Cowboys News: Thanksgiving Win Against Redskins "Would Show Super Bowl Buzz Is Right."

Is this NFL Thanksgiving, highlighted by Redskins-Cowboys, the best in history? - Chris Chase, FOX SportsChase notes that for only the second time in the past 39 seasons, every team playing on Thanksgiving has a record of .500 or better.

The game of the day (which after looking at decades of historical Thanksgiving duds isn't always a compliment). It's the classic "show me what you've got game" between a team moving the delicate balance between contender and pretender and the Washington Redskins. The Cowboys will be the considerable favorite, as they should be, but when these two teams met earlier this year in Week 2, the game was decided by a couple of ill-advised goal-line play calls by the Redskins (live by the fade, die a painful, painful death by the fade) and ended with a 27-23 Dallas win. (With their Week 1 loss to the Giants, the Cowboys were on the cusp of an 0-2 start.)

Is Kirk Cousins legit? Is Dak Prescott? This the second big test of the year for the 'Boys. They won an instant classic against the Steelers in Week 10 to show they're for real. A Thursday victory would show the Super Bowl buzz is right.

Washington fans want the Cowboys and Kirk Cousins loves it - Adam Grosbard, SportsDayThe Cowboys' NFC East rivals Washington earned a convincing 42-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night to improve to 6-3-1.

The Washington faithful was apparently feeling pretty confident about the matchup following the beat down of the Packers as the fans chanted "We want Dallas" after the win. Washington QB Kirk Cousins took notice.

Great win! Loved hearing the "We Want Dallas!" chants as I left the field

— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) November 21, 2016

Scout's Eye: What's New & What's The Same For Rematch With Washington - Bryan Broaddus,  Dallas CowboysIt's amazing how much can change between two divisional meetings in an NFL season. When the Cowboys and Redskins met in September, both were trying to avoid the ignominy of a 0-2 start.

The more plays that he makes – the more he starts to take over a game. Jackson has never been a huge blocker because of his size, but that is not why he is in this lineup.

Jaylon Smith To Be Activated Off NFI List With Darren McFadden - Dave Halprin, Blogging The BoysJaylon Smith will be activated off the NFI list, but that doesn't mean he can practice or play yet.

Both players will now be entering a three week practice period before a decision is made to add them to the active roster or put them on season-ending injured reserve.

Morris Claiborne is aiming for late-season return - Todd Archer, ESPNCowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne, out since Oct. 30, started doing resistance training last week for the first time, which gives him some hope.

"I don't think I'm still out of the dark with [returning in the regular season] because I tore a piece of bone, so it's supposed to be able to heal," Claiborne said. "Just the whole time we've been giving it time to heal and in a couple of weeks we'll get another MRI to see how it has come and see what the next step is from there. But I feel like it's healing pretty good."

Ravens QB Flacco unimpressed by 9-1 Cowboys - Art Garcia, The Star-Telegram"We should beat this team," Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco said bluntly after Sunday's 27-17 loss to the 9-1 Dallas Cowboys. Flacco finished with 269 yards passing and one touchdown.

"We should beat this team and I'm not kidding."

Flacco's dismissal came after the Cowboys dismissed his Baltimore Ravens 27-17 Sunday afternoon at A&T Stadium.

Dez's Dominance, Dak vs. The Blitz, Defense's Identity; More - Bryan Broaddus, Dallas CowboysHere are my top impressions from the Ravens film. Immediately after posting this, I'm going to get to work on the tape for the rematch with Washington. The short week schedule isn't easy on anyone – and that includes the media.

I thought the offensive play that turned this game around for the Cowboys was the 2nd-and-18 pass to Dez Bryant. Two things made that pass work: the empty formation forced Eric Weddle to have to cover Lance Dunbar in the slot, and the free access in the route by Shareece Wright allowed Bryant to get inside. When Weddle went with Dunbar inside, that left Bryant one-on-one with Wright, who had no help to the inside. The Ravens' other safety, Lardarius Webb, was shaded to the other side of the formation and it gave Bryant the confidence that he could get inside and make the play uncontested. Prescott put the ball right where he had to at eye level for Bryant and he was able to do the rest.

Cowboys vs. Ravens: Five Critical Plays That Shaped The Game - Joseph.Hatz, Blogging The BoysFive plays that shaped the Cowboys 27-17 victory over the Ravens.

On arguably the biggest play of the game the Cowboys went shotgun and spread the formation with four receivers. The Ravens brought pressure with six and nearly got to Prescott, although not in time as he had already found Beasley running an out against man coverage. Beasley shook Jerraud Powers initially at the line of scrimmage, giving Prescott a wide open throwing window, he beat him to the first down after catching the ball just a few yards past the line of scrimmage, and once the first down was secured Beasley then cut back inside for even more yards.

Dan Bailey makes Dallas Cowboys history and didn't know it - Todd Archer, ESPNBailey was already the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Now he has made the most field goals in Cowboys history too, passing Rafael Septien.

"The main thing is it's just a privilege to play for this organization so when you can stick around long enough to get up there with names like Septien and those guys, it's just a big honor," Bailey said. "Yeah, I'm happy with it for sure."

Dallas Cowboys insider: Stephen Jones says Dallas Cowboys will probably activate Jaylon Smith - Clarence Hill, The Star-TelegramThe Dallas Cowboys will "probably" activate rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith in hopes that he will be able to play at some point this season, vice-president Stephen Jones said during a radio interview on 105.3 The Fan Monday.

"It doesn't mean that anything will change with Jaylon in terms of his routine," Jones said. "I don't actually see him, even though he's eligible to practice. It just extends your period if we were to activate him."

Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott have been more than brilliant for Cowboys; they've been consistent - David Moore, SportsDayThe historic run the Cowboys find themselves on began against the team they face on Thanksgiving.

"It means we have a great team that believes in ourselves," quarterback Dak Prescott said of being two months removed from the Cowboys' only loss. "We're not going to flinch, and we're not going to blink."

The Dallas Cowboys are (very) beatable - Chris Chase, FOX SportsTheir 9-1 record is best in the NFL. Will it hold?

The Dallas Cowboys aren't that good, at least they haven't proved it yet. Saying "that good" is in reference to their 9-1 record, seeming offensive indestructibility and status as favorites in the NFC. The truth is the record is soft, the offense is vulnerable and they're a clear second behind Seattle as the rightful favorite to win the NFC. None of that excludes Dallas from the Super Bowl hunt or takes away from the studly rookie seasons for Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott or suggests the defense will be the team's downfall. It's merely a conclusion that's impossible to argue with after you go in depth at the Dallas schedule.

Source: Cowboys News: Thanksgiving Win Against Redskins "Would Show Super Bowl Buzz Is Right."