Big Facts: WFT’s Win Streak; 3 & Out (Of Control)
After a much needed 10-day layoff, the Dallas Cowboys are back on the gridiron for a crucial divisional bout. Sunday afternoon the Cowboys (8-4) will face the Washington Football Team (6-6) who are just two games back in the chase for the NFC East crown. Dallas is aiming to avenge their two losses, both in dominant fashion, against the Football Team in 2020 and take a massive step forward in securing the divisional title. Here are ten more additional 'big facts' to note ahead of Sunday's 12pm CT kickoff at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.
Offensive Puzzle Coming Together
Sunday will be just the ninth game since the beginning of 2020 that all five major pieces of Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup, will be available for Kellen Moore's offense. Surprisingly, the Cowboys have only posted a 4-4 record in the previous eight games but have been extremely successful on offense with 32.8 points per game and 462.4 total yards per game.
If You Bring the Heat, You May Get Burnt
Washington has blitzed on 32.6 percent of opposing quarterback drop backs this season which is the fifth-most in the league. However, they have allowed a 95.4 passer rating allowed on those blitzes which has them 21st in the league. All of this is important for Washington to know ahead of the matchup with Dak Prescott who has tallied career highs in completion percentage (81.8), yards per attempt (7.0) and passer rating (108.7) against blitz attempts this season.
Third Times the Charm?
Since these two organizations started their rivalry back in 1960, Washington has only won three-straight matchups with Dallas twice. Once in 1983 and 1984, before the latest was a four-game streak between 1986-88. Since then, the Cowboys are 39-21 against Washington and have won seven of the last 10 matchups despite the Football Team's dominance in 2020, that has them on the cusp of three-straight for the first time since that 1988 meeting.
Pleading for the Fifth
Washington is one of the hottest teams in the NFL entering Week 14 as they search for their fifth-straight win. This is the second straight year where the Football Team has won four straight (Weeks 11-14), but they have not won five straight since the 2012 season after a 3-6 start. That winning-streak propelled Washington to a division title before they fell in the Wild Card Round.
It's About Time!
Dan Quinn has some reinforcements coming this week in the form of two starters in the front seven. Randy Gregory and Neville Gallimore are anticipated to make their return to the defensive line, making it the first time since Week 1 where Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Micah Parsons will all be available. In that game, the three pass rushers combined to play together for just 28 snaps and did not register a sack, and only one hit, against the Tampa Bay offense.
"Little L.T.?"
DeMarcus Lawrence had some high, but not so surprising, praise for rookie linebacker Micah Parsons this week by saying, "We do have a little L.T. on our team." The stats back up the praise as Parsons is the first defender with 70 tackles and 10 sacks in his team's first 12 games since James Harrison, who did so in 2010 and 2008. Harrison went on to win Defensive Player of the Year in that 2008 season, and if Parsons were to match that success, he would be the first rookie to win the award since Lawrence Taylor in 1981.
Welcome Back O-Line
The Cowboys were dominated by Washington last year at the line of scrimmage in both games. But Tyron Smith and La'el Collins each missed both games and Zack Martin played in just one series – at right tackle – before leaving the Thanksgiving Day game with a season-ending injury. Oh, and Dak Prescott hasn't played against Washington since 2019 as well.
Dak vs. Washington
Not only did Dak Prescott record his first win as a starter against Washington back in 2016, but he's been rather dominant against the WFT in his career, posting a 7-1 record. The only loss occurred in 2018 when the Cowboys were flagged for a rare snap infraction on a potentially game-tying field goal. Prescott missed both games against Washington last year with the ankle injury.
Worth The Wait?
The Dallas-Washington rivalry is one of the best in the NFL, if not all sports. But usually, we'll have a game played by now in the season. But Sunday's game will be the latest these two teams have ever played for the first time in a season. In 1982, the Cowboys played at Washington on Dec. 5 for their only meeting of the year and then played them on Dec. 9 in 1972. But Sunday's game on Dec. 12 will be the first of the season, followed up by a Dec. 26 game in Dallas.
3 & Out (Of Hand)
In the first nine games of the season, the Cowboys were held to just 14 three-and-outs, an average of just 1.5 per game. Things have changed lately. In the last three games against Kansas City, Las Vegas and New Orleans – the Cowboys have 19 three-and-outs, an average of 6.3 per game. Staying on the field is a must against Washington this week, especially if it's just three plays.
