Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Cowboys fans still want to tank despite recent win Good vibes, right? The Dallas Cowboys pulled off a shocker and beat the Washington Commanders in their recent game. So Cowboys fans are felling pretty good. Well, as Lee Corso would say, not so fast my friend. Dallas moved to 4-7 on the season, and while they are a huge longshot for a playoff run, they are technically still alive as the ‘mathematically eliminated’ tag has not been applied yet. On top of that, they have a stretch of winnable games as they play the New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all four teams are below .500 at the moment. So that’s the positive news. The negative? They are still dealing with plenty of injuries. They are in a big deficit with a 4-7 record. They still will be playing with a backup quarterback. And they would be among the weakest playoff teams around if they even made it that far. With all that, is it even worth it for them to go on some kind of winning streak at this point in the season? Or is tanking the year and going for a high draft pick the best option? We wanted to know that answer, so we asked the fans. But first, let’s check on fan confidence after the win over the Commanders. It has ticked up just a bit to 9% confidence. Next, we wanted to know from NFL fans who they thought would cover the FanDuel odds that have the Cowboys as 3.5-point favorites. A huge majority of fans think Dallas will cover. Finally, we answer the ‘tank or not tank’ question. Cowboys fans say tank!
Cowboys news: Why Thanksgiving may be a feast for Rico Dowdle
Peter Casey-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Fantasy Football Storylines to Watch on Thanksgiving: Dallas Cowboys’ RB Rico Dowdle should feast (hopefully) – Chris Allen, Yahoo! Sports Rico Dowdle should be able to put up some big numbers on Thanksgiving. One of the unsung heroes on the offense from Sunday was Rico Dowdle. Dallas Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle had 19 carries during Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders. It was only the second game this season where a running back has had 19 carries for the team. The other was Rico at Pittsburgh. It was only the 10th game of such kind since 2022.… pic.twitter.com/JnzdRYLBUo — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) November 25, 2024 Admittedly Dowdle fumbled early in the Week 12 game. But he still handled 70% of the team’s carries and earned a 10% target share. And it’s not just the volume that should make him appealing to fantasy managers. Dowdle has taken over 50% of the totes over the last four games. Over that span, he has top-10 marks in rushing success rate and adjusted yards after contact per attempt. With the Giants ranking as a top-10 unit in fantasy points allowed to RBs, Dowdle’s usage and situation should make him a popular option for gamers on Thursday. KaVontae Turpin named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com No surprise, KaVontae Turpin takes home honors for the week. For the first time in his career, KaVontae Turpin has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He only made one significant play in last Sunday’s game – but it was certainly one of the most electrifying plays in team history. Turpin’s 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown gave the Cowboys a commanding lead in an eventual 34-26 win over Washington to snap Dallas’ five-game losing streak. The play didn’t start off favorable for Turpin, who bobbled a line-drive kickoff and had to field back at the 1-yard line, followed by a slow jog up the field. But then Turpin used a spin move that would resemble a video game, followed by a burst of speed that left the Commanders in the dust. Turpin became the first player this season to have both a kickoff return and a punt return for touchdowns, as he scored in Week 1 against Cleveland with a 60-ayrd punt return. Turpin also has two touchdown receptions. He’s just the fifth player since the NFL-AFL merger to have 60+ yard touchdowns as a punt returner, kick returner and receiver in the same season. Turpin is also the second Cowboys player to have a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown, kickoff return touchdown and punt return touchdown in his career, joining Kevin Williams. Cooper Rush Provides Injury Update Ahead of Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Game vs. Giants – Karl Rasmussen, Sports Illustrated Cooper Rush’s soreness doesn’t appear to be concerning. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush was included on the team’s injury report on Monday and again on Tuesday, but he doesn’t expect to miss out on the Thanksgiving Day showdown against the New York Giants. Rush was estimated to be a limited participant in practice on Monday, though the session was only a walkthrough. He remained limited on Tuesday’s report while dealing with some knee soreness. The 31-year-old told Jane Slater of the NFL Network that he’s good to go and plans to play on Thursday, despite the short week of rest. That’s certainly an encouraging update for the Cowboys, who will be vying to secure their first victory at AT&T Stadium this season during the Week 13 tilt. Dallas has struggled throughout the season, but it finally got back in the win column during Sunday’s 34–26 victory over the Washington Commanders. That marked their first win since Oct. 6, and they’ll look to make it two in a row on Thursday against the Giants. Rush has taken over starting quarterback duties for the Cowboys since Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending hamstring injury. Rush is 1–2 in his first three starts, having thrown three touchdowns and one interception in that span while completing 62.7% of his passes. No shade: Why the Cowboys’ sun issues are unique to Dallas – Kalyn Kahler The sun problem at AT&T is a subject for discussion. Dak Prescott didn’t talk about it afterward, because by the time he threw his second interception at the start of the fourth quarter against the Lions, the Cowboys trailed by 31 points. It didn’t matter to the box score that the $240 million quarterback faced a second opponent — the sun — as he took a deep shot at midfield on fourth down, or that instead of finding his own receiver Jalen Brooks, he found Lions safety Brian Branch. “He’s staring right into the sun,” Tom Brady said as Fox’s broadcast showed the replay of the pick. It was Oct. 13 in Arlington, Texas, before the end of daylight savings time, so the sun was beginning its long descent just before 6 p.m. Central Time, through the southwest windows of AT&T Stadium. A month later, at the next 3:25 p.m. game at AT&T, the sun claimed another couple of Cowboys against the visiting Eagles, this time around 4:45 p.m. as those southwest-facing windows framed the setting sun with two minutes left in the second quarter. On second down from Philadelphia’s 3-yard line, the sun momentarily blinded tight end Jake Ferguson and receiver CeeDee Lamb as they turned to face quarterback Cooper Rush from the east end zone. Ferguson put his hands up to surrender just as the ball sailed past him at the goal line. Lamb was wide open crossing behind Ferguson deep in the end zone but couldn’t react in time. After the ball fell untouched to the turf, he pointed two fingers to his eyes. Here is the Cowboys’ final injury report for Thanksgiving Day against the Giants. #Cowboys injury report for tomorrow vs. #Giants, with TE Jake Ferguson and G Zack Martin ruled out, while CB
55-man Thanksgiving Roster: Cowboys activate former 1st rounder from IR, make 5 moves
Quarterbacks (2) Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Cooper Rush Trey Lance Running Backs (4) ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 12: Rico Dowdle #23 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Rico Dowdle Ezekiel Elliott Hunter Luepke Deuce Vaughn Tight Ends (4) Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Jake Ferguson (out) Luke Schoonmaker Brevyn Spann-Ford Princeton Fant Wide Receivers (7) Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) walks the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images CeeDee Lamb Brandin Cooks Jalen Tolbert Kavontae Turpin Jalen Brooks Ryan Flournoy Jonathan Mingo Offensive Tackles (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton #60 of the Dallas Cowboys stretches during training camp on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Tyler Guyton Terence Steele Chuma Edoga Matt Waletzko Offensive Guards (3) Jun 4, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin (70) runs through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Zack Martin Tyler Smith TJ Bass Centers (2) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Defensive tackle Kobie Turner #91 of the Los Angeles Rams locks up with center Brock Hoffman #67 of the Dallas Cowboys during a skirmish between the two teams during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Cooper Beebe Brock Hoffman Defensive Ends (5) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 17: Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on prior to a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) Micah Parsons Marshawn Kneeland Chauncey Golston Tyrus Wheat Carl Lawson Defensive Tackles (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Linebacker Micah Parsons #11 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith #58 of the Dallas Cowboys throw punches aa they jokingly spar prior to a training session on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Osa Odighizuwa Mazi Smith Linval Joseph Carlos Watkins Linebackers (6) Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (35) wears a Guardian helmet cap during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Eric Kendricks DeMarvion Overshown Damone Clark Marist Liufau Buddy Johnson Nick Vigil Cornerbacks (7) Oct 2, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) celebrate after Diggs intercepts a pass against the Washington Commanders during the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Trevon Diggs DaRon Bland Jourdan Lewis Israel Mukuamu Josh Butler Kemon Hall (Elevation) Andrew Booth (Elevation) Safeties (3) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Running back Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams rushes against safety Malik Hooker #28 and Donovan Wilson #6 of the Dallas Cowboys during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Malik Hooker Donovan Wilson Juanyeh Thomas Special Teams (4) INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Brandon Aubrey #17 of the Dallas Cowboys watches his field goal with Bryan Anger #5, to take a 12-6 lead over the Los Angeles Rams, in a 13-12 Rams win during a preseason game at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Brandon Aubrey Bryan Anger Trent Sieg CJ Goodwin
3 predicciones para el juego de los Dallas Cowboys contra los New York Giants
Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Los Dallas Cowboys juegan contra los New York Giants el Jueves. Los Dallas Cowboys regresan a AT&T Stadium el Jueves para el anual juego de Thanksgiving. Este año los Cowboys juegan contra los New York Giants. Ahora la energía es diferente con los Cowboys consideran que el equipo gano para la primera vez de el seis desde Octubre. Con un equipo muy mal en frente de ellos, Dallas puede ganar en su casa para la primera vez este temporada. ¡Feliz Thanksgiving a todos! Es posible que el juego se van muy loco porque este es como los Cowboys están jugando este temporada. ¿Que vamos a ver cuando Dallas y New York están en frente de todo el mundo en Thanksgiving? Aquí están mis 3 predicciones. Dallas tiene un touchdown en defense Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Es importante que estamos honesto cuando discutiendo los Cowboys y también los Giants igual. Ahora se mira que Drew Lock van a jugar a quarterback para New York, pero en este punto no están mucho diferencia a quien juego la posición. Los Giants están muy mal y se tiene muchas errores cada juego. Creo que vamos a ver New York con otra error y que la defensiva de Dallas van a tener un touchdown a resultado. CeeDee Lamb tiene 100+ yardas Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images CeeDee Lamb no tiene un juego con 100+ yardas desde San Francisco y están muchas razones. Cambiando quarterbacks es un facto mas difícil in conversaciones como este, pero en los semanas mas reciente se mira que Lamb están ajustando a cosas con Cooper Rush. Vamos a ver CeeDee con un largo actuación donde tiene mas de 100 yardas. Hable de este tema en el más reciente video en la canal de YouTube de Blogging The Boys. ¡Subscribir (puede aqui) al canal para ver mas videos de los Dallas Cowboys en Ingles y Español! Dallas gana de mas de doble dígitos Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images Los Cowboys gano contra Washington y como la energía se creció como dijimos arriba, platicando en una formato honesto es crítica. No estoy diciendo que los Cowboys voy a van a los playoffs, pero a pesar que Dallas están mal… no están mal como los Giants. Es mi opinión que el día van a salir mas feliz para Dallas y los fans de el equipo. Los Cowboys van a ganar de mas de doble dígitos y nosotros van a comer mucho. ¡Felicidades a Thanksgiving, amigos y amigas!
5 reasons Cowboys-Giants has lasting importance
Week 13’s Thanksgiving matchup is a battle of the NFC East basement. The 4-7 Cowboys host the 2-9 Giants in what figures to be an aperitif for the day’s big dinner. In what was supposed to be showcase of Dallas’ dominance is nothing more than a battle for draft positioning with the slightest hope a playoff run twinkling off in the distance. After three consecutive 12-win seasons the Cowboys have crashed back to earth in 2024. Looking for a reset but unwilling to tank like their east coast opponent, Dallas is largely playing for pride and for building a base for the future. Tyler Guyton, the Cowboys top draft pick in 2024, is one of many players hoping to cement his role on the team. The rookie left tackle has been in and out of the lineup most of the season. He’s predictably suffered through many growing pains as evidenced by his low blocking scores and his high penalty counts. Many times, it’s been his replacement Asim Richards who’s been the better LT. Guyton is a first-round pick and figures into the starting mix down the road but the same can’t be said for other Cowboys trying to prove their long-term value on Thanksgiving afternoon. Is Josh Butler for real? Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images Josh Butler is coming off a career week in Washington and is now officially playing for a long-term role on the Cowboys. While the top two spots are locked down with DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs for the foreseeable future, CB3 may be up for grabs if Jourdan Lewis leaves after the season. Butler, an UDFA, has spent time in the USFL and the Cowboys practice squad over the past two years. He flashed in training camp this past summer showing the ability to matchup against a variety of receivers and manning both the boundary and nickel positions. Butler was absolutely stunning in Week 12 and stands to gain a prominent role down the road if he can keep showing the same solid fundamentals he showed everyone last week. Can Bass and Hoffman be long-term answers on the OL? Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys guard T.J. Bass (66) Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Making surprise starts in the place of the injured Tyler Smith and Zack Martin, T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman enjoyed stellar days at guard against the Commanders in Week 12. Bass showed he’s one of the NFL’s best reserve guards and Hoffman showing he’s not just a center option but also a special player next door at guard. Bass has long looked like the heir apparent to Martin so his good showing wasn’t overly surprising. He may never develop into a Pro Bowl lineman but he looks more than capable of locking down the spot in average-to-above-average capacity should the opportunity arise in 2025. What came out of nowhere was the play of Hoffman. After a disappointing training camp and preseason, Hoffman somewhat dropped out of the picture. That changed suddenly in Week 12 when Hoffman dominated his opponents physically as well as mentally. Was it a blip on the radar or is Hoffman suddenly a viable starting option down the road? It’s unknown if Smith and/or Martin will play on Thursday but if they can’t it will be a great opportunity for their injury replacements to show they’re the real deal. Is Rush good enough to drive the bus to the playoffs? (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Cooper Rush might not be a franchise quarterback but he’s a capable bus driver who has shown he can make the right throw and avoid the wrong throw. He’s won games for Dallas in the past but unlike previous situations, Dak Prescott isn’t swopping in to take over down the stretch this year. If the Cowboys want to dream dreams of defying odds and making the postseason they’ll need their QB to be good enough. Week 12 was a great bounce back for Rush posting his first positive CPOE of the season. On the season Rush ranks 39 of 40 in CPOE+EPA composite score. Only Anthony Richardson is worse (of those with 100 or more attempts). At the very least Rush has to play more like the Week 12 version of himself for the Cowboys even to have a chance down the stretch. Week 13 will be a great chance for him to build on his success. Can the Cowboys clean up dumb mistakes? (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) The Cowboys played well on all sides of the ball in Week 12 but were still littered with back-breaking mistakes. Bad snaps, dumb penalties, blocked punts, blocked kicks, and missed tackles ended otherwise solid drives. Good teams aren’t making these mistakes in Week 13. If the Cowboys want to sell hope, they have to sell they can play smart. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Related articles INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys in the second half during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Cowboys Madden simulation predicts big-time win over Giants on Thanksgiving Day
Madden believes in the Dallas Cowboys winning big this week. The Dallas Cowboys are in the middle of some chaos as they are coming off of a win on Sunday against the Washington Commanders and preparing for a Thanksgiving Day showdown against the New York Giants. This is an annual exercise, but it never gets easy. It goes without saying that fans, and arguably the Cowboys themselves, are feeling in a different way with how they are coming off of a win for the first time in just about two months. Oddsmakers are feeling the Cowboys as well as they believe Dallas will win and will do so handily. Laying money on the Cowboys at this point is certainly risky at best, though. The New York Giants may be that bad though, but as we like to say, you never know how things like this are going to go. In an effort to understand what will happen as best as we can, we did what we always do. We ran a simulation in Madden 25. You can watch our entire simulation below. Madden believes not only that the Cowboys will win, but that the Thanksgiving Day holiday will be a celebration from start to finish. The game has Dallas securing their first victory in their home building by a whopping 48-14 score. This type of thing certainly feels unbelievable, even given as bad as the Giants have been. For what it’s worth, Madden has not predicted any Cowboys game to be so lopsided this season. Week 1 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cleveland Browns, 18-17 Week 1 In Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Cleveland Browns, 33-17 Week 2 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 36-29 Week 2 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 44-10 Week 3 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 21-14 Week 3 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 28-25 Week 4 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New York Giants, 28-21 Week 4 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 20-15 Week 5 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14 Week 5 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-17 Week 6 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Detroit Lions, 38-31” Week 6 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Detroit Lions, 47-9 Week 8 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat San Francisco 49ers, 22-7 Week 8 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to San Francisco 49ers, 30-24 Week 9 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Atlanta Falcons, 13-10 Week 9 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Atlanta Falcons, 27-21 Week 10 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 21-17 Week 10 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 34-6 Week 11 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Houston Texans, 24-17 Week 11 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Houston Texans, 34-10 Week 12 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders, 24-21 Week 12 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders, 34-26 Last week saw Madden correctly predict the Cowboys to win for only the second time this season. It has yet to do that two weeks in a row and this will be the first opportunity that it has to heat up a little. Of note, the final real play in this game was a DaRon Bland pick-six that looked eerily similar to the one he had on Thanksgiving last season that saw him set the NFL record for most in a season.
NFC East update: Eagles taking command
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images This past week was an interesting one in the NFC East. Last week on “Days of Our Division,” Dallas returned from the dead to shock the Washington Commanders. The Cowboys’ upset helped the surging Philadelphia Eagles create even more cushion in their NFC East lead. And in New York, the Giants proved they’ve got plenty of other problems beyond QB Daniel Jones. Instead of Dan Quinn getting some so-called revenge, not to mention Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong, Noah Brown, Dante Fowler, Noah Igbinoghene, Joe Whitt, and probably some former AT&T Stadium concessions workers, Washington ate yet another loss from the Cowboys. The rivalry aside, this one stung even more for the Commanders as it was their third straight and has now brought their storybook season to a point of tremendous peril. A few weeks since leading the NFC East, they’re now just a half-game away from falling out of the playoffs entirely. Philadelphia rode 255 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley into a dominant win over the Los Angeles Rams, their seventh straight. While the Packers and Vikings won’t go away quietly, the NFC appears to belong to either the Eagles or the Detroit Lions this season. After releasing Daniel Jones, New York looked even less competent in a 30-7 home drubbing from the Buccaneers. The team appears to have fully quit on the season, which may be according to the front office’s plan, but it’s going to make for an ugly six remaining games. Current NFC East Standings Philadelphia Eagles 9-2 (3-0, 6-2 vs NFC) Washington Commanders 7-5 (2-2 in division, 5-3) Dallas Cowboys 4-7 (2-1, 2-5) New York Giants 2-9 (0-4, 1-7) The Giants now take their poop show on the road for a Thanksgiving matchup with the Cowboys. As bad as Dallas can still be, especially with so many injured starters and a short week to prepare, New York doesn’t even seem to be engaged at this point. The Cowboys’ incredible 14-1 record over the G-Men since 2017 should only improve this week, which would move Dallas to 5-7 and at least make for some interesting philosophical debates about the remainder of their season. The Commanders have a decent shot at ending their losing skid with a home game against the 3-8 Tennessee Titans. If Washington can’t get it together for this one then all of the goodwill from their 7-2 start is going to evaporate. But hey, if anyone knows how to blow a lead, it’s Dan Quinn. Philadelphia is in the game of the week with a short road trip to Baltimore. It will be the first time that Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson have faced each other in the NFL; Hurts was still Carson Wentz’s backup the last time the Eagles and Ravens met in 2020. This one will be a fascinating clash, both with the mobile QBs and the RB duel between Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley.
Top 10 Cowboys Thanksgiving games since 2000
10 2002: Cowboys make Spurrier eats his words LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 27: Head coach Steve Spurrier of the Washington Redskins walks off the field after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 27, 2003 at the Fed Ex Field in Landover, Maryland. The Eagles defeated the Redskins 31-7. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) Washington’s first year coach Steve Spurrier stoked the flames before the season when he said he would give the first game ball from a victory over the Cowboys to then owner Dan Snyder. This wouldn’t turn out to be the game for Spurrier to present his gift. The Cowboys came from down 10 points to win the game 27-20, behind a big rushing day for running back Emmitt Smith, and a Pick-Six from safety Roy Williams. This contest was also memorable for the blocked field goal that led to a gruesome broken nose for Washington punter/holder Bryan Barker. 9 2006: Romo dominates the Buccaneers Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images In Tony Romo’s first career Thanksgiving Day start, the young signal caller had one of his best games, throwing for 306 yards and five touchdown passes. Romo threw two scores apiece to wide receiver Terry Glenn and RB Marion Barber, with the other touchdown going to WR Terrell Owens. The 38-10 blowout was the team’s biggest Turkey Day win since 1992 and it gave the Cowboys a 7-4 record. It was also the fifth win in six starts for Romo. 8 2011: Last-second field goal beats Dolphins Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys entered the contest on a three-game winning streak but found themselves trailing the Miami Dolphins by six heading into the fourth quarter. Romo gave the Cowboys the lead with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Laurent Robinson, but th Dolphins managed to get it back on a field goal. Dallas got the ball back late and mounted a 10-play, 54-yard drive that set up kicker Dan Bailey’s game-winning 28-yard field goal. The Cowboys won 20-19 to keep their momentum going in a season where the team ultimately faded late and missed the playoffs. 7 2012: RGIII dominates the Cowboys Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images Washington rookie Robert Griffin entered the game as one of the game’s best rookie QBs, and he put on a show in the 38-31 win over the Cowboys. Griffin threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns in a dominating performance. At halftime, Washington led 28-3, but Romo, WR Dez Bryant and the Cowboys would mount a furious comeback that fell short. Romo threw three second half scores, two of which went to Bryant, but it wasn’t enough to outduel the rookie sensation. 6 2013: Murray carries Cowboys over the Raiders Nov 28, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) carries the ball against the Oakland Raiders during a NFL football game on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Dallas had to scratch and claw to beat the lowly Raiders in this Thanksgiving Day game, and the effort was led by RB DeMarco Murray. The passing game wasn’t much of a factor, but Murray ran for 67 yards and had three rushing touchdowns to help give the team a 31-24 win. The Cowboys were down 21-7 late in the first half but managed to climb back into the game with a Murray score before the end of the half. Murray’s third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter put the Cowboys ahead for good. 5 2014: Eagles crush Cowboys Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports The schedule makers did the Cowboys no favors in this game, giving Jerry Jones’ team a Sunday night game on the road before coming home on a short week to play the rival Philadelphia Eagles. This was a battle for supremacy in the NFC East and the Eagles left the contest in first place. The Eagles were up 14-0 in the first quarter and never looked back against the sluggish Cowboys. Romo had a rough game, while Eagles RB LeSean McCoy ran for 159 yards and a score in the win. A few weeks later the Cowboys would get their revenge and essentially win the division, but this was an ugly Turkey Day beatdown. 4 2016: Rookies lead the way for Cowboys Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images The Cowboys came into the matchup winners of nine straight behind the dynamic rookie duo of QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekiel Elliott. The first-year stars didn’t disappoint as both accounted for two scores apiece as the Cowboys won 31-26. Prescott threw for a touchdown and ran one in, while Elliott rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. The win gave the Cowboys a 10-game winning streak as the team hadn’t lost since the opening week of the season. 3 2018: Cowboys, Cooper overtake Washington Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images The two rivals came into the game neck and neck in standings, but the Cowboys won the game easily behind an incredible performance from WR Amari Cooper. Prescott threw for 289 yards, most of which went to Cooper, and two touchdowns in the win. Cooper caught eight passes for 180 yards and both scores, one of which came from 90 yards out. On the ground Elliott ran for 121 yards for his third straight 100-yard rushing game and added a touchdown as well. The win came in the middle of a resurgent season where the Cooper trade propelled the Cowboys to a division championship after a 3-5 start, while Washington tailed off and finished 7-9. 2 2021: Assistant comes back to beat Cowboys Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Not all Thanksgiving games have happy endings. In 2021, when the Cowboys were on their way to an NFC East title, they met up with the Raiders again, and this time it didn’t break Dallas’ way. The Raiders under interim coach and former Cowboys special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia came in as underdogs and dominated a flustered Dallas defense that had
Cowboys roundtable: Discussing special teams, sudden optimism, and Thanksgiving highlights
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images Our writers provide their opinions on the latest Dallas Cowboys news during our weekly review on the Roundtable. Every week, we gather the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Brian Martin, Jess Haynie, Tom Ryle, David Howman and RJ Ochoa. What is the best way to describe special teams during the Washington Commanders game? The Dallas Cowboys come away with a miraculous victory in a game that had both sides score just three points by half time. Both offenses had their struggles throughout the game and both team’s defenses put up a major fight. That left the game being decided by the final part of the roster, special teams. Brandon Aubrey had his first field goal blocked, then another hit the post and even Brian Anger had a punt blocked which put Washington in scoring position. But the special teams madness didn’t end there. Aubrey got back on form, KaVontae Turpin then made a house call on a kickoff return for 99 yards, with a spin move that will make highlight reels for weeks. On the Commanders’ side, Austin Seibert missed a field goal and in a dramatic conclusion of the game, he missed the extra point on the final scoring drive to level the score. But it didn’t stop there! After all that Juanyeh Thomas then returned an onside kick at the end of the game, which thankfully didn’t affect the outcome. This game was won for Dallas off the efforts of defense and the crazy turn of events that unfolded on special teams. The game proving that you need all three elements of your roster to win games in the NFL. Howman: A hot mess. Emphasis on “mess” in the first half, and emphasis on “hot” in the second half. A blocked kick, a blocked punt, and a straight up miss from Brandon Aubrey is pretty terrible. But Aubrey bounced back to hit two field goals and all four PATs (which, apparently, was a big deal in this game) and the Turpin touchdown was massive in fending off a surging Commanders squad in that fourth quarter. RJ: It was a chaotic mess that was only tolerable because the Dallas Cowboys won. I recognize that this makes me not cool, but something like Juanyeh Thomas not going down when recovering the onside kick is inexcusable and the type of thing that coaching should theoretically address. This group needs some serious tightening up in the worst way and this game proved that. Tom: Was it something in the water? Washington certainly had its own share of special teams mishaps and breakdowns, and they were arguably more important than Dallas’ errors. Or you can look at it as both teams having some massive wins on special teams. Remember that only one of Aubrey’s misses was really on him, while Austin Siebert had a terrible day of his own. I’ll agree they have plenty to work on, but as Brad Sham said on the postgame show at 105.3 The Fan, the shuffling of the offensive line probably jumbled the blocking for kicks as well. I’ll just enjoy the pure craziness of it all and not get too wrapped up in things. Jess: It was definitely “special.” For so many rare plays to happen in one game is just one of the record books. But two things you can take away from it are Brandon Aubrey’s resilience and KaVontae Turpin’s brilliance. It’s sad that Turpin’s big plays are all coming in meaningless games, but he’s earning league-wide recognition as one of the luminaries of his craft. And for Aubrey, as we also saw last Monday after his one miss, he just keeps proving how icy his veins are. Brian: Special teams for both the Cowboys and the Commanders certainly made the game more interesting and actually helped to determine the outcome of the game. It was really odd to see Dallas have both a kick and punt blocked. You can probably contribute it to Dallas’ backup offensive lineman playing a role they’re not accustomed to, but it was still strange nonetheless. It still amazes me to watch KaVontae Turpin dominate in the return game like he does. What positives from the Commanders game can fans take away as Dallas prepares for the New York Giants? As previously mentioned, Turpin made a 99-yard return and he’s now flashed that top end speed two weeks in a row and needs some serious consideration for extra snaps on offense. Luke Schoonmaker made a solid catch for the team’s go-ahead touchdown. The touchdown proving that he does have something under the hood for this offense to tap into. Jalen Tolbert, although somewhat inconsistent, proved he could be relied upon to make pressure catches in the endzone. And, of course, there’s Cooper Rush who played with extra confidence after the first touchdown which is a good sign. Beyond all that on offense it was exciting to see what the Cowboys defense orchestrated. The team was insanely efficient with Josh Butler stepping up, Donovan Wilson making a big play and Micah Parsons proving he’s still hungry. All optimistic notes going into the next game. Howman: Cooper Rush actually looked good. Not “carry us to the playoffs” good, but he hit on 75% of his passes, including several deep shots, and threw two touchdowns without a turnover. Compare that to Tommy DeVito, who came nowhere close to capturing last year’s magic in his start against the Buccaneers. Plus, Mike Zimmer’s defense has been playing genuinely good football as of late, and certainly good enough to have a chance against Mr. Cutlets. RJ: Mostly I think that the biggest takeaway is that the team has some spine and is willing to stand tall and put up a fight. We may think that the Commanders are frauds now, but for a while they were being regarded as being quite
Dallas Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images KaVontae Turpin picked up NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after his huge day against Washington. The Dallas Cowboys were victorious last week against the Washington Commanders and wide receiver KaVontae Turpin was a big reason why. With things hanging in the balance late in the game, Turpin took matters into his own hands and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. There was still some chaos that unfolded afterwards which made matters a bit more hectic, but Turpin’s outstanding moment stood tall as the breakpoint of the contest. Turpin was recognized as a result of it all as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. NFC Players of the Week! (Week 12)@saquon | @KaVontaeTurpin pic.twitter.com/XZpMzdkQ5c — NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2024 KaVontae Turpin has established himself as one of the better return men in the NFL for a few years now, but the play in question was actually the first kickoff that he ever returned for a touchdown. Given that he had a punt return for a touchdown to start the season it is safe to say that 2024 is going rather well for him. Zebra Sports offered that Turpin reached a top speed of 21.35mph during the run in question and that this was the third-fastest return that the NFL at large has seen all year. Turpin is indeed quite fast. Dallas Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin reached a top speed of 21.35mph during his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Sunday against Washington, according to @ZebraSports. This was the third-fastest kickoff return this season. Turpin officially has 3 of the 20 fastest speeds… pic.twitter.com/GMmOQrloha — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) November 26, 2024 Just six days before his moment of glory Turpin put an end to the touchdown drought that the Cowboys offense was experiencing in their home building of AT&T Stadium. On that specific play Turpin once again displayed his speed as it was literally the fastest that any player has traveled all year. Kudos to KaVontae Turpin. Need I remind you that he is set to be a free agent in the spring.
