The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins cling to playoff hopes
By Jon Dove
Tonight’s matchup featuring the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins features two teams clinging to a glimmer of playoff hopes.
Both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins have had a down year based on expectations. The Cowboys saw themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders when they entered the season.
However, injuries and controversy have derailed those hopes. Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension drama grabbed most of the headlines. He did end up playing most of games on the earlier part of the schedule. In those games, Elliott performed at a high level.
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The other controversy that has surrounded the Cowboys has been Jerry Jones vs. the NFL. This drama has created some truly ugly headlines.
However, the biggest problem for the Cowboys this year has been the injuries. They have seen key players like Tyron Smith, Sean Lee and Zack Martin all miss time. Some of the injuried players will be back for tonight’s game where Dallas looks to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Washington has also dealt with their share of injuries this year. Their offensive line has been a patch work group for most of the year. It has really disrupted the ground game which was an important factor in the team’s success last year.
One of the positives for Washington has been the play of Kirk Cousins. However, it could be argued that his success causes more uncertainty for the future.
The Redskins will head into the offseason yet again facing contract questions surrounding Cousins. Most of the signs point to the Redskins not giving Cousins the type of contract he demands.
However, Washington doesn’t have another option at the position and would likely need to look for a young replacement in the upcoming draft.
Their hopes to make the playoffs for the current season aren’t completely over. They need to go on a winning streak and hope a few teams ahead of team start to lose. Either way, the Cowboys and Redskins are fighting for a Wildcard Spot with the Philadelphia Eagles running away with the division.