Anyone who said they saw this coming is lying. That the Redskins have eight wins is quite good; the NFC East title just happened to come with those wins. Sure it’s a poor division, but somebody had to win it and the Skins stepped up. Locked into the No. 4 seed in the conference, the Redskins can rest some of their starters and still hold the Cowboys to six points.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dallas Cowboys N/A
Washington Redskins N/A
Over/Under N/A
ODDS ANALYSIS
Both teams are still undecided about their starting quarterback leaving the spread and total off the board. Dallas is leaning toward Kellen Moore once again while the Redskins are undecided whether to rest Kirk Cousins in favor of backup Colt McCoy.
KEY INJURIES
DeAngelo Hall – Washington’s starting free safety left last Saturday’s game late with a calf injury. The severity of the injury isn’t known and Hall is listed as day-to-day. If the injury is serious, you can expect the Skins to hold him out since the game has no bearing on the playoff picture.
Barry Church – Suffered a broken arm in Dallas’ loss to Buffalo on Sunday, ending his season. The team’s starting safety said he wouldn’t need surgery, but his season is over. Danny McCray would likely start in his place.
Devin Street – Entered the league’s concussion protocol after coming down hard on his back and head while trying to make a leaping catch on Sunday. He was the Cowboys’ third receiver against Buffalo with Dez Bryant sitting out with a sore foot.
KEY MISMATCH
Washington’s play calling has become more aggressive with each game. It’s not just because of the growth of Kirk Cousins. Rather, the offensive line’s development has been a factor as well. The Redskins always wanted to be a run-dominant team, knowing how it sets up their play-action and bootleg game – areas that suit Cousin’s strengths. With Cousins having only nine career starts before the season, they didn’t want to put too much on him too soon. The Skins also opened the year with two linemen on the right side who had a combined one NFL start. Then they lost their starting left guard and replaced him with a player who had 16 career snaps. And then they lost their starting center and replaced him with a player with 116 career snaps but none at his current position. It’s easy to say a team should be more aggressive. It’s not always possible right away. The more confident the coaching staff was in the offensive line protection and them playing together, the more the Skins could turn Cousins loose. And that’s paid off in a division title.
KEY STAT
16.8 – Dallas’ points per game average. The Cowboys have struggled without Tony Romo directing the offense and are next to last in scoring. They face a Washington defense that is susceptible to the big play and ranks 17th in scoring defense.
BETTING ANGLE
Almost every team in the playoff picture still has incentive to win its regular season finale. One team that’s locked into its seed, however, is Washington, which will remain the No. 4 seed in the NFC regardless of results around the league. That raises the question: Will Washington rest its starters against the Cowboys? Coach Jay Gruden was noncommittal about the idea earlier in the week, saying the team will try to beat Dallas but must “be smart” about injuries. Gruden also indicated that whether or not Cousins plays will depend on the health of those around him. Right tackle Morgan Moses strained his elbow Sunday and may not be available to face the Cowboys. A Dallas win could affect the draft order in April, while a serious injury to a Redskins starter could give the team little chance at winning a playoff game.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Flip a coin on this one because that’s what it’ll come down to. This truly is a meaningless game for both sides. Washington has the No. 4 seed locked up and given the amount of injuries to key players around the league, I doubt Gruden will let guys like Cousins, Jordan Reed and DeSean Jackson see much, if any, action in this one. This probably isn’t a meaningless game for a number of Cowboys, who are likely playing for jobs. When a team falls as hard as Dallas has, expect some turnover. But it’s not like the Boys have been getting blown out. They’ve been in a number of games in the fourth quarter and just haven’t been able to close the deal. No Dallas team has won fewer than five games since the 1989 group went 1-15 and that’s not company this current squad wants to keep.
Dallas 19, Washington 15
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys will kick off Sunday, January 3, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at ATT Stadium. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
