Enemy Intel - Dallas Cowboys
There was a point in time where the Washington Football Team and the Dallas Cowboys had one of the most electric rivalries in the league.
The two would pair up, and the winner of the game not only would win the NFC East, but would position themselves to win the NFC as a whole.
Here we are in 2020 and both teams are struggling to get out of their own way. Washington is in a complete rebuild with a new coach, a very young team, and struggling to find their identity. Dallas on the other hand, has all the star power in the world, however they can’t seem to put it together. They are struggling in their own right with a new coach of their own.
Both teams face off this Sunday at 1 p.m. at FedEx Field, and the winner is playing for second place in the putrid NFC East. This game will dictate the rest of the season, as the winner could potentially get right and improve for the rest of the year. The loser is likely going to be sellers at the trade deadline coming up next Tuesday.
Below you'll find my takeaways and game preview in this week's Enemy Intel.
Dallas Cowboys (2-4)
Vegas Projected Wins: 10.0 Wins
2019 Record: 2-4, 2nd in NFC East
Offensive Ranks, 2020: 1st Passing, 23rd Rushing, 1st Overall
Defensive Ranks, 2020: 17th Passing, 31st Rushing, 27th Overall
Key Additions this offseason:
WR CeeDee Lamb (17th Pick), CB Trevon Diggs (51st pick) DT Gerald McCoy, DT Dontari Poe, DE/LB Aldon Smith, K Greg Zuerlein, QB Andy Dalton, DE Everson Griffen
Key Losses this offseason:
CB Byron Jones, C Travis Frederick, WR Randall Cobb, TE Jason Witten, DT Maliek Collins, DE Robert Quinn, WR Tavon Austin, DT Michael Bennett
Key Injuries:
QB Dak Prescott (IR), T La’el Collins (IR), CB Chidobe Awuzie (IR), G Zach Martin OUT (concussion)
What they are saying:
There is a real argument to be made that CeeDee Lamb was the steal of the first round. He is on pace for 1,328 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He has at least five receptions in each of his first six games, and is a bonafide star at the slot position. His 459 yards from inside sets the pace for the NFL, and is 100 yards more than second place (Cole Beasley).
Players to Watch:
- Ezekiel Elliott will now have to shoulder the load with the absence of Dak Prescott. The star running back has been up and down this season. The up? He has six touchdowns in six games. The down? He has a league-high four fumbles and is posting his lowest YPC of his career at 4.1.
- Although Lamb is getting a lot of the attention this season, Amari Cooper is quietly having a strong season. He has 46 receptions on the year, and trails only Deandre Hopkins in that statistic. He also has over 500 yards in his six games.
- Andy Dalton didn’t instill confidence for the Cowboy faithful last week. He looked inaccurate and rushed, while passing the ball 54 times last week. He had two interceptions and failed to incorporate his trio of star receivers. Could he bounce back with another week of practice?
- Aldon Smith is having a surprisingly good season. The former Raider and 49er is playing his first professional ball in five years. He now leads Dallas with four sacks.
Takeaways:
Although this match-up seems like it is even on paper, my gut tells me that this is a “get right” game for Dallas. Prior to the Dak Prescott injury, the Cowboys’ offense was on fire, and their passing game was by far the best in the league. In fact, when Prescott went down, he was leading the league in passing yards and he continues to do so, even though he hasn’t played in the last five quarters. This shows that the Cowboys offense is potent; and their three-headed attack of receivers still exists.
In addition to Lamb, Cooper, and Michael Gallup, the Cowboys also have an emerging tight end in Dalton Schultz and one of the League's best running backs in Elliott. Talent isn’t the issue in “Big D”, but turnovers and penalties are. If Washington can force these things to happen on Sunday, they may have a chance.
In order to win, Washington needs to take advantage of their superior talent on the defensive line. Dallas is missing Zack Martin, Travis Frederick (who retired), and La’el Collins from their offensive line. This is not the unit that has been hallowed and celebrated over the past few years. If Washington's defensive front can get to Andy Dalton and force him into turnovers, which is feasible, they can win this game.
However, Washington QB Kyle Allen has the propensity to turn the ball over on his own. My fear heading into this game is that Dallas will get up early and Washington does not have the firepower to come back. In fact, Washington is the only team in the NFL to not score on their opening drive in both the first or second half in any game this season. I can see Washington holding on early, but Dallas breaking a few big plays in the passing game due to poor communication in Washington’s secondary, allowing Cooper or Lamb to run free. With a significant lead, Dallas will rely on Ezekiel Elliott and close out the game like Mariano Rivera.
Prediction: Therefore I'm going with Dallas in this one, 27- 14, and Washington falls to 1-6 heading into their bye.
Bet MGM Sportsbook: Over/Under 46, Dallas -1
Read the latest from George's 'Enemy Intel' Series:
George Carmi joined "Washington Football" on SI.com in April. He is also an editor/contributing writer to FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. He is a native of the DC metropolitan area and is an avid fan of DC Sports. A former journalism major at the University of Maryland, his focus is now in public education. His earliest memories consist of Darrell Green, "The Posse" and Super Bowl XXVI. Follow him on twitter @Gcarmi21
