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  4. title => "Need to Know: Final thoughts on Redskins vs. Cowboys"
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  6. article_body => "<p>DALLAS\u2014Here is what you need to know on this Thursday, November 30,&nbsp;10 days before the Washington Redskins play the Chargers in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Timeline <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Today\u2019s schedule: <\/strong>Redskins Kickoff 7:00 p.m., NBC Sports Washington; Redskins vs. Cowboys 8:30 p.m., NBC\/NFL Network<\/p>\n<p><strong>Days until<\/strong>:<br><br>\u2014Redskins @ Chargers (12\/10) 10<br>\u2014Cardinals @ Redskins (12\/17) 17<br>\u2014Broncos @ Redskins Christmas Eve (12\/24) 24<\/p>\n<p><strong>Final thoughts on Cowboys vs. Redskins<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Opportunities due to injuries\u2014<\/strong>The Cowboys will be without linebackers Sean Lee and Justin Durant due to injuries. The absence of Lee with a hamstring injury was expected. Lee has missed the last two games with the injury and while his absence hasn\u2019t had the impact that Ezekiel Elliott\u2019s suspension has had on the offensive side of the ball, the Dallas D does miss him. They have given up an average of 32.5 points per game in his absence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dak Prescott a wild card\u2014<\/strong>We\u2019re not really sure what we\u2019re going to see out of the Cowboys quarterback tonight. Since Elliott\u2019s suspension, he has five interceptions, no touchdowns and he has lost a couple of fumbles. Is he falling apart, showing why the league thought he was a mid-round project in the 2016 draft and not an instant Pro Bowl starter? Or is this just a bump in the road for a top-10 QB? Time will tell and time starts tonight.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jamison Crowder should remain on a roll\u2014<\/strong>The third-year receiver was struggling to find his way for the first six games of the season. He broke out of his slump against the Cowboys in Week 8 and since then he has averaged seven receptions for 103 yards per game. Crowder has a good history vs. the Cowboys, averaging 6 receptions for 78 yards in five career games against them. Kirk Cousins will look for him early and often.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Keys to winning:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s no coincidence that the Redskins\u2019 offense got going in the second half when Samaje Perine started getting chunks of yards running the ball. They can\u2019t get pass happy. In their last three games against the Cowboys, which have all been losses, they have averaged 17 rushing attempts and 46 passes.<\/li>\n<li>Winning the turnover battle is always important but it seems to be particularly relevant for these two teams at this time. The Redskins have three turnovers in their last four games and have gone 2-2. During their current three-game streak of misery, the Cowboys have turned it over eight times.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Prediction\u2014<\/strong>Even though it's only Week 13, the stakes are higher for this Cowboys-Redskins game than they have been for any meeting between the two teams since the 2012 season finale for the NFC East title. The winner gets a chance to have a chance to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The loser is not mathematically eliminated, but that team\u2019s odds are very long. The Redskins are well positioned to win this one. Their offense is starting to click and given the woes of the Dallas offense, they should be able to outscore the Cowboys. But you don\u2019t have to look back any further than a couple of years ago to a Monday night game in December of 2015 when a Cowboys team that had lost eight of its previous nine games came into FedEx Field and beat the Redskins. So it hard to be too confident, but this one should go the Redskins\u2019 way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redskins 27, Cowboys 14<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Stay up to date on the Redskins. Rich Tandler covers the team 365 days a year. Like his Facebook page <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TandlerNBCS\"><strong><em>Facebook.com\/TandlerNBCS<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> and follow him on Twitter <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TandlerNBCS\"><strong><em>@TandlerNBCS<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tandler on Twitter <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">As of now... color rush for Redskins will be burgundy on burgundy.<\/p>&mdash; Chris Cooley (@thecooleyzone) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thecooleyzone\/status\/935862996525572096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 29, 2017<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The only thing I care about regarding this is if there will be sufficient contrast for me to be able to see the numbers from the press box, which is way up there in AT&amp;T Stadium. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0HoSDfKZg1\">https:\/\/t.co\/0HoSDfKZg1<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Rich Tandler (@TandlerNBCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TandlerNBCS\/status\/935863390035238912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 29, 2017<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p><strong>In case you missed it<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/redskins-week-13-injury-report-reed-sidelined-once-again-thursday-dallas\">Redskins unveil final injury report before TNF in Dallas<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/fantasy-football-week-13-rankings-will-help-you-make-playoffs\">Fantasy Football -- Week 13 rankings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/video\/recipe-victory-how-redskins-can-beat-cowboys-thursday\">Recipe for a Redskins victory vs. the Cowboys in Week 13<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/week-13-redskins-cowboys-stretch-run-washington-must-get-even\">Redskins-Cowboys preview: Time to get even<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/after-much-mystery-chris-cooley-reveals-redskins-plans-color-rush-uniforms\">Chris Cooley reveals Redskins plans for color rush uniforms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/need-know-samaje-perine-injuries-could-determine-redskins-fate\">Perine, injuries could make or break Redskins' season<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/after-slow-start-redskins-red-zone-efficiency-has-been-red-hot\">Redskins red hot in the red zone lately<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/redskin-talk\/episodes\/2a13bf6f-c182-4e95-a153-abf1c73ae882\/embed?theme=light-blue\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"
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Redskins

Redskins

DALLAS—Here is what you need to know on this Thursday, November 30, 10 days before the Washington Redskins play the Chargers in Los Angeles.

Timeline

Today’s schedule: Redskins Kickoff 7:00 p.m., NBC Sports Washington; Redskins vs. Cowboys 8:30 p.m., NBC/NFL Network

Days until:

—Redskins @ Chargers (12/10) 10
—Cardinals @ Redskins (12/17) 17
—Broncos @ Redskins Christmas Eve (12/24) 24

Final thoughts on Cowboys vs. Redskins

Opportunities due to injuries—The Cowboys will be without linebackers Sean Lee and Justin Durant due to injuries. The absence of Lee with a hamstring injury was expected. Lee has missed the last two games with the injury and while his absence hasn’t had the impact that Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension has had on the offensive side of the ball, the Dallas D does miss him. They have given up an average of 32.5 points per game in his absence.

Dak Prescott a wild card—We’re not really sure what we’re going to see out of the Cowboys quarterback tonight. Since Elliott’s suspension, he has five interceptions, no touchdowns and he has lost a couple of fumbles. Is he falling apart, showing why the league thought he was a mid-round project in the 2016 draft and not an instant Pro Bowl starter? Or is this just a bump in the road for a top-10 QB? Time will tell and time starts tonight.

Jamison Crowder should remain on a roll—The third-year receiver was struggling to find his way for the first six games of the season. He broke out of his slump against the Cowboys in Week 8 and since then he has averaged seven receptions for 103 yards per game. Crowder has a good history vs. the Cowboys, averaging 6 receptions for 78 yards in five career games against them. Kirk Cousins will look for him early and often.

 

Keys to winning:

  • It’s no coincidence that the Redskins’ offense got going in the second half when Samaje Perine started getting chunks of yards running the ball. They can’t get pass happy. In their last three games against the Cowboys, which have all been losses, they have averaged 17 rushing attempts and 46 passes.
  • Winning the turnover battle is always important but it seems to be particularly relevant for these two teams at this time. The Redskins have three turnovers in their last four games and have gone 2-2. During their current three-game streak of misery, the Cowboys have turned it over eight times.

Prediction—Even though it's only Week 13, the stakes are higher for this Cowboys-Redskins game than they have been for any meeting between the two teams since the 2012 season finale for the NFC East title. The winner gets a chance to have a chance to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The loser is not mathematically eliminated, but that team’s odds are very long. The Redskins are well positioned to win this one. Their offense is starting to click and given the woes of the Dallas offense, they should be able to outscore the Cowboys. But you don’t have to look back any further than a couple of years ago to a Monday night game in December of 2015 when a Cowboys team that had lost eight of its previous nine games came into FedEx Field and beat the Redskins. So it hard to be too confident, but this one should go the Redskins’ way.

Redskins 27, Cowboys 14

Stay up to date on the Redskins. Rich Tandler covers the team 365 days a year. Like his Facebook page Facebook.com/TandlerNBCS and follow him on Twitter @TandlerNBCS.

Tandler on Twitter

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