Can the Dallas Cowboys make it two in a row in Washington?

Can the Dallas Cowboys win two games in a row for the first time mid-December of 2017? Here’s what to watch for today versus the Washington Redskins.

Last week, the Dallas Cowboys shocked the football world, dismantling the Jacksonville Jaguars 40-7. In the NFL, however, the good feels winning bring only last about 24 hours. The Cowboys are on to Washington.

Today will mark the 115th all-time meeting between these two teams. A rivalry, once among the most heated and storied in NFL history, has lost its sizzle in recent years.

One reason has been the Cowboys dominance in these head-to-head matchups. Dallas has won four in a row over Washington and eight of the last ten. Three of those wins have been by two touchdowns or more. Another reason has been the futility in the Nation’s Capital as Washington has just three winning seasons in the last decade. They have appeared in just five playoffs in the last 25 years.

All of that matters not today, however. Both teams are desperately looking to start a winning streak. That’s something neither team has been able to do lately. Dallas has not won back-to-back games since mid-December of last season. For Washington, the mediocrity has been almost impressive.

Check out this little nugget from the Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg …

If either team is going to get where they want to be, one of these teams will need to go on a run. The division is starting to look like it will only produce one playoff team. Winning the division appears paramount.

Here’s what to watch for as the first place Redskins host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. As a Cowboys fan, you know how good their defense has been. Somehow, even with giving up 43 points to New Orleans, Washington has been just as good. Washington is sixth against the run and ninth against the pass. They are also top ten in scoring defense, giving up just under 21 points per game.

Dallas better hope that last week was not an aberration and that they have figured out their offense. Otherwise, the defense will need to be firing on all cylinders. Expect another game with both teams in the teens.

One team that had to have been the most relieved when Washington decided to move on from Kirk Cousins and sign Alex Smith was certainly the Dallas Cowboys. In three career games against Dallas, Smith is 1-2 with no 300 yard passing days. The Cowboys have sacked Smith 12 times in his career. Smith is a very good quarterback, but he has limitations that Cousins does not. The danger

Smith brings to the table is his mobility. Thankfully, Dallas has already seen Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, and Deshaun Watson so Smith’s running abilities should not come as any surprise. While Dallas lost all three games to those quarterbacks, only Newton really hurt them with his legs. For Dallas to win today, they’ll need to keep Smith from making those types of plays.

One thing the Cowboys have going for them is quarterback Dak Prescott‘s performances against their opponent today. Prescott is 4-0 against Washington with five total touchdowns and no turnovers. Prescott has been equally good on the road against this team as he has been at home.

Hopefully, Prescott can build off of last week’s performance and get his road mojo back. Nine of his 19 games on the road have seen Dak finish with a passer rating over 100. Twelve have seen him leave the road venue victorious.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott should have a nice day against Washington as he averages 110 yards and more than a touchdown per game against them. Another good day from Dak will go a long way towards success.

Prediction:

Dallas Cowboys 17, Washington Redskins 13