When the Dallas Cowboys welcome the New York Jets to AT&T Stadium on Saturday evening, they do so with the understanding that their postseason hopes are on the line. The Cowboys are 4-9, so their playoff chances are slim, but with a 6-7 Washington team currently in the lead, the NFC East is not yet out of reach for Dallas.
Jets vs. Cowboys 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
It’s a must-win game for the Dallas Cowboys when they welcome the New York Jets to Arlington on Saturday night.
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
The Jets sit at 8-5 and hold the last wild card spot in the AFC, and they'll look to keep other contenders at bay with a road win over Dallas in Week 15. It's a tight race in the AFC, and with the Patriots up next for the Jets in Week 16, they'll need a win over the Cowboys to secure their position.
The Cowboys have been decimated by injury this season, losing quarterback Tony Romo to a fractured collarbone -- not once, but twice. Wide receiver Dez Bryant missed time early in the season with a broken foot, further limiting the Cowboys offensively, and Bryant has struggled with other injuries and dropped balls since his return. Bryant had just one catch for 9 yards against Green Bay in Week 14, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said, in his characteristically frank way, that the team does not intend to give Bryant a break on Saturday, and he expects Bryant to have a big game against the Jets.
The Jets present a difficult matchup for the Cowboys’ offense. Without Romo, Dallas has failed to put up much yardage and ranks just 28th in the NFL in total offense. The sole offensive strength for the Cowboys is their run game, which ranks 11th in the league with an average of 118.2 yards per game. The Jets’ run defense is the league’s best, however, allowing just 78.9 yards per game.
The Jets are opportunistic, too, forcing 20 fumbles and 13 interceptions this season. Dallas, on the other hand, has had problems holding on to the ball. Tony Romo, Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel have combined to throw 15 interceptions this season, and the Cowboys also have 15 fumbles on the season.
New York's offense has been solid, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick poised to potentially break the franchise single-season passing touchdowns record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1989 when he threw 29. Even with a top-10 offense, the Jets are in for a challenge against a stingy Dallas defense.
The Cowboys have been particularly strong against the pass, ranking fourth in the NFL in yards. But the Jets receiving tandem of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker will be a tough test for this unit. Marshall has 1,187 yards and 11 touchdowns on 89 receptions for the Jets this season, and Decker has 875 yards and nine touchdowns on 66 catches in 2015. If both snag touchdown catches against the Cowboys, it would be the eighth time this season the two have caught touchdowns in the same game, which would set an NFL record. Currently, Decker and Marshall are tied with Randy Moss and Cris Carter for the most games with touchdown catches by teammates in a season.
How to watch
When: 8:25 p.m. ET
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Online: Watch NFL Live
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