Game Preview, Week 17: Dallas Cowboys at Washington

December 25, 2025

by Steve Thomas

Washington played two quarters of fairly good football against the Eagles last week, which is progress, sort of, against any non-Giants team.  This week, they face their most hated nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys, in a game that won’t have any impact on playoff seeding.  I fully realize that many fans are rooting for draft positioning at this point in the season, but come on people: this is Dallas!  You can bring yourself to root for a win at least once in the latter part of the season, right?  Maybe?  At a minimum, Washington needs to generate enough pride to not look like a trainwreck in a nationally televised Christmas day matchup against the entire world.  Can they do it?  Honestly, I’m not so sure.  After all, they’re down to their third string quarterback since leadership stubbornly refuses to play Jayden Daniels, even though they should.  Regardless, we’ll all find out together on December 25.  Remember, folks, win no matter what, and forget about the draft for just one day.  Our game preview begins below.

Game time & location:           Thursday, December 25, 2025, 1:00 p.m. ET, Northwest Stadium, Raljon, Maryland; Gates                                                     open 11:00 a.m. ET; Red Zone parking lots open 8:00 a.m.; all other parking lots 9:00 a.m.

Television:                                Netflix

Television announcers:          Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson, Matt Ryan, Sara Walsh, Melanie Collins

TV broadcast map:                  Click here

 

DC-area radio:                            BIG-100 (WBIG FM)

Washington radio network:     Click here

Cowboys radio network:          Click here

Satellite radio:                             SiriusXM: 88 (nat’l broad.) / 226 (Wash. broad.); internet: 831

 

Washington roster:                 Click here

Washington depth chart:       Click here

Cowboys roster:                      Click here

Cowboys depth chart:            Click here

 

All-time head-to-head record vs Cowboys: 47 – 80 – 2 (last 10: 3 – 7)

Last meeting: L, October 19, 2025, 22 – 44

Cowboys record: 6 – 8 – 1 (2nd place) / NFC: 4 – 5 – 1 / Away: 2 – 5  / NFC East: 3 – 1

Washington record: 4 – 11 (3rd place) / home: 2 – 5 / NFC: 2 – 8 / NFC East: 2 – 2

Early odds: Cowboys, -7

3 KEYS TO THE GAME

Rely on the run game to power the offense

Washington has proven that it’s overall passing game simply isn’t particularly effective, with an combined overall quarterback rating of 85.6, which is ranked 27th in the NFL.  In contrast, despite their 4 – 11 record, they have been an above average rushing team, averaging 4.7 yards per carry, which is ranked 7th.  In contrast, Dallas’ rushing defense isn’t good – opposing teams have averaged 4.5 yards per carry this season.  To be fair, Dallas’ passing defense is terrible, even moreso, with opposing quarterbacks having achieved an average quarterback rating of 110.5, which is the worst in the NFL.  The point is, though, with Dallas’ offense being capable of such explosive results at times – mainly against bad teams like Washington – this is yet another game in which Washington’s coaching staff would be wise to do everything they can to keep Dallas’ passing offense off the field.  That doesn’t necessarily mean completely conservative playcalling, particularly on fourth downs, but it does mean methodical, deliberate progress that chews up the clock.  Don’t get into a shootout, even though it seems tempting given Dallas’ passing defense.

Control the secondary

The Cowboys have a number of quality, highly talented receivers, including George Pickens, who will likely make the Pro Bowl this year, CeeDee Lamb, who is a 2x Second-Team All-Pro, and tight end Jake Ferguson.  Pickens already has 88 receptions for 1342 yards, and Lamb has 69 for 1027 yards.  Washington’s banged up secondary will have a hard time covering both of those players, so look for them to play a significant amount of zone coverage with the hope of limited big plays.  The bigger issue here is the fact that Ferguson will be matched up with talented but aging linebacker Bobby Wagner.  The truth is that Wagner is a liability in coverage at this point in his career, and now he’ll be faced up with one of the more productive tight ends in the league.  Washington needs to get Wagner help.

Keep Dallas’ run game under 4.5 yards per carry

Star running back Javonte Williams has 1047 rushing yards in 239 carries this season, for an average of 4.8 yards per carry.  However, a closer look at his numbers shows that he’s been overly productive, meaning an average of over 5.5 yards per carry, in just 4 games this year, including the last Washington game in October.  He’s also averaged less than 4.5 yards per carry in 9 games.  Washington needs to keep Williams in check and not let him dominate the offense.  I realize this is easier said than done, but this is an important key to the game.

3 KEY MATCHUPS

Jonathan Jones and Antonio Hamilton and Mike Sainristil vs George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb

Washington’s primary corners of Hamilton and Jones will have their hands full against George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb.  Washington needs to avoid press-man coverage in this game, because it won’t go well.  Look for plenty of safety support for the corners and plenty of zone coverage.  Keep an eye out on how often Pickens and Lamb are cruising down the field wide open, because that could be the most important factor in this game.  I have a little bit of faith – a tiny, tiny bit – that Hamilton and Jones, along with Mike Sainristil can perform somewhat well in this game given their performance over the last couple of weeks.

Bobby Wagner vs Jake Ferguson

This battle has the potential to go horribly wrong.  Wagner is still a tackling machine, but his limited mobility and agility at this point in his career limits his ability in pass coverage.  We’ve all seen opposing receivers and tight ends running away from Wagner several times this season.  Washington’s defensive coaches need to figure out a way to ensure that he’s never isolated on Ferguson in this game.  Watch out for how many times that happens, because it could mean the difference in how effective Dallas’ overall offense is against the home team.

Josh Conerly Jr. vs Dante Fowler

This battle should be interesting, because it puts Washington’s leading pass rusher in 2024 against the team’s underperforming 2024 first round pick.  I don’t think Fowler holds any particular ill-will against Washington, but this nevertheless is a pretty high profile matchup.  Fowler hasn’t produced much so far this season, with just 3 sacks and 13 tackles, including 9 solo and 4 for loss, but it would be a very Washington this to happen for Fowler to play with a vengeance against Conerly in a game that Washington needs to win.  For his part, Josh Conerly has improved dramatically over the course of the season, so I expect him to hold up well against Fowler.  I think this is a key matchup only because of the total lack of Washington’s pass rush and the fact that they let Fowler go to a division rival.

OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT (active roster only)

LP – limited practice                          FP – full practice                    DNP – did not practice

NIR – not injury related                      Q – questionable                     O – out

D – doubtful

Washington	Cowboys
LB N. Bellore, concussion; Mon: DNP; Tue: DNP; Wed: DNP; game: O	WR R. Flournoy, knee; Mon: LP; Tue: DNP; Wed: DNP; game: Q
QB M. Mariota, right hand / quad; Mon: DNP; Tue: DNP; Wed: DNP; game: O	T T. Guyton, ankle; Mon: DNP; Tue: DNP; Wed: DNP; game: O
DT D. Payne, back; Mon: DNP; Tue: DNP ; Wed: DNP; game: O	LB D. Overshown, concussion; Mon: DNP; Tue: DNP; Wed: DNP; game: O
T L. Tunsil, oblique; Mon: DNP; Tue: DNP; Wed: DNP; game: O	G T. Booker, ankle; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: LP; game: Q
QB J. Daniels, left elbow; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: LP; game: O	CB J. Butler, knee; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: LP; game: O
T/G B. Coleman, shin; Mon: FP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP	CB C. Carson, hamstring; Mon: LP; Tue: LP ; Wed: LP; game: Q
T G. Fant, knee; Mon: FP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP	RB P. Mafah, shoulder; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: LP; game: O
LB B. Wagner, knee; Mon: DNP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP	DE P. Turner, ribs; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: LP; game: O
TE C. Yankoff, ankle; Mon: FP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP	WR K. Turpin, shoulder; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: FP
DT E. Goldman, concussion; Mon: DNP; Tue: to IR	RB J. Williams, neck; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: FP
WR J. Lane, ankle; Mon: DNP; Tue: to IR	DT Q. Williams, neck; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: LP; game: Q
	S D. Wilson, hip; Mon: LP; Tue: LP; Wed: FP
	G T.J. Bass, thumb; ; Mon: FP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP
	DT K. Clark, hand; Mon: NL; Tue: FP; Wed: FP
	RB M. Davis, toe; Mon: NL; Tue: FP; Wed: FP
	CB S. Ravel, knee; Mon: FP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP
	T N. Thomas, shoulder; Mon: FP; Tue: FP; Wed: FP

Steve’s Prediction

Sorry.  I can’t have much faith that Washington will win this game until I see four full quarters of play against a non-Giants team.  Even with Dallas being out of the playoffs, they get the win by a score of 34 – 17.

Elevated

DT Ricky Barber

WR River Cracraft

 

Signed to active roster

QB Sam Hartman