against the spread, the Cowboys stand at 2-8 while the Commanders are at 7-4. Historically, the Cowboys hold the advantage in their series record with 78 wins, compared to Washington’s 48 victories and 2 ties. The last time these teams met was on January 7, when the Cowboys secured the NFC East title with a decisive 38-10 victory over the Commanders in Washington.
In their most recent games, the Cowboys suffered a defeat to the Texans, losing 34-10 on Monday, while the Commanders fell to the Eagles, 26-18, on Thursday, November 14th.
Examining the statistics, the Cowboys’ offense ranks 20th overall, with their rushing game sitting at the bottom in 31st place. However, their passing attack ranks 7th. Scoring-wise, they are tied for 24th. On defense, the Cowboys are struggling, ranking 27th overall, again in 31st for rushing defense, 19th for passing defense, and 31st in scoring defense.
In contrast, the Commanders boast one of the more efficient offenses, placing 6th overall. Their rush offense is also ranked 6th, while their pass offense positions them at 15th. In terms of scoring, they rank 4th. On the defensive side, the Commanders are 18th overall, with a struggling rush defense (30th) but a strong pass defense placed 5th, while their scoring defense ranks tied for 14th.
The turnover differential shows the Cowboys at a minus-11, compared to the Commanders at plus-5, indicating a marked difference in performance in this aspect of the game.
For the Cowboys, a key player to watch is star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who has performed notably against Washington in the past, accumulating six of his career’s 43.5 sacks against them, marking the highest against any single opponent. With the rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels being a challenging adversary, Parsons’ impact in pressuring him could be crucial for Dallas to remain competitive in the match.
On the Commanders’ side, rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil showed promise against A.J. Brown, despite a significant height disadvantage. He may face a similar challenge against CeeDee Lamb, who has proven reliable irrespective of who is under center for the Cowboys, especially if Marshon Lattimore is still sidelined.
A key matchup is between the Commanders’ rushing offense and the Cowboys’ rushing defense, which has faced difficulties this entire season. Following a poor showing against Houston RB Joe Mixon, who ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns, Dallas has to fortify its run defense. Washington’s Brian Robinson Jr. returns after a two-game absence due to a hamstring injury, supplemented by depth from Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols.
In terms of injuries, several are concerning for the Cowboys. All-Pro right guard Zack Martin and young guard Tyler Smith both experienced ankle injuries during a critical drive against the Texans and didn’t return. Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton also re-injured his shoulder. Their statuses remain uncertain coming into this short week. Tight end Jake Ferguson is dealing with a concussion, and Coach Mike McCarthy mentioned that his return might be unlikely.
Additionally, the Cowboys were without cornerback Jourdan Lewis (neck) and running back Hunter Luepke (calf) for the Houston game. However, potential returns could include wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee), rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee), cornerback DaRon Bland (foot), and tackle Chuma Edoga (toe). Meanwhile, defensive back Markquese Bell is set for season-ending surgery, which is a blow to special teams.
For the Commanders, Lattimore being unable to practice indicates he might miss another game due to his hamstring issue following his trade from New Orleans. Kicker Austin Seibert shows signs of recovering from a right hip injury that kept him out for the last two games.
As for the historical perspective, Dallas has triumphed in five of their last six matchups, with Washington’s only victory occurring during the 2022 season finale—a game that lacked stakes for the Cowboys, who had already secured their playoff spot. The Cowboys hold a 16-4 record against NFC East teams since 2021 and have not lost consecutive division games since 2020. Notably, this game marks Commanders coach Dan Quinn’s first encounter with his former team since his time leading their defense.
From a statistical viewpoint, the Cowboys are experiencing their longest losing streak since 2015, and Coach Mike McCarthy has equaled his longest stretch of defeat as a head coach—a five-game streak from his time with the Green Bay Packers. With each loss, his chances of returning diminish.
Dallas holds a 3-2 road record, while quarterback Cooper Rush is struggling in his recent starts, having lost his last three after beginning 5-0. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is close to reaching 6,000 career receiving yards, needing just 81 more yards to achieve this milestone quickly.
In fantasy football advice, expect a notable uptick in targets for McLaurin this week as he and the offense are likely to benefit from a week full of practice, setting him up for a potentially big game.