Sam Howell Scouts the Dallas Cowboys: 'So Many Good Players!' Says Washington QB

ARLINGTON - The Washington Commanders have registered as 11-point underdogs today in a Thanksgiving featured event against the Dallas Cowboys. And while the visitors here to AT&T Stadium plan to put up a fight against "America's Team,'' they are in a sense not putting up an argument against the predictions of the oddsmakers.

“They have so many good players on that defense, obviously (starting with) Micah Parsons, and they do a really good job getting after the quarterback,” Washington QB Sam Howell said. “You definitely got to have a really good protection plan against them. They make it tough.”

In Week 11, Washington fell to the lowly New York Giants, 31-19. ... and fell to 4-7. They did that while playing against undrafted Giants quarterback Tommy Devito, while giving up big gains on defense and fumbling and bumbling their way to a pile of sacks and turnovers on offense.

Talent? Howell is right about the Cowboys' defense, so dynamic with cornerback DaRon Bland is lurking for a record-setting fifth pick-6 of the year ... something made possible by the pressure of Parsons, who has 10 sacks so far in 2023.

Cowboys Must Take Commanders 'Very Seriously,' Says Micah Parsons; Here's The Problem With That

Only four teams have more than Dallas’ 3.3 sacks per game, and Parsons has lots of help in the form of D-linemen DeMarcus Lawrence and tackle Osa Odighizuwa and more.

And, as it happens, Howell and the Commanders are the NFL's worst when it comes to the highest rate of pressures turned into sacks. (26 percent). He’s taken 51 sacks so far, easily the worst mark in football.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys offense is on a roll, all in all making this 3:30 p.m. CT Thanksgiving kickoff a possible feast for the home team ... but also a chance for Howell to maybe cement his future with Washington. ... while also maybe saving the jobs of people like head coach Ron Rivera.