The Washington Commanders will finish the regular season on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Commanders are on a tear right now, having won four games in a row and clinched a playoff spot. On the other hand, the Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago and have struggled all season. But it’s a division game, and anything can happen, especially on the road.
Here are three reasons for optimism for the Commanders heading into their final game of the regular season.
The Cowboys have limited weapons
This isn’t a new thing. Dak Prescott has been on injured reserve for weeks. CeeDee Lamb hasn’t been available for a while, either. Ezekiel Elliott was released, not that he was doing much anyway. Cooper Rush and Rico Dowdle are doing their best, but the Cowboys have very limited weapons at their disposal at this point in the season. They’ll be at home, but they aren’t the same caliber of players as those missing.
Yes, these players defeated the Commanders earlier this season, but lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot.
The Commanders’ starters are playing
No one is resting for the Commanders this week. Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Chris Rodriguez, and Zach Ertz, all of the defensive players who are healthy, are slated to start and play on Sunday. Given how the offense has been firing on all cylinders of late, there’s no reason to the Cowboys’ menial defense has any chance of stopping the train that is led by Dan Quinn. The Commanders are ready, hungry, and believe they can win against any team. Dallas isn’t taking that away from them this week.
Momentum and revenge
The Commanders already have momentum, winning four of their last five games. The Cowboys are 3-2 in that same span, but their wins have come over the likes of the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers. The Commanders at least have a win over the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ve done nothing but gain speed since their bye week.
On top of that momentum, the Commanders are not happy that Dallas beat them several weeks ago. Not only are they ahead of the game with their momentum, but the revenge aspect adds even more motivation to an already motivated team. The Cowboys are in trouble on Sunday.
