The Washington Redskins are getting ready for a key rivalry game in Week 7 against the Cowboys. Here are the key matchups and a score prediction for the contest.
The Redskins are facing yet another turning point early in the season. They have yet to win or lose consecutive games but entering Week 7, they have a chance to improve to 4-2 and notch a key win over a division rival. And that rival is the hated Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys are coming in with a 3-3 record and with a win, they would overtake Washington in the NFC East standings. They also come in with a lot of momentum after absolutely thrashing the Jaguars, so that will also be a big-time factor in this contest.
Still, the Redskins will have the motivation to succeed too. They have a chance to take a commanding spot in the division and become the primary rival to the division crown with the Eagles. And knocking the Cowboys to a losing record would just be gravy.
With all that said, here’s an in-depth preview and analysis of this week’s game including matchups to watch and a score prediction.
Redskins offense vs. Cowboys defense
The Redskins offense has been up-and-down this season, but they are coming off an up game against the Panthers. Well, at least the first half was an “up” half. They faltered a bit late and couldn’t score as much, but they should still have a chance to do well against the Cowboys.
Dallas is coming off a big win over the Jaguars. While they are unlikely to overlook a rivalry game, they could come in too cocky and too aggressive to this contest. And if that happens, the Redskins will certainly be able to take advantage.
Alex Smith had a much better game against the Panthers than he did against the Saints, and hopefully, he can continue to carry that momentum forward. In the past, the Cowboys have had trouble dealing with tight ends and the healthy Jordan Reed in particular. Smith will probably look his way, and towards Vernon Davis, frequently in order to keep Dallas off balance.
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At receiver, there may still be some depth issue this week. Jamison Crowder won’t practice until Friday at the earliest, so it seems that he may be doubtful for the contest at best. Paul Richardson is dealing with some injuries as well and while he may play, he may be less than 100 percent. Coupling that with the Cowboys solid secondary performance may make it hard for the Redskins to get the ball outside.
Of course, running on the Cowboys isn’t easy either. They rank seventh in the league in rushing yards allowed at just 90.7 per game. Adrian Peterson may be able to find some running room, and that will be key for the team’s offense. Chris Thompson, who missed last week’s game, is likely to be questionable again, but if he suits up, he may generate a bit more yardage because of his explosive ability. But if he’s not fully healthy, his snaps may be very limited.
Overall, this looks like a wash at best for the Redskins. The Cowboys have some fearsome weapons in Demarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, and others on the defensive line, and they could pressure the front for Washington, so that could cause issues. That and the solid matchups Dallas has will make this a hard battle for the ‘Skins to win. Still, it is entirely possible, so that’s at least a positive.
Cowboys offense vs. Redskins defense
The Cowboys have been playing well as of late on offense. Well, it depends on how exactly you define “well.” They had an outburst against the Jaguars last week but in the previous week, they too often had to settle for field goals. In short, this unit is definitely beatable.
The Cowboys offense still runs through Zeke Elliott and the run game. While Elliott just put up a 100-yard outing against the tough Jaguars defense, he can be slowed down, as evidenced in a few games this year. The Texans, Giants, and Panthers have all done a great job of limiting Elliott and thus, have put a cap on the Cowboys offense. The Redskins will need to do the same to emerge victoriously.
Thankfully, the run defense has been a strength of the Redskins defense so far this season. Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen will continue to help collapse the pocket and make it difficult for Elliott to find much space. Considering that Elliott has been a thorn in their side for the past couple of seasons, Washington should be planning to key in on him and allow their secondary to take care of the Cowboys receivers.
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Speaking of the Cowboys passing game, it isn’t very strong. None of their receivers have really stepped into that No. 1 role, as their group really is more of an amalgamation of tertiary options than anything else. Sure, Cole Beasley can occasionally score a couple times, but he can also be neutralized fairly easily. The Redskins will look to match up with the Cowboys weapons, and thanks to the performance of Quinton Dunbar and the reinvigorated Josh Norman, they should be able to lock down the receivers.
If Dak Prescott is forced to make plays as a result of this to keep the passing game going, the Redskins will be in a good position. Prescott did well against the Jaguars to frequently scramble and pick up yards, but he may find that harder to do against Washington, as they’ll be prepared to deal with that. If Prescott has to win with his arm, the Redskins could be in great shape to limit the passing game and render the Cowboys one-dimensional.
Finally, the pass rush will also play a role in making Prescott uncomfortable. Attacking him from the middle of the pocket should be the way to go, so look for Matt Ioannidis to create some pressures there.
Overall, the Redskins should have the advantage on defense. Their unit is much improved against the run, and that will play a big role in their ability to slow the Cowboys — and Zeke Elliott — down on Sunday afternoon.
Score prediction
The Redskins never follow up a win with a win. Or at least it feels like it’s been years since that happened. Still, they should have a slight advantage this week.
The ‘Skins are at home and will be playing in front of a crowd that desperately wants to earn a victory to stay atop the NFC East. Jay Gruden is a better head coach than Jason Garrett as well, so the coaching edge stays with the burgundy and gold this week as well.
This is a game that is likely to be decided by defense, intensity, and the ability to grind out some yards in the run game. We’ve seen the Redskins come up flat in games like these before, but this time around, maybe it will be different. In fact, it has to be different. If they want to establish themselves as a winning team, this is the game to do it in.
At the end of the day, the Redskins should win this one. It will be close but expect a late field goal to decide an otherwise solid defensive battle. And with the victory, the ‘Skins should improve to 4-2.