Cowboys vs. Redskins: Which team gets on a winning streak?
The Washington Redskins host the Dallas Cowboys in an all-important NFC East matchup on Sunday afternoon. Which team reigns supreme?
The Dallas Cowboys (3-3) meet the Washington Redskins (3-2) on Sunday afternoon just outside the nation’s capital in a critical early-season NFC East battle. The Cowboys are coming off their most impressive performance of the 2018 season in Week 6, throttling the Jacksonville Jaguars 40-7. Dallas rolled up 378 total yards, including 206 rushing yards against the vaunted Jacksonville front seven.
Meanwhile, the Redskins are also coming off an impressive performance of their own. Washington was embarrassed on Monday night in Week 5 at New Orleans and bounced back in a big way last week with a 23-17 win over the Carolina Panthers. The win kept the Redskins out front in the NFC East.
The interesting part of this game, besides the fact that it’s the Redskins and Cowboys, is the inconsistency of each team. Neither team has won two in a row this season. Both teams have followed wins with uninspiring losses. The Redskins’ two losses are ugly to Indianapolis and New Orleans, while the Cowboys looked punchless on offense — outside of running back Ezekiel Elliott — in the three losses.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott had his best performance of the season last week. His passing numbers weren’t outstanding, but he managed the offense well and made good decisions with the football. The Cowboys wisely got back to using Prescott in the running game and it opened up things for the entire offense. You can probably expect a heavy dose of Prescott and Elliott on Sunday.
Redskins’ quarterback Alex Smith had some good moments last week, too, however, inconsistency still followed him. He’s taking too many sacks and appears indecisive with the football at times. Against a strong Dallas defense on Sunday that gets linebacker Sean Lee back, Smith could have a long day as wide receiver Jamison Crowder is out, while fellow receiver Paul Richardson is doubtful.
Adrian Peterson has been Washington’s best offensive player this season. He will play, but third-down stud Chris Thompson is questionable. The Redskins need Thompson on the field. Dallas is difficult to get wide on in the running game due to the speed of its linebackers. The Redskins must do a better job up front of handling Dallas’ stunts and twists along the defensive line.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018
Start Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Landover, MD
Stadium: FedEx Field
TV Info: FOX
Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket, FuboTV
Betting Odds (via Odds Shark)
Point Spread: Dallas -1.5
Moneyline: Dallas -130, Washington +110
Over/Under: 41.5
Recent history has been favorable for the Cowboys in this series as Dallas has won the past four meetings. The Redskins do have a much better defense in 2018. Washington ranks No. 4 against the run, thanks in large part to defensive linemen Da’Ron Payne and Jonathan Allen.
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Prediction
This is a tough game to predict. Expect it to be a low-scoring affair, too. Both teams play good defense. A late field goal probably determines the winner either way and with the Redskins missing two of Smith’s top receivers, moving the ball against a good Dallas defense will be difficult. Elliott will have a strong game with over 120 total yards and he will find the end zone once. Peterson will have a solid game but it won’t be enough.
Final Score: Dallas 16, Washington 13