Five things to watch in the Cowboys vs. Redskins NFC East showdown for first place

Did any of us really think we’d be here three weeks ago?

If you did, you’re either on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster or one of Jerry Jones’ relatives.

But here we are, preparing for Thanksgiving Day with a chance for the Cowboys’ to climb back atop the NFC East. With a win on Thursday over the Washington Redskins (6-4), Dallas (5-5) will claim a share of the lead with five games remaining. Three of those teams (Giants, Bucs and Eagles) have losing records, one (Colts) is 5-5. The one remaining knee-buckler is the Saints, which is another nationally-televised Thursday night game on Nov. 29 at AT&T Stadium. Can you imagine the excitement leading up to that game if the Cowboys can win their third straight on Thanksgiving? Talk about second helpings!

But before the turkey thaws, here are five things to watch this Thursday:

1. NFC East on the line

Another week, another must-win game. Dak Prescott said it moments after the Cowboys beat the Falcons last week. “Our backs are still up against the wall.” He’s got that right. Losing to the Redskins can’t happen if Dallas expects to win the NFC East. The offense has noticeably sparked with the addition of receiver Amari Cooper, who has helped draw attention away from Ezekiel Elliott and other receivers. Michael Gallup is likely to play despite learning of his brother’s suicide moments after the win in Atlanta. Veteran left guard Xavier Su’a-Filo has helped stabilize the offensive line after replacing injured rookie Connor Williams, who is available.

2. Zeke’s feeding frenzy

Let’s hope we’re not the only ones overfed on Thursday. Ezekiel Elliott is coming off two of his best games of the season and is reminding the world how valuable he can be to the offense. Prescott has used the run-pass option to greater effect the past two weeks, even if he doesn’t have the rushing yards to make it appear worthwhile. It’s more about keeping the defense unsure on later plays. That might be one reason the past two games have been Prescott’s two best in terms of completion percentage. Also, Elliott may have extra motivation. He had his worst performance of the season against the Redskins in the 20-17 loss in October gaining just 33 yards on 15 carries.

3. Injuries? Next man up

Ten games into the NFL season and injuries will start to pile up on teams. Both Dallas and Washington have their share, the biggest of which is Redskins’ quarterback Alex Smith. He’ll miss the rest of the season after breaking two bones in his lower right leg last week against the Texans. Smith threw for 178 yards and a score in a win against Dallas on Oct. 21 in Washington. The biggest loss at the moment for the Cowboys is tight end Geoff Swaim, who will miss the next three of four weeks with a broken wrist. Swaim has 26 catches for 242 yards and has clearly been the most reliable as a blocker and pass catcher among the four tight ends on the roster. Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz and Rico Gathers have just nine receptions for 121 yards combined.

4. The real McCoy

Quarterback Colt McCoy beat the Cowboys as the Redskins’ starter on Oct. 27, 2014. McCoy was masterful, completing 25 of 30 passes for 299 yards and an interception. He also rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown in the 20-17 win against a Cowboys team that finished 12-4. (You remember, the playoff loss in Green Bay, right?) Dallas sacked McCoy three times that day. Pressure will be integral again Thursday. He’s not as mobile at 32 and the Cowboys’ defensive line is still thin with David Irving unavailable and Taco Charlton, Maliek Collins and Daniel Ross all limited in practice this week.

5. Thanksgiving history

The Cowboys are 30-19-1 since beginning the Thanksgiving tradition in 1966. Under Jason Garrett, however, they’ve had less success. Since 2010, Dallas is 3-5, including losses in three of the past four games. A year ago, the Los Angeles Chargers dominated in a 28-6 win. The Cowboys and Redskins have played eight times on the holiday since ‘68. Dallas is 7-1 against Washington on Thanksgiving, including a 31-26 win in the last Turkey Day meeting in ‘16.

This story was originally published November 21, 2018 at 12:00 PM.