The Bills are 8-3. The Cowboys are 6-5. And the Cowboys are the favorites to win by nearly a touchdown. Go figure this crazy NFL and go figure this crazy Cowboys team that can't seem to get on a consistent track this year. Will this be the game, with the world watching on Thanksgiving?
The DallasCowboys.com staff gives their 'gut feeling' for Thursday's game with the Bills.
Rob Phillips: Anytime Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones voices some frustration after a loss, you take notice. However, I do think is a motivated locker room every week regardless. They've had problems with slow starts and finishing close games, but the effort is always there. This team knows how to handle the annual short week, they're at home and they're relatively healthy, so I think they'll get back on track Thursday. The key will be staying in manageable down and distance on offense. According to Bills.com, Buffalo leads the league in forcing minus plays. Defensively, Dallas has to tackle well against Devin Singletary and Frank Gore and keep an eye on quarterback Josh Allen, a mobile player on designed runs and scrambles. Ultimately I expect a cleaner game than last Sunday's Rain Bowl and a Cowboys win. Happy Thanksgiving!
Nick Eatman: I know Bill Parcells always said "you what you are" in terms of your record. I get it, he's not wrong. But I think there are exceptions to the rule. I truly believe the Cowboys are better than a 6-5 team. I think the Bills aren't as good as most 8-3 teams. That being said, plus the firestorm that Jerry Jones' comments have created this week, I think the Cowboys come out and show exactly what they can. Finally, they beat a team with a winning record, and they will win emphatically. That's just one of the negative trends that will change this week. Here are some more – Zeke has a run longer than 20 yards, the Cowboys are winning after the first quarter, the Cowboys win the special teams units and the overall turnover battle. I just have this feeling we finally see what the Cowboys team can really be …. Cowboys 31, Bills 13.
David Helman:You're making a huge mistake if you think the Cowboys are the better team because the Bills haven't beaten anyone. Newsflash: neither have the Cowboys. This is an old-school, smash mouth team with a solid defense. They've proven over the course of three months that they're capable of grinding out a 20-17 kind of win. Having said that, the noise around this Cowboys team is simply too deafening. For all his faults as a coach, Jason Garrett has a history of responding in these situations. Buffalo won't make it easy, but I like the Cowboys' offense against the Bills' defense more than vice versa. Josh Allen's mobility is going to be a problem, but I think the Cowboys can hold this offense to less than 24 points. From there, I'm simply trusting Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott to make enough plays in the clutch. I'm thinking Brett Maher kicks three field goals, and the Cowboys squeak out a 26-20 win to stave off the vultures.
Mickey Spagnola: Oh my aching gut from this past Sunday. But hey, who could have anticipated having to play in that ridiculous swirling, blowing rain, along with suffering three blown calls on the Cowboys, plus a blocked punt. I can live with the interception, all kind of ruining my bold prediction. So this belly ache needs some relief to make room for Thanksgiving, and the Cowboys certainly needs some atmospheric relief a 31-17 victory will bring. This offense gets back on track against the Bills third-ranked defense, remembering the Cowboys had averaged 33 points in the four previous games to the Patriots. And for the further shame of that performance, the Cowboys scored only nine points while gaining 321 yards. So here's to a Happy Thanksgiving.
