It’s our last chance to get a look at the Cowboys playing football, and here are some things to key in on.

It’s almost over, folks. Normally, this is the time of year that brings out sadness because the long dreadful offseason awaits. It will be eight months before we see our beloved Dallas Cowboys play a regular season football game. That’s a long time.

While the layoff brings sorrow, Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders will finally put an end to the misery that was the 2024 season. We can finally close it up, put a bow on it, and hope to never speak of it again. But before that happens, there’s one more game to get through. Here are five things to watch when the Cowboys face a division rival in their regular-season finale.

1. ROOM TO RUN

The Commanders are good at a lot of things, but stopping the run is not one of them. Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. brought their run-stopping woes to Washington as their defense ranks in the bottom five in rushing yards allowed per game (136.7). Their 4.8 yards allowed per attempt is the third-worst in the league. Three times this season they have allowed more than 200 yards rushing. The Commanders are susceptible against the run as you see a lot of the same mistakes as the Cowboys had under Quinn. Defenders take bad angles, linebackers fill the wrong gaps, and often players will get washed out of plays. The Cowboys will have room to run against them.

Rico Dowdle would love to finish the season strong. He reached the 1,000 mark last week which is crazy when you consider he’s had 12 or fewer carries in half the games this season. Fortunately, he’s been riding high as of late. He had his first career 100-yard game on Thanksgiving and now has hit the century mark in four of his last five yards. Even with his delayed usage, Dowdle needs just one lousy yard to produce the Cowboys’ highest rushing total over the last five seasons. That’s insane.

2. ZACCHEAUS CAN BEAT US

The Cowboys’ cornerback group is banged up. Trevon Diggs, Caelan Carson, Amani Oruwariye, and Josh Butler are all out for the year with season-ending injuries. DaRon Bland will have his hands full with the Commanders’ top receiver, Terry McLaurin, and Jourdan Lewis should follow Jamison Crowder around in the slot. That means Olamide Zaccheaus draws the lucky straw in the form of Andrew Booth. Unless you have a short memory, you’ll remember that Booth was torched by DaVonte Smith last week.

Zaccheaus has come on strong over his last couple of games. He now has the second-most yards of any Commanders wide receiver behind McLaurin thanks to his last two games where he’s compiled 12 total catches, 155 yards, and three touchdowns. He has suddenly become a weapon for Jayden Daniels and you better believe he’ll be attacking Booth early and often.

3. LAST CHANCE FOR LANCE

There’s a lot of consternation among Cowboys Nation about the use, or lack of use, of third-string quarterback Trey Lance. With nothing to play for, fans want to see him in action. After all, the team paid the hefty price of a fourth-round pick for his services, why not see what he can do?

Well, one reason is they already know what he can do. If you watched any preseason action, you probably do as well. Lance is not ready and has a ways to go before he can be anything close to a viable quarterback option. The Cowboys are probably looking to retain him this offseason for cheap. But right now, they want to evaluate other players and there is far more to gain by having a functioning quarterback on the field than one who’s shaky, even if that quarterback is Cooper Rush. That said, don’t be surprised if they give Lance a little bit of action in the second half.

4. AUBREY’S RECORD BREAKER

You know the season has lost some meaning when you sit and wait for the kicker to break the record for the longest field goal in NFL history. But that is the reality for this fan as the stage has been set for Brandon Aubrey to claim the prize that will inevitably belong to him.

Aubrey has a monster of a leg and the accuracy to go with it. He’s been a gift for the Cowboys after breaking on the scene last year. We have witnessed him launch booming kicks, leading the league with 14 field goals of 50+ yards this season. Last week, he barely missed a 61-yarder when it bounced off the right upright, but it was way up the upright meaning it had the distance to be a record-breaker. And that was outside in Philadelphia. Give him one more shot inside the comfort of AT&T Stadium and he can do it. And don’t be shocked if the Cowboys even finagle a little field positioning to set him up for the record.

5. CRAZY QUINN GAMES

Before spending three years in Dallas, Dan Quinn also was the defensive coordinator in Seattle and the head coach in Atlanta. And now he’s the top cheese in Washington where he has helped them win 11 games for the first time in 33 years. That’s crazy.

What is also crazy is some of the games the Cowboys have had against Quinn. Regardless of where he’s at, wild things have happened. All kinds of weird stuff has happened on special teams and we’ve seen some wild finishes. While this may be a meaningless game to Dallas, the Commanders are still playing for something, so don’t be shocked if the season ends in thrilling fashion.

It seems like every time the Cowboys face off against Dan Quinn-coached teams crazy stuff happens. Crazy special teams plays and crazy finishes. pic.twitter.com/o3fPYyiQJe

— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) January 3, 2025