With division already decided, different feel as Washington visits Dallas
The Redskins have already clinched the NFC east title but if you are a fan of either team you know that this game is far from meaningless.
This is one of the oldest rivalries in the NFL and these teams want to beat each other. The Cowboys will be playing for pride. They’ll also be focused on shaping and evaluating talent for the future, which is enough to motivate anyone when playing their rival.
The Redskins however, are playing for pride, but must be realistic about the more recent future. Their recent playoff berth, courtesy of winning the NFC East means this game is virtually meaningless in the big picture.
This is a tough position to be in for Jay Gruden. He has the difficult decisions to make as in trying to figure out who to play and who to sit. An injury to a key player this late in the season can be extremely detrimental to the hopes of a championship run in the postseason.
The Redskins have already had problems staying healthy throughout the season. Desean Jackson and DeAngelo Hall are finally back to health after battling through injuries all year.
The Cowboys have had troubles with injuries as well with Dez Bryant and Tony Romo. The quarterback was ruled out for the season after taking a hit in the Week 8 matchup between these two teams.
Look for the Washington to come out with starters to avoid the rust and build momentum for the up coming playoff push, but rest them in the second half to avoid risking injuries or fatigue.
Here’s a look at the Washington inactives today:
#WASvsDAL game inactives: https://t.co/8YlI2p08hm pic.twitter.com/IoQbTaneiQ
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) January 3, 2016