Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys 2019: Prediction, Odds, NFC East Playoff Implications

The Dallas Cowboys should win their final game of the 2019 NFL season. It just might be too little too late in terms of their playoff hopes.

The reigning NFC East champions blew their chance to punch their ticket to the postseason in Week 16 with a loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, the Cowboys need a Week 17 victory, as well as an Eagles’ loss, in order to win the division.

Dallas hosts the Washington Redskins Sunday afternoon. It’s the type of game the Cowboys should win and why they are still in playoff contention.

Washington is a 10.5-point road underdog at AT&T Stadium, according to OddsShark. The total is 44.5.

The Redskins have nothing on the line in the season finale. The team would actually be better off losing in order to earn the No.2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Cowboys have failed to beat good teams all season long. Following their loss in Philadelphia, Dallas owns a 1-6 record against teams that enter Week 17 in the playoff picture.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Redskins are not a good team, and Dallas has excelled against subpar competition in 2019.

The Cowboys are 6-2 against teams that have been eliminated from contention. Dallas is 4-0 at home when facing teams with fewer than 10 victories, winning each of those games by at least 18 points.

Dak Prescott has thrown 18 touchdown passes and three interceptions against teams that definitely aren’t going to the postseason. That includes Week 2 when the quarterback went 26-30 for 269 yards, three scores and a pick in a 31-21 victory in Washington. The Redskins needed a meaningless touchdown in the final three minutes to make it a 10-point game.

Dallas still has the No.1 ranked offense because of how well they play against bad teams. The Cowboys have scored more than 30 points in all of their wins.

Case Keenum replaced Dwayne Haskins in Week 16 when the rookie quarterback left Washington’s game against the New York Giants with an ankle injury. The veteran will get the start Sunday.

The Redskins have only beaten the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers, all of whom have top-eight picks in next year’s draft. Washington is 1-4 against the spread in their last five meetings with Dallas.

Don’t be surprised if the Cowboys look like they did two weeks ago when they handed the Los Angeles Rams a 44-21 loss in Dallas, leaving the league even more confused as to how this team missed the playoffs.

Prediction: Dallas over Washington, 34-17