The Dallas Cowboys have a lot to be thankful for at the moment. Dak Prescott is playing like an MVP, the injury bug that plagued the team through the first third of the season seems to have subsided (for now), and an unresponsive Washington Commanders squad is on tap for Thanksgiving at Jerryworld in Week 12, a matchup in which we will have our bold predictions.
Washington visits DFW for the holidays right at the end of the softest part of the Cowboys' schedule, the finale of a string of three opponents in the last three weeks of November that are already making draft preparations for this spring. Another blowout could very well be in the works, but here are three bold predictions for the Cowboys' Week 12 Thanksgiving date with the Commanders.
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Micah Parsons leads the league in sacks
The Carolina game was a major boost to Micah Parsons' personal numbers. The All-Pro edge has been every bit himself this season in terms of affecting the quarterback, but it hadn't translated to a ton of sacks unit the Cowboys visited the Panthers last week. After posting two and a half sacks against Bryce Young, Parsons' total is looking much more like what we're used to seeing from him – up to 10 on the season.
Micah Parsons still trails the league leader Myles Garrett by three, but that might not be the case by the time Garrett sits down for Thanksgiving dinner. Sam Howell is the most-sacked player in football by an incredible margin. The Commanders quarterback has already taken 51 sacks this season. The next most-sacked quarterback in football is Zach Wilson, wha has taken 38 sacks for the Jets.
The stage is set for Parsons to tee off on Thanksgiving. The Commanders throw the ball a ton, which leaves Howell sitting in the pocket a little too often. As Howell tries to sling the ball around and keep the Commanders in the game on Thursday, look for Parsons to make his presence felt even more than he did in Carolina.
Even more Tony Pollard
Speaking of Cowboys players that took a step forward in Carolina, Tony Pollard made his first trip to the end zone since Week 1. Mike McCarthy has been unlocking weapons in the offense as this season has progressed, and it looked like he's starting to make progress on Pollard in Week 10.
Tony Pollard is making progress of his own too. Before Week 9, Pollard had only broken three tackles on the season. After facing the Giants and the Panthers, that total is now up to seven. Pollard is starting to get his legs back, and McCarthy is starting to figure out how to use him. That trend should continue against Washington.
Cowboys win in a blowout – again
The gravy train is almost over for the Dallas Cowboys, but there is one more stop on Thanksgiving. The Commanders don't have the talent to keep up with Dallas. Barring career performances from Howell, Terry McClaurin, Brian Robinson, and a handful of defenders, the Cowboys should dispatch the Commanders just as easily as they did New York and Carolina.
Things get much more difficult for the Cowboys after Thanksgiving. Five straight playoff-caliber teams await once the Cowboys polish off the Commanders, so look for McCarthy to not play with his food and get out of AT&T Stadium with a win and a healthy roster.
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