The pick against the spread for the Thanksgiving day game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Football Team
With a win on their annual Thanksgiving day game, the Dallas Cowboys will be in sole possession of first place in the trash heap that is the NFC East. If there’s anything to be thankful for in this brutal football season, it’s that their division is devoid of quarterback talent. Because of that, and despite a 3-7 record, this is a team with something to play for.
The Cowboys remain the worst team in the league in terms of covering the spread however, doing it just twice through the first ten games. However, they have covered the last two and are looking to extend that streak to three. They enter Thursday’s matchup with the Washington Football as three-point favorites according to BETMGM.
There’s a couple things playing in the home team’s favor: the first is playing at home on an incredibly short week, the second is revenge. The last time these teams met the Cowboys were in the midst of a serious funk. Andy Dalton, starting just his second game in Dallas, was taken out of action with a dirty hit. There was nary a peep from his teammates.
Part of the issue was the lack of enforcers left on the offense. The offensive line was completely missing any semblance of veteran leadership. There was no La’el Collins, Tyron Smith or Zack Martin. The latter has been back in the lineup and is the key to the Cowboys hopes going forward. His move to right tackle has removed the weakest link in Terence Steele and provided a jolt to the group’s play.
With even decent line play, the Dallas weapons remain as terrifying as any in the league, so with that in mind…
The verdict: The Cowboys cover the spread and the over (45.5) comes through.
On the season: 4-6 against the spread, 6-4 over/under
Washington Football Team (3-7) vs Dallas Cowboys (3-7) Game Preview
For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM
Why Washington Football Team Will Win
The passing game got going over the last few weeks, Alex Smith is playing well, and the defense continues to be terrific.
There were only 161 yards through the air in last week’s win over Cincinnati, but that’s partly because the running game was working. On the other side, the Football Team D leads the NFL in pass defense and hasn’t allowed anyone to throw for over 300 yards – although Jared Goff and the Rams got to exactly 300.
Dallas has a big, big problem with the pass defense, it allowed most touchdown passes than anyone, and Washington will control the game through the air, but …
No team could’ve possibly needed time off more than the Cowboys, and it showed with a tough-effort win over Minnesota coming off a bye week. The running game ranked it up with a season-high 180 yards, the fight continues to be there in a lost season, and it’s the Thanksgiving Day showcase in AT&T – the effort will be there.
The Washington offense continues to struggle, Andy Dalton is coming off a strong game for the Cowboys, and it’s not going to be Ben DiNucci under center like he was in the 25-3 loss to the Football Team a few weeks ago when Dalton was knocked out.
RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas
He was held to 71 yards in last year’s Thanksgiving loss to Buffalo, but he accounted for 66 receiving yards. Against Washington in 2018 he ripped off 121 yards and a touchdown, but he wasn’t right in the first meeting this year with just 49 yards. The yards reappeared last week against Minnesota and he caught a touchdown pass, but he hasn’t run for a score in five weeks.
What’s Going To Happen
Did Dallas find its groove against last week against the Vikings? The Washington defense is just good enough to keep this from being any sort of a shootout, but a rejuvenated Elliott will run well, and two takeaways will play a big role in the Cowboys’ first back-to-back wins of the season.
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Football Team Prediction, Line
Tony Pollard returns a kick 66 yards for the longest return for the Dallas Cowboys in five years.
The Dallas Cowboys special teams, particularly on kick returns, has been largely useless through six games. In a game that’s been marred by terrible line play on both sides of the ball, and the Cowboys in an early hole once again, Tony Pollard took matters into his own hands.
Down 9-0, Pollard returned the ensuing kickoff 66 yards. For a brief and glorious moment it seemed as if he might score, which would be helpful considering the state of the quarterback and offensive line, unfortunately it wasn’t mean to be.
That return is the longest of his young career. It’s also the best return for any player in a Cowboys uniform since Lucky Whitehead in 2015. Not shockingly, the Dallas offense was incapable of converting even a single first down, settling for a field goal. At the end of the first quarter, Dallas trails 9-3.
The Dallas Cowboys have named their Week 7 captains and for the first time in his career, WR CeeDee Lamb will sport the honored C on his jersey. Head coach Mike McCarthy has switched things up, naming a different offense, defense and special teams …
The Dallas Cowboys have named their Week 7 captains and for the first time in his career, WR CeeDee Lamb will sport the honored C on his jersey. Head coach Mike McCarthy has switched things up, naming a different offense, defense and special teams captain each week and the spectacular rookie wideout gets the nod against the Washington Football Team. DL Everson Griffen and WR Noah Brown get the defense and ST nods, respectively.
Also announced are the guys not suiting up for the game. With the activation of Randy Gregory, rookie Bradlee Anae gets his first inactive of the year. RG Zack Martin is the most notable name, still out with concussion symptoms from Monday night. For Washington, starting LT Geron Christian is out. 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins is now QB3 and is inactive for this game as well.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) October 25, 2020
Washington's inactives for Week 7: QB Dwayne Haskins WR Isaiah Wright WR Robert Foster OT Geron Christian DL James Smith-Williams DE Casey Toohill LB Thomas Davis
Lucas at LT.
Tony Brown, signed to the 53, is WR4 + practice-squader Jeff Badet elevated.
Packed with game information including referee assignment, broadcast team, wager info, coverage maps, local and satellite radio stations and most importantly, a few options if you can’t watch the game on TV.
Times are different in 2020.
Normally, whenever the Dallas Cowboys go wheels up for a trip to Maryland to face the Washington football franchise, they prepare to play a home game on road soil. Because of the proliferation of Cowboys fans that reside in the Washington, DC region, and because the home team is normally bad and rarely gives their home fans a reason to pay to see them, games at Fed Ex Field normally have more Cowboys fans in attendance than any other road venue.
Honestly, they normally outnumber fans of the home team. That won’t be the case thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. No fans in the stands for this one. Also, the game will only be broadcast to parts of the country. If you’re in need of help, we got you fam.
Game Information
Dallas Cowboys (2-4) @ Washington Football Team (1-5)
There are several other options available for those whose mobile devices and computers 100% appear to be in local regions (via GPS, public IP address, zip code) which get the game.
Cowboys Broadcast: (Streaming 808) Washington Broadcast: 231 (Streaming 831)
Local Radio
TEXAS:
Abilene – KTLT 98.1 FM
Alpine – KVLF 1240 AM
Amarillo – KARX 95.7 FM
Andrews – KNFM 92.3 FM
Atlanta, TX – KPYN 900 AM/99.5 FM
Austin – KTXX 104.9 FM
Big Spring – KBST 95.7 FM
Brownsville – KVNS 1700 AM/KQXX 105.5 FM
Brownwood – KXYL 96.9 FM
Carthage – KGAS 104.3 FM
Childress – KCTX 96.1 FM
Comanche – KCOM 1550 AM
Corpus Christi – KKTX 1360 AM
Corsicana – KRVF 106.9 FM
Dallas – KRLD 105.3 FM
El Paso – KROD 600 AM
Fredericksburg – KNAF 910 AM
Gainesville – KGAF 1580 AM
Haskell – KVRP 91.7 FM
Hereford – KPAN 860 AM
Kermit – KPTX 98.3 FM
Killeen – KTAE 1330 AM/ESPN 100.9 FM
Lamesa – KBXJ 98.5 FM
Laredo – KHOY 88.1 FM
Livingston – KETX 1440 AM
Lubbock – KTTU 104.3 FM
Lufkin – KYBI 100.1 FM
Malakoff – KCKL 95.9 FM
Marble Falls – KBEY 103.9 FM
Marshall – KMHT 103.9
McAllen – KVNS 1700 AM/KQXX 105.5 FM
Midland – KNFM 92.3 FM
Monahans – KPTX 98.3 FM
Mt. Pleasant – KALK 97.7 FM
Odessa – KNFM 92.3 FM
Overton – KPXI 100.7
Palestine – KYYK 98.3 FM
Paris – KBUS 101.9 FM
Pecos – KPTX 98.3 FM
Plainview – KREW 1400 AM
San Angelo – KGKL 960 AM/97.5 FM
San Antonio – WOAI 1200 AM/KTKR 760 AM
Stanton – KNFM 92.3 FM
Stephenville – KSTV 93.1 FM
Temple – KTAE 1330 AM/ESPN 100.9 FM
Texarkana – KKTK 1400 AM
Tyler – KZTK 99.3 FM
Uvalde – KBNU 93.9 FM
Waco – KRZI 1660 AM/K-267-AI 101.3 FM
Wichita Falls – KYYI 94.9 FM
ARKANSAS:
Glenwood, AR – KWXI 670 AM
Hot Springs, AR – KWXI 98.9 FM
Little Rock, AR – KARN 920 AM
LOUISIANA:
Shreveport, LA – KEEL 710 AM
NEW MEXICO:
Albuquerque, NM – KQTM 101.7 FM
Farmington, NM – KTRA 102.1 FM
Hobbs, NM – KHOB 1390 AM
Roswell, NM – KTZA 92.9 FM
OKLAHOMA:
Ardmore, OK – KVSO 1240 AM
Bartlesville, OK – KWON 1400 AM
Hugo, OK – KBUS 101.9 FM
Oklahoma City, OK – KGHM 1340 AM
Tulsa, OK – KTBZ 1430 AM
Cowboys Spanish Language Radio Network: Cadena de Plata Radio
TEXAS:
Amarillo, KZIP 1310 AM
Austin, KWNX 1260 AM
Beaumont, KIKR 1450 AM/KBED 1510 AM
Brownwood, KXYL 1240 AM
Bryan, KVJM 103.1 FM
Dallas, Mega 107.5 FM KFLC 1270 AM
El Paso, KAMA 750 AM
McAllen/Brownsville, KGBT 1530 AM
Midland/Odessa, KTXC 104.7 FM
Plainview, KRIA 103.9 FM
San Antonio, KZDC 1250 AM
LOUISIANA: Shreveport – KSYR – 92.1 FM
NEW MEXICO:
Artesia/CarlsbadKPZE 106.1 FM
Clovis, KGRW 94.7FM
Las Cruces, KAMA 750 AM
Due to blackout restrictions and local conflicts, stations may not air all games. Affiliate list may fluctuate slightly from week to week.
Dallas Cowboys (2-4) vs Washington Football Team (1-5) Game Preview
For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM
Why Dallas Will Win
The Football Team doesn’t have the pop or or the firepower to keep up if the Cowboys can get up fast. As bad as the Dallas defense might be, now it gets a Washington Football Team with no running game and a passing attack that hasn’t hit 275 yards yet this season. The Washington O doesn’t convert this downs, and it doesn’t go on long drives. Dallas needs to run and control things … more on that in a moment.
It’s too much to suggest that Dallas has quit, but it sure wasn’t focused and ready to play against Arizona last week. The defense continues to be at a whole other level of awful – allowing 400 yards of total offense or more in four of the six games – all losses. If Washington was ever going to pound the rock, this would be the week. Everyone who can run is doing it without a problem.
WR Terry McLaurin, Washigton
Despite averaging a whopping 9.5 targets per game, McLaurin has managed to only score one TD. No matter what, against this Dallas D, you start ‘em if you got ‘em. This is an all-time bad Cowboys defense that allowed 30+ points in every game and is ranked 30th against receivers.
What’s Going To Happen
Let Zeke eat … if he can hold on to the loaf of bread.
He made a point of not wanting to fumble anymore, and then he had massive fumbling issues against Arizona. But it’s this simple. Dallas is 2-0 when allowing fewer than 400 yards of total offense, and is 0-4 when it allows more.
Washington has yet to hit the 350-yard mark.
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Football Team Prediction, Line
