Washington Football Team: Thanksgiving reality checks vs. Cowboys

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ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 28: Fan of the Dallas Cowboys on the sidelines before a game on Thanksgiving Day against the Buffalo Bills at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. The Bills defeated the Cowboys 26-15. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

1. The Reality Is, being home for Thanksgiving Day games is a massive advantage for Dallas.

Every team in the NFL plays at least one Thursday game each season. With three fewer days to prepare, the home team in these games has a dramatic advantage, not having to travel the day before the game.

As a result, typically, teams rotate years of hosting Thursday night games vs. traveling for them. But not Dallas. They get to host every year. And 10 different times, Washington has had the significant disadvantage in playing their division rival.

With the Dallas games always being in the afternoon time slot, it means even less rest and preparation time than the standard Thursday Night games. It’s a clear disadvantage that should be remedied by giving Washington a Thursday game the week before.

My Prediction: Ron Rivera won’t allow his team to think of this as an excuse. And the NFL won’t let go of the ratings that a Dallas-Washington Thanksgiving game garners. So expect these games to continue on a regular basis.

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