Endless hours in the weight room and studying film, weeks of OTA’s and minicamps, days in the hot sun during training camp, almost 50 practices and 15 regular season games lead up to this. One game, the winner gets to continue practicing, studying film, and playing game; the loser likely goes home.
The Redskins and Cowboys will play in that one game Sunday night at 8:20. Until then, we’ll help you count down the hours and minutes until kickoff with this blog. We’ll update with the latest new, notes, nuggets, thoughts, and analysis right up until the start of the game. Check by frequently throughout the day and refresh the page for the latest.
Time is in hours and minutes until kickoff.
Join the chat
No more updates coming here, pick it up on the live chat we have starting now. Thanks for following and see you in the chat!
Inactives
DeJon Gomes is out with a knee injury. It looks like Tyler Polumbus will start. The full list of inactives:
DB Gomes, KR Banks, WR Briscoe, LB Muckelroy, LBSo'oto, OT Compton and OL Gettis
Potential opponent update
-1:40—If the Redskins win, they will face either the Seahawks or the 49ers. As of right now, Seattle is losing while San Francisco is winning. If eitheir of those results hold, the Redskins would host the Seahawks if they win.
Tough guy
Here is Alfred Morris out of the field in shorts and a T-shirt. And it's flippin' cooold out there. (photo credit @TarikCSN)
Looks like Polumbus might play
-2:20—The word is that the Redskins expect Tyler Polumbus to be able to start at right tackle. We won’t know for sure until the inactives are announced about an hour from now, but it looks like the Redskins will start the offensive line alignment that they did for their first 14 games.
No word on safety DeJon Gomes, who suffered a sprained MCL last week. We will find out about him when the inactives go out.
At FedEx Field
-3:20—OK, I’m here, a couple of quick updates:
--As of now, three and a half hours before kickoff, it’s pretty windy down on the field. Some TV light stands have blown over and the streamers on top of the goal posts are very active, especially on the far end of the field (the right side when you’re watching on TV).
--The parking lots are rather lively. I came in at about 4:30 and there was plenty of tailgating going on. They open the gates in about 30 minutes and it will be interesting to see how quickly the place gets filled up and how loud it will be when it does.
--As you’ve probably heard, the Bears won, taking away the Redskins’ safety net. Their only route to the playoffs now is to beat Dallas and take the NFC East crown.
On the way to FedEx
-5:50—I’m heading out to go to the stadium. We’ll pick this back up when I get there. You can still hit me with questions on Twitter @Rich_TandlerCSN or here in the comments section.
One note on the way out, we do have a ballgame in Detroit. The Lions scored a touchdown just before halftime to pull to within 20-10 of the Bears. If the Bears do hold on, they only way they will be able to play next weekend is by winning tonight.
Walt Anderson is the referee
-6:20--The referee for tonight’s game will the Walt Anderson, who has been officiating games since 2000 and has been a referee since 2003. His crew officiated last years season ending, winner take all game between the Cowboys and Giants.
The last Redskins game Anderson worked was their 2010 win in Chicago, DeAngelo Hall’s four-interception game.
It seems like his crew lets them play. They have called double digit penalties on one team three times in 12 games this year. They have called five or fewer infractions on a team 13 times (some doubling up there with games where five or fewer called against both teams.
