(Editor's Note: Each Tuesday, the staff of DallasCowboys.com presents "The Big Picture" for the upcoming game, presenting an overall update for each team as they head into the upcoming contest. This week, the Cowboys host the Washington Redskins for their regular season finale at AT&T Stadium.)*
WHAT: Washington Redskins (8-7) at Dallas Cowboys (4-11)
WHEN: * Sunday, Noon (Central)*
WHERE: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TELEVISION: FOX
Dallas Cowboys
Kellen Moore is going to have one more opportunity to showcase his skills before the Cowboys' season comes to a close. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett confirmed that Moore will remain the starter this weekend against Washington, after his 13-of-31, 186-yard effort against Buffalo last week. It's been a mixed bag so far for Moore, who has made some big throws in two appearances – but also has just one touchdown pass to go with four interceptions.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys' ground game is on the verge of a major milestone. Darren McFadden has only started nine games this season, but he's a mere three yards away from just the second 1,000-yard season of his career. McFadden is averaging 86.8 yards per game over the course of his 10 starts – good enough for third in the league among active running backs.
Truthfully told, there's not a whole lot for the Cowboys to accomplish in this game. There's always the satisfaction of beating a division rival – not to mention ending a disappointing season on a high note. On the flip side, there's the argument that Dallas could stand to improve its draft position with a loss. Of course, that's not the way Jason Garrett thinks, and it's not the way he's coached this team all season. It's expected the Cowboys will put up a concerted effort to grab just their fifth win of the season.
Having said that, it'll be a depleted bunch that takes the field for the Cowboys on Sunday. Barry Church and David Irving are likely headed toward the injured reserve after suffering broken bones last week in Buffalo. Dez Bryant's status is still in question, and Morris Claiborne is still coping with a hamstring injury. In addition to Kellen Moore, expect to see several young members of this roster get a chance to impress in the last game before the long offseason.
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Washington Redskins
For all the talk about this game being meaningless for the Cowboys – there's not a whole lot of incentive for Washington this weekend.
The Redskins locked up the NFC East championship last weekend against Philadelphia, securing a playoff berth for the first time since 2012. Most importantly for the purposes of this weekend: there's nothing they can do to improve their postseason standing. Washington will be the No. 4 seed and host a wildcard game in two weeks, regardless of what happens.
With that in mind, it'll be interesting to see how the Redskins handle this game against their division rival. They can put forth their best effort in the interest in maintaining momentum, or they can sit their starters with an eye on their upcoming playoff matchup.
There's a case to be made for both sides of the argument. On one hand, any team could use a week off after a 17-week season. The Redskins could potentially use this game as a bye week. On the other hand, Kirk Cousins is on a quite a tear, as he's averaging 328 yards per game and completing 74 percent of his passes over the last three weeks – with nine total touchdowns and just one interception in that timeframe.
For his part, Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Washington will try to win this game, but he intends to be smart about his injury situation. Several important Redskins players are coping with injuries, including DeAngelo Hall, Morgan Moses and Dashon Goldson.
A Cowboys win would give them a 4-2 division record for the season, and it would give them a season sweep over the Redskins for the second time in the last three seasons. The two teams split their meetings last year, with the Cowboys winning in Washington and the Redskins taking the meeting at AT&T Stadium.
