The Dallas Cowboys play Thanksgiving hosts to the Washington Commanders on Thursday, November 23, at the AT&T Stadium, with kick-off set for 4:30 p.m. E.T.
The Cowboys are on a roll and are coming off a 33-10 rout of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, November 19. The defense was the key to Dallas' win over Carolina, with Micah Parsons at the anchor once more. However, he was not the only one who performed well, with Dorance Armstrong and DeMarcus Lawrence also doing their share on the defensive side.
The Commanders may be in for another long night unless they can get their game going. Turnovers have been a problem in Washington, per SI.com. Sam Howell accounted for three interceptions in Sunday's 31-19 loss to the New York Giants.
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As a result of that game, the Commanders now have the worst turnover differential in the league with a -8.
Against the Cowboys, head coach Ron Rivera knows they cannot afford to play that way. They are 4-7 for the season, and that loss was their second straight for this NFL season.
Cowboys vs. Commanders Week 12 Odds
Given the plight of the Cowboys and the Commanders, it hardly surprises that Dallas is a huge favorite over Washington.
The Cowboys are 12.5-point favorites to prevail over the struggling Commanders. The Moneyline for this Thanksgiving matchup is -700 for Dallas and +500 for Washington per BegMGM NFL Odds via USA Today.
Cowboys vs. Commanders Week 12 Preview
Unless the Cowboys play a terrible game, another win looms. Something that may add a bit of motivation for Dallas is that despite holding the edge in their head-to-head matchup, the Cowboys lost to the Commanders in their 2020 Thanksgiving encounter, 41-16.
The Cowboys are 33-2-1 all-time for Thanksgiving matches, while the Commanders are 4-8. Also worth noting is that Dallas has won 12 in a row at home since the 2022 NFL season.
Two players that the Commanders need to keep an eye on are Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, although the latter is listed as "unknown" as of this writing via Fox Sports. Washington needs to develop an excellent defensive effort to at least have a chance against Dallas.
Hence, they will have to improve defense, which may be a tall order. They are allowing the opposition 27.7 points per game, something they cannot afford against a team with Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Also, Rivera needs to find a way to get his offensive machine rolling against a tight Cowboys defense. Dallas is allowing only 17.5 points per game, the fifth-fewest in the league, yet another big problem that Washington needs to figure out.
Cowboys vs. Commanders Week 12 Pick
Unless the Commanders come up with superb and unimaginable effort, the Cowboys should pick up another win easily on Thursday.
The 7-3 Cowboys are on a roll right now, following victories over the New York Giants last November 12 and the Panthers last Sunday. With the momentum on their side, there is little doubt they can snag win no. 3 unless the Commanders can devise a way to pull off a stunning reversal.
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