NFL Sunday Football Preview: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys

By Jason Fryer

So Cowboy fans, here we go again…for the 3rd time in 5 years, Tony Romo and the Cowboys are in a sudden death win and in or lose and you once again go home situation. We all know about Tony Romo's career 1-3 playoff record, but I feel we also need to also include his two sudden death Week 17 losses. The first time this occurred was during the 2008 Season when the Cowboys went to Philadelphia. The end result was an ugly for the Cowboys as Dallas lost 44-6 to the Eagles and Romo was 21/39 with 183 yards, along with an interception and two fumbles lost.

If that wasn't hard enough, the Eagles would go on to win their first two Playoff Games and come within a few plays of retiring to the Super Bowl as the Eagles season ended in loss to the Arizona Cardinals. As for last year, the Cowboys were once again apart of a road sudden death game against the New York Giants. Unfortunately for Cowboys fans, it ended in a similar fashion as Dallas fell to the Giants 31-14 and Romo was better but not as his best going 29/37 with 289 yards, 2 TD's, an INT, and lost a fumble. If that wasn't enough, the Giants would go on to win their next 4 games and win their second Super Bowl in a five year span.

And for the third time, the Cowboys will go on the road and play a different NFC East opponent as they play the Washington Redskins in a win or go home game. With all that was said above, I feel the result this year will differ from what occurred in years past for a few different reasons.

Tony Romo has quietly become a clutch Quarterback: Shocking to a number of football fans Tony Romo has been one of the best 4th Quarter Quarterbacks in all of football this year. In fact, Romo's 104.0 QB Rating is good enough for third best this year only behind Jay Cutler's 118.3 and Aaron Rodger's 113.9 4th Quarter QB Rating.

NFL Sunday Football Preview: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys

Dec 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) throws in the pocket against the New Orleans Saints at Cowboys Stadium. Photo Courtesy By Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports.

The Third Times the Charm: I really do feel the Cowboys will learn from their previous two experiences and play one of their best games of the years. The Cowboys have already won their first two Inter-Division Road Games and look like a much different road team this year. In addition to that, Tony Romo has quietly been one of the best Quarterbacks (road or home) this season putting up over a 100 QB Rating 3 of his last 4 games and the one time he did have a below 100 QB Rating, he helped lead a great road comeback against a Bengals team that at that time had won 4 straight games. On the other hand, the Redskins have a number of players that haven't ever played in a game with this magnitude and might not be prepared for a game like this.
RGIII's Heath: In addition to that, Redskins star rookie Quarterback Robert Griffin III last week for the first time this season looked human. With Griffin not close to being 100%, for the first time this season RGIII and the Redskins needed a new formula on offense if they wanted to be successful. Including last week, Griffin has averaged 8 rushes per game, however last week he only ran the ball twice for four yards. If RGIII isn't able to get out of the pocket and use the run-option, then Dallas should be able to contain this usually complex Redskin offense.

In the end, this has been a terrific season for the young, up and coming Washington Redskins but I feel unlike Dallas, Washington isn't prepared to win a game like this just yet.

Dallas 27 Washington 17

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