LANDOVER — The last time the Washington Redskins faced the Dallas Cowboys, it was a meaningless game in Week 17. The Redskins had already clinched the NFC East the week before and cruised to a 34-23 victory before the starters that played were pulled late in the first half.
More is certainly at stake this time around, as the Redskins look to bounce back from Monday’s 38-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football and avoid consecutive losses at FedEx Field to start the season.
Here’s a look at the logistics and three things to watch on Sunday.
Logistics
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Records: Redskins 0-1, Cowboys 0-1
Television: FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, play-by-play; John Lynch, color; Pam Oliver, sidelines)
Radio: ESPN 980 (Larry Michael, Sonny Jurgensen, Chris Cooley, Doc Walker)
Weather: 85 degrees, partly cloudy
Lines: Redskins -3, over/under 46 per Bovada
Stats:
All-time record: The Redskins are 44-66-2 against the Cowboys.
Last regular-season meeting: Jan. 3, 2016: 34-23 win in Dallas.
Injury report:
Redskins: Out — Defensive end Kendall Reyes (groin), ILB Martrell Spaight (concussion); Questionable — Defensive end Chris Baker (rib/elbow), wide receiver Josh Doctson (Achilles), left tackle Trent Williams (glute), inside linebacker Su’a Cravens (hip flexor).
Cowboys: Out — Linebacker Mark Nzeocha (Achilles), quarterback Tony Romo (back), defensive end Charles Tapper (back); Questionable —Defensive end Jack Crawford (shoulder), OG Ronald Leary (groin), cornerback Orlando Scandrick (hamstring), tight end Geoff Swaim (ankle).
Three things to watch:
** How will Kirk Cousins and the Redskins offense adjust against the Cowboys? The Steelers deployed zone coverage against Washington and conceded short-yardage throws. The result? Cousins completed 30 of 43 pass attempts for 329 yards, but they were hollow yards, and he had two interceptions. When the Redskins did get into Pittsburgh territory, their drives stalled and they settled for field goals. The offense was 3 for 10 on third-down conversions and 1 for 4 in the red zone. There was also a lack of balance. Washington attempted just 11 rushes from the line of scrimmage, something they’ll look to change on Sunday.
More importantly, though, Cousins will need to be more patient against the Cowboys. The Steelers challenged him to create more than they were giving him and at times he forced throws, most notably the pass to Jordan Reed that was intercepted by linebacker Ryan Shazier.
“There are definitely areas where I want to improve and I think we always, no matter what the performance is, you’re always going back and watching the film and saying ’Let’s be really hard on ourselves, talk about how we can be better,’ and this game is no different,” Cousins said this week. “There are plenty of places where I can be better and that’s where I’m focused and understand that I have a great opportunity now this Sunday to go out there and hopefully put a better taste in our mouths.”
** A lot was made about the Redskins decision to cover Antonio Brown with Bashaud Breeland instead of Josh Norman, but the defense has bigger issues than that. The defensive front struggled mightily against the Steelers and failed to generate much pressure against quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Defensive end Ricky Jean Francois was critical of the group’s effort against the run, as DeAngelo Williams rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns. The defensive line had trouble getting off their blocks and wants to be more physical this week. In an effort to boost the defensive line, Washington turned to veteran defensive end Cullen Jenkins. The 35-year-old was signed Aug. 29 but was released when they finalized the 53-man roster. He was re-signed the day after the game.
** Coaches and players put a strong emphasis on cleaning up the penalties that proved costly in Monday’s loss. The Redskins were called for five false starts, often times derailing drives and putting the offense in unfavorable down-and-distance situations. Coach Jay Gruden said the team was going to take a hard look at the cadences they used and the communication between Cousins and the offensive line. The Redskins’ five false starts, four of which were on offensive linemen, were the most in the league in Week 1.
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