Dallas Officially Clinches NFL Playoffs: NFC East Title Next; WFT at Cowboys GAMEDAY

Can the Cowboys stay undefeated vs. NFC East opponents?

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys host the Washington Football Team on Sunday Night Football with a chance to extend their three-game winning streak and stay undefeated (4-0) against NFC East Division opponents. Most importantly, if the Cowboys win, they clinch the division.

But even before that: The Cowboys won’t have to wait to make the playoffs, because on Thursday night, when Tennessee beat San Francisco 20-17, the loss by the 49ers ensures that Dallas is in.

Nothing more than that is guaranteed yet, but Dallas joins Green Bay as the only two NFC teams locked in.

The Week 16 divisional matchup is a rematch of Week 14 when these teams met in D.C. and the Cowboys came away with a 27-20 win.The Cowboys are fresh off a 21-6 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, and are within striking distance of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. 

Dallas' offense is looking to find a groove and “peak at the right time,” according to quarterback Dak Prescott. Despite winning the last three games, Prescott hasn’t been performing at MVP level like he was during Dallas’ 5-1 start to the season. Prescott has thrown as many touchdowns (three) as interceptions (three) in the last three games and hasn’t thrown for more than 238 yards in any of those games.

Keep an eye on Cowboys running back Tony Pollard, who needs only 52 scrimmage yards to reach his first 1,000 scrimmage yards season. With Ezekiel Elliott already over 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2021, Pollard and Elliott would become the first Cowboys running back duo to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards in the same season since Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker in 1986.

After playing on Tuesday due a massive COVID-19 outbreak on Washington’s squad, the Football Team will be faced with a short week on top of their COVID issues. Washington, which at one point had 20 players on their COVID list, is fighting for a chance to stay alive in the Wild-Card conversation. Last time the WFT played in Arlington they handed Dallas (which was without Prescott) a 41-16 whooping.

FUN FACT: The Cowboys are the first team to have a player with 10+ interceptions (Trevon Diggs, 10 interceptions) and 10+ sacks (Micah Parsons, 12.0 sacks) since 2007 (San Diego Chargers; Antonio Cromartie, Shawne Merriman). Diggs also leads the NFL in interceptions.

RECORDS: Dallas Cowboys (10-4) vs. Washington Football Team (6-8)

IMPORTANT INJURY UPDATE: Washington Football Team quarterback Taylor Heinicke has cleared COVID protocols and returned to practice on Thursday. 

ODDS: The Cowboys are currently 10.5-point favorites over the WFT. The over/under is 47 total points.

BETTING TRENDS: In Dallas' 14 games this year, it has 11 wins against the spread. The Cowboys covered the spread in their only game when favored by 10.5 points or more.

PREDICTION: Cowboys win, 31-14. 

GAME TIME: Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT

LOCATION: AT&T Stadium - Arlington, Texas

TV/RADIO: NBC, 105.3 The Fan 

THE FINAL WORD: “Bet against me,” Ezekiel Elliott wrote this week on social media. “Don’t know where they getting they odds from.”