Cowboys aim to seal NFC East title vs. Commanders
Even though they are out of the running for the playoffs, the Washington Commanders can still give an NFC East foe a parting gift. In the midst of a seven-game losing streak, the Commanders (4-12) will host the Cowboys (11-5) for the regular-season finale on Sunday. Washington knows that a victory might knock Dallas out of first place in the division and create a path for the Philadelphia Eagles to take.
Dallas would be the NFC East champion and the conference’s second seed if the Cowboys prevail. The Cowboys, who are 8-0 this season, would return home for a wild-card playoff game at AT&T Stadium.
“I like where we’re at,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “Obviously we would’ve liked to have won them all this past month, but I think clearly the adversity and the type of games we’ve been in will serve us well moving forward. I think being healthy is the most important statistic going into the playoffs.”
The Cowboys aren’t entirely healthy entering the game with guard Tyler Smith (foot) and nose tackle Johnathan Hankins (knee/ankle) nursing injuries. Hankins could play after missing the past three games, McCarthy said. One player the Commanders aren’t likely itching to see this week is CeeDee Lamb.
With 122 catches and 1,651 receiving yards, the Dallas wide out leads the NFL and sets single-season franchise records in both categories. Lamb saw just four receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ season-opening encounter against Washington.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, who leads the NFL with 32 touchdown passes, said of the young quarterback, “He’s really just getting going and I can tell you as long as I’m here, he’ll probably stack these records and each and every year, to be honest with you.” After the Cowboys crushed the Commanders 45-10 in November, Jack Del Rio, the defensive coordinator for Washington, was fired.
Explosive plays have contributed to Washington’s undoing. No team has allowed more 20-yard pass plays, and the Commanders have only two interceptions in the past 10 games.
The Commanders rank last in total defense (385.8 yards per game), 31st in pass defense (259.3 yards per game) and aren’t built for comebacks with an NFL-worst minus-12 turnover margin. Any traction Washington gains on the defensive side of the ball depends on the availability of interior force Jonathan Allen (knee), but he didn’t practice Wednesday.
The two starting cornerbacks are ailing as well, as Kendall Fuller (knee) sat out the Wednesday practice while Benjamin St-Juste (concussion) was limited. Dallas lost on the road to the Commanders 26-6 in the Week 18 game a year ago in Sam Howell’s first career start. The Washington quarterback went 28 of 44 for 300 yards and an interception in the Thanksgiving Day defeat at Dallas.
On Wednesday, Howell was named Washington’s starter over Jacoby Brissett. Howell started in Week 17 after Brissett was a pulled off the stage and made inactive on the roster pregame due to a hamstring injury. Brissett was limited in Wednesday’s practice.
The game could be curtains for Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, who expected he could be on the chopping block under new ownership with greater expectations for a Washington franchise that last won a playoff game following the 2005 season. “There’s nothing you can do about what’s going to happen beyond Sunday, so the focus should be on Sunday,” Rivera said.
Although Rivera set the quarterback hierarchy for Week 18, prospective candidates for the positions of general manager or president may choose their own quarterback strategy for 2024. The Commanders are in a good position to draft at No. 2 overall in April going into the season finale.
When asked if the team is in a better spot now than it was on January 1, 2020, Rivera responded, “Well, I’d like to think we’re in a better place,” on Tuesday. It’s probably better to put it this way. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and we’ll see where it goes from here. Once more, we’ll concentrate on Sunday’s top priority, which is preparing for Dallas.”
Leave a Reply