Cowboys vs Washington Week 14: History, players to watch, gut projection

Cowboys vs Washington: Weather Outlook

Location: FedExField, Landover, MD

Stadium Type: Outdoor, grass

Predicted Forecast: High of 50, low of 30, winds gradually subsiding and cooler with sunshine and patchy clouds. Winds of 16-17mph with gusts up to 36-37mph

Is… is… is that the excitement of an outdoor game that we all feel?! Outdoor football with subpar weather on a surface that could be a bit questionable?! Against a team that is frisky where this could help them more than it hurts?!

Yeah, I am not thrilled about this situation. Landover is going to get rain on Saturday opening up the very real possibility this grass surface could be a little slick. You have to imagine Washington will keep the tarp on until warmups start, but that only does so much.

With an early kickoff, even with the wind and some sunlight, FedExField isn’t going to have much time to rid of any excess water.

I do have some questions about the Cowboys run game as we have seen it stall out as of lately. The good news is Ezekiel Elliott had a 10-day break to get his knee healthy. One thing to keep an eye on is the foot of Tony Pollard. While many feel he should be fine, it is worth noting.

That said, I think this is great for the Cowboys’ defense. If they can load the box against the run game and force Heinicke to throw the ball, I take that all day.

The forecasted wind is enough to undoubtedly play a factor in the passing game as well. Long throws could be tough, the ball could sail with the wind and hang going into it. I like the chances of an opportunistic Cowboys defense coming off of a four-interception performance.

Heinicke is what I would call a “Dollar Store Brett Favre” with some of his careless, gun-slinger throws when the play breaks down. If Dallas can force him to throw and pressure him, I think he gives a chance or two on some questionable throws.