The Cowboys have one game to play in the regular season, and so much is still unclear as far as the playoff picture is concerned.
The Cowboys sit in 5th place and will play Tom Brady and the Bucs next weekend unless a few things change. The Cowboys can still get the #1 and #2 spots, but they need some help. If the Eagles and 49ers both lose, coupled with a Cowboys win, they have a first-round bye and claim the #1. If the Eagles lose but the 49ers beat the Cardinals as expected, the Cowboys will become the #2 and next week at home against the No. 7, which could be against the Packers.
In any case, there will be many scoreboards next to this game.
Check out what our editors think will happen in Washington and other NFL cities this weekend.
Patrick Walker: Get down to business, folks. While some would have preferred the Cowboys to wave the white flag on the NFC East by seeding starters against the Titans, luckily they didn’t, and the Eagles’ loss to the Saints was a reward for Dallas’ thought process. And with a shot at the divisional crown, and possibly more, this Sunday against the Washington Commanders, the Cowboys are pedaling. That’s a good thing, too, because although the Commanders are now out of the playoffs, they’ll likely leave everything on the field to ruin the Cowboys’ chances of advancing their playoff standings, while many also try to make sure that they will have a job in Washington in 2023. It’s too bad for them, however, that the Cowboys aren’t letting up, and with Sunday’s starters taking the field to make sure they don’t, they’ll look to break the Commanders’ spirit at halftime. Fix the bugs and they will do exactly what an absolute win should be to secure victory in the 2022 season. and maybe more. 45-10 cowboys
Nick Eatman: Not an easy game to predict and the main reason is Washington. Sure, the Cowboys have to win this game and they’re going to play that way. It’s a different story for the commanders and it’s a challenge to penetrate the psyche of this dressing room. Do they roll over because the season is over and there will be no playoffs? Are they injured enough to leave a lot of key players out? Or do they play loose and fast and go out to spoil the Cowboys’ chances of winning the division, something that would definitely give their fanbase a boost (much more than a friendly pig mascot) heading into the off-season. But how the commanders play will only factor into the bottom line. I see the Cowboys scoring a lot again and getting to 30 points. Washington, behind his rookie Sam Howell at QB, will move the ball and show some life. But ultimately I got the Cowboys to win that 30-21, but I still think they’ll have the No. 5 seed with an Eagles win.
Hailey Sutton: A lot has happened this week that has made it difficult to focus on Washington. Damar Hamlin’s injury, the Hall of Fame selection, the playoff picture; It just seems like things were bigger than the regular season finale against the no-postseason Commanders. But as Mike reiterated in his final press conference on Friday, the goal for the Cowboys is to win the game and to devote all their energies to the task. They face another limited-band backup quarterback that offers even more prep challenges, as well as the most efficient third-down defense in the league. However, all good things are ahead of the last guaranteed game of the season. I think this game gives the Cowboys an opportunity to address their weaknesses, solidify some points and hopefully walk away with a franchise-tying 13th win. It’s not going to be easy – the Commanders are scrappy and like to play spoilers – but hand me Dallas with the 33-21 dub.
Kyle Youmans: Usually when one team has everything left to play and another team has nothing to play, things can get wild. Washington has a talented squad on paper, but for some reason they just haven’t been able to fully convert in key situations this season. So there’s an added frustration with how things have been going for them this season. While Dallas needs their own domino (a win) to fall first before they can hope for playoff rewards. I expect Dallas to take full advantage of a ramp-up opportunity by taking care of business early and often against Washington before pulling starters late. Dallas take victory number 13 in a big way, 41-20.