Jason Garrett: He is 10-4 against Washington, including five wins in the last six games. The Cowboys beat Washington, 33-19, last month behind four field goals from Mike Nugent and a career-high 33 carries for 150 yards by Ezekiel Elliott.[[290815791,R]]
Key Matchup: WR Jamison Crowder v. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick. Crowder has 46 catches for 561 yards, but he did most of his damage in two games. Last week he had seven catches for 141 yards and a touchdown against the New York Giants and he had a season-high nine catches for 123 yards against the Cowboys. He spends much of his time in the slot, which means Scandrick will handle him. The Cowboys didn't have an answer for him in their last matchup, in part, because he kept finding soft spots in the Cowboys' defense. They'll need to do a much better job this time.
X Factor: Jaylon Smith has been making more plays lately, but he tends to perform much better when the Cowboys can keep his snaps under 40. With Justin Durant out (concussion), the Cowboys could find themselves playing Smith 50 or 60 snaps, if the offense isn't productive and controlling time of possession. Smith is at his best when he plays under control and believes what his eyes tell him instead of second-guessing his instincts. Smith leads the team with 79 tackles, including 3.5 for loss.
Photos: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 2017
Key Stat: It has been 27 possessions since the Cowboys had a turnover and 29 since they had a sack. Ending either of those streaks would play a huge role in the Cowboys ending their three-game losing streak.
Cowboys Game Plan: This week is on the coaches and coordinators to play a significant role since the Cowboys have been blown out in three consecutive games. The season and, perhaps, Jason Garrett's tenure in Dallas will depend on winning this game. The Cowboys hope an inspired Alfred Morris, playing against the team that cut him, will give Dallas a strong enough running game to help the play-action passing game. Play-Caller Scott Linehan needs to scheme some plays that will create some open receivers so every throw Dak Prescott makes isn't contested.
