When we last saw Washington and Dallas face off on Thanksgiving Day, Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris were sensations in the making, Tony Romo was leading a furious comeback, and the Cowboys ended up losing 38-31 to their NFC East rival for both the first time on the holiday and at AT&T Stadium.
Cowboys vs. Washington 2016 live stream: How to watch Thanksgiving football online
A rematch of rivals with two of the top offenses? Thanks indeed.
With all the changes since that 2012 meeting, these teams are long overdue for another Thanksgiving showdown. And this one has many of the same variables as last time — just inverted.
The stud rookie running back and quarterback duo? Yeah, the Cowboys are the team boasting them now with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott leading the way. And like Washington did in 2012, Dallas controls its own destiny in the division and seems poised to win it.
The team that’s still searching for its ceiling? Hello, Washington. Not to mention the franchise quarterback this time around is Kirk Cousins, while Romo and Morris, who now play for Dallas, have been relegated to backup duty.
Regardless, with the Cowboys (9-1) winners of nine straight and Washington (6-3-1) coming off two big victories over the Packers and Vikings, this is looking like it should be the game of the day, if not one of the best games of the season.
Making it all the more intriguing is the ability of Dallas to play up to the stage it’s on. The Cowboys took care of the Eagles in OT on Sunday Night Football at the end of October, outdueled the Steelers in Pittsburgh two weeks ago, and gained more than 400 total yards against one of the best defenses in the league while defeating the Ravens last Sunday.
The best thing the NFL has going for it in a year when fewer people are tuning into the league is a young Dallas team that features the largest collection of playmakers on any roster. Now it has the spotlight on one of the NFL’s biggest days of the year.
In their first meeting this season, way back in Week 2, Cousins (28 of 46 passes for 364 yards and a touchdown) had Washington ready to take a two-possession lead in the fourth quarter before getting picked off in the end zone. Four minutes later, Morris punched in the game-winning score for Dallas to seal a 27-23 victory.
Prescott completed 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards that day while rushing for a touchdown. Elliott finished with 83 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
Since then they’ve only gotten better. Prescott has solidified himself as the Cowboys’ starter while racking up 2,640 passing yards and 17 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Elliott is averaging 4.9 yards per carry and has nine touchdowns. That’s all impressive even before you remember wideouts Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley are in the huddle with them alongside tight end Jason Witten.
They will need all of those weapons to keep up with Washington, which currently boasts the second-best offense in the league. Cousins and Co. are averaging 418.5 yards per game while running just the 12th-most plays from scrimmage (655). The Cowboys aren’t particularly good at stopping the pass (opposing QBs are completing nearly 70 percent of their passes for an average of 7.2 yards per play) but they defend the run, as well as any team in the league.
Washington hasn’t enjoyed much success there until lately anyway, until the emergence of rookie Robert Kelly — who rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries against the Packers last week. Looking at the bigger picture, Washington is holding on to a wild card spot with a number of teams bunched up behind it.
A win against a division rival would go a long way with matchups against the Cardinals, Panthers, Eagles, and Giants looming down the stretch. The Cowboys, meanwhile, can pad their resume a bit more with a Thanksgiving Day victory and rise up to another national stage.
How to watch
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Place: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TV: Fox
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews
Online: Sunday Ticket, Fox Sports GO
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