The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins will face off this Sunday in what is an important game for both teams. Sitting at 3-3, the winner of this game will still be in the rear view mirror of the first place Philadelphia Eagles. The loser however, takes a big step backwards in terms of trying to capture the division title and might have to start thinking about the wild card. Sure, it’s still early, but let’s not minimize the significance of this game.

There are many things to watch on Sunday, but here are five things that I’ll be keeping a close eye on.

1. Can the defense frustrate Cousins?

The Redskins offensive line is hurting right now as they have several key players all dealing with injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams has ligament damage to his right knee, but he will continue to try to play through it. Their other tackle, Morgan Moses, has been limited this week as he is dealing with injuries to both his ankles. Right guard Brandon Scherff is dealing with both a knee and back issue and he has not practiced this week. Even center Spencer Long left last week’s game with an injury to his quad. The degree of severity and the extent of which these guys will play on Sunday is still unknown, but even if they’re out there they are far from 100% and that could create problems for their quarterback.

Kirk Cousins does a great job going through his progressions and can throw strikes to anywhere on the field. If the Cowboys defense don’t get pressure on him, he will exploit this young secondary. With a Redskins offensive line that is banged up, the Cowboys defensive line must keep Cousins under duress all day. The good news is the Cowboys defensive line looks completely revamped. In the two games since David Irving’s return, the Cowboys have sacked the quarterback nine times. Led by DeMarcus Lawrence and Irving, the Cowboys are now second in the league in sacks trailing only Sacksonville.

2. Josh Norman rides a bucktooth snail

I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but Josh Norman is a tornado of coverage. He’s also outsprinted cheetahs. Don’t believe me? See for yourself. While it’s entertaining to watch Norman and Dez Bryant take playful jabs at each other in a Samsung commercial, it’s hard to forget that things got rather heated the last time they faced off. During last year’s Thanksgiving matching, these two were jawing at each other all game. Norman would get frustrated and throw a towel at Dez. After the game, they each had some choice words for each other. Suddenly, these two competitors who respected each other weren’t in the mood to be friends.

Time has passed now. They appear to be back to be fiery competitors who have cashed in on their rivalry with a phone commercial. But what will happen when they are back on the field lining up across from each other? My guess is that the honeymoon will be over and things will get intense again. That’s what passionate players do though.

Bryant has had his hands full with some tough corner matchups this season. The Cowboys have the running game back on track so don’t expect them to overload Bryant with targets, but he will get some chances. He has a touchdown in four of his last five games. The next one he gets will make him the Cowboys all-time TD reception leader.

3. Take away Cousins’ targets

The Redskins top two receivers from last season, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, each had over 1,000 yards, but they are both playing for other teams now. Needless to say, the receiving workload has undergone quite a bit of change this season. Out of the Redskins top four players in receiving yards, only one of them is an actual wide receiver - free agent pickup Terrelle Pryor. That means Cousins has relied on some unusual suspects in hauling in his passes - Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, and Chris Thompson.

Cousins makes good use both of his tight ends, Reed and Davis. Byron Jones should be able to handle his assignment of Reed, but the team will need to call on another defensive back to help cover Davis.

Byron Jones doesn't post big statistical numbers, but here is where his value lies.



Takes away the QBs first read and forces him to run. pic.twitter.com/ilOp4Lgi4x — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) October 25, 2017

But no player is more dangerous than their change-of-pace running back, Chris Thompson. Cousins will find ways to get him the ball. The Cowboys will need to be careful not getting rubbed out of the play as the Redskins set picks for Thompson to help get him open. If Thompson finds space, he could break loose for a big play.

Player to watch on Sunday - Redskins RB, Chris Thompson

He averages 8.7 yards per touch and is a dangerous open field threat. pic.twitter.com/EEONlZop2o — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) October 26, 2017

4. Blame it on the rain

This game could get a little messy as heavy rainfall is projected for Sunday’s contest. That means that traction and ball security could come into play and have a big impact on which team emerges with a victory.

After some initial concern early in the season, the Cowboys ground game looks to be back in full swing as they are currently second in the league with 148 rushing yards per game. With the possibility of poor field conditions, the Cowboys should look to just pound the Redskins with a heavy dose of the run game. Washington, however, doesn’t posses the same type of offensive style as they rely more on quickness and getting players in space to make big plays.

Taking care of the ball will also be critical in this game. The Cowboys dominated the turnover margin at +3 over San Francisco last week. With strips by DeMarcus Lawrence, Jaylon Smith, and Kavon Frazier - the Cowboys were able to recover three forced fumbles. Both Lawrence and Irving have been good at slapping the ball out and they will need to play full throttle against a weakened Redskins offensive line.

At the same time, protecting Dak Prescott will be important. La’el Collins has quietly kept edge rushers away from his quarterback this season, but this week he faces a tough challenge. Ryan Kerrigan is one of the Redskins best defensive players and if he catches Prescott not securing the ball, it could result in game-changing play.

5. Just for kicks

The blowout of the San Francisco 49ers gave fans a nice breather from the anxiety-riddled nail biters the team got caught up in the previous two contests. In fact, all three of the Cowboys wins this year have been by 11 or more points. It would be nice to add another double-digit victory to the list as there is added incentive in avoiding a close game this week.

For the first time in over 100 games, the Cowboys will be without the services of their Pro Bowl kicker, Dan Bailey. It doesn’t seem like a week goes by without some crazy botched kick costing a team a win. Cowboys fans just smile comfortably and thank our lucky stars that Bailey is the team’s kicker and there is never a doubt in our mind whenever he comes on the field to attempt any kick 50 yards or less. Well, that all changes this week. We will now join the rest of those fans who sit frantically wondering where the kick is going to go. I will now have to wait and see if the extra point goes through before I head into the kitchen and get another beer. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

And if it ends up coming down to a game-deciding field goal in the closing minutes of a game in questionable field conditions, well, I might just end up passing out. Good luck, Mike Nugent. We are all wishing you the best.

Those are some things I will be watching. How about you? What are some key things to keep an eye out for on Sunday?