Two NFC East teams will square off in this week's edition of Sunday Night Football as the Washington Football Team take on the Dallas Cowboys at the AT&T Stadium. Who will record the much-needed victory in this Washington vs Dallas clash? Here's a preview of this divisional matchup.
Washington Football Team installed as +10.5 underdogs
Washington stumbled to its second straight defeat in Week 15, losing 27-17 to the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday night. Ron Rivera's men are now in serious danger of missing the playoffs as they dropped to 10th place in the NFC standings with a 6-8 record. The good news for Washington fans is that they are not far behind the seventh-ranked Minnesota Vikings, who carry an even 7-7 slate.
They can ill afford to lose another game, though, with several teams jockeying for position for the final three wild card spots in the NFC. For Washington to grab the all-important win against Dallas, it is critical that they get Taylor Heinicke back for this showdown. He was sidelined for the game against the Eagles after testing positive for COVID-19.
He did not clear COVID-19 protocols ahead of that matchup, with Washington turning to third-string quarterback Garrett Gilbert as their starter against Philadelphia. He completed 20 of 31 passes for 194 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in his first start for Washington.
It is important for Washington that they put the clamps on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. The last time they faced Dallas, Washington limited Prescott to just 211 passing yards. He threw just one touchdown in Week 14 and was intercepted twice.
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Dallas Cowboys enter Week 16 as -10.5 favorites
The Dallas Cowboys extended their winning streak to three games with a commanding 21-6 victory over the New York Giants in Week 15. It was a big win for the Cowboys, who moved up to second place in the NFC standings. They benefited from the shock losses of Tampa Bay and Arizona over the weekend.
The Cowboys also locked up home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They maintained their three-game advantage atop the NFC East standings with three games left to play. With Washington's loss in Week 15, the Cowboys nabbed their first playoff berth since 2018.
For the Cowboys to stretch their winning run against Washington, they will need to continue their excellent play on the defensive end. The Cowboys forced a total of four turnovers in the win against the Giants, the third straight game they have recorded that many takeaways. New York struggled to put points on the board, managing just one field goal each in the first and second halves.
DeMarcus Lawrence starred in the Week 15 win, forcing a fumble and making two other big plays that resulted in Dallas scoring 15 points. Trevon Diggs moved ever closer to tying the interceptions record set by Everson Walls in the 1981 season, nabbing his league-high 10th pick against New York.
Writer's Prediction
Dallas wins and covers the spread.
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