/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47745321/usa-today-8945223.0.jpg)
Gameplan: How Can The Dallas Cowboys Defeat The Undefeated On Turkey Day - Michael Sisemore- Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys have a lot of ground to make up if they hope to get themselves back in the playoffs circle. After beating the Dolphins on Sunday, they have a date with the NFL's best on Thanksgiving. How can they pull off the upset?
This just may be the toughest game left on the Dallas Cowboys schedule, but where there is a will, there is a way to a victory for the Cowboys. In fact, Tony Romo is the only quarterback in NFL history to have defeated multiple undefeated teams with a 9-0 record or better. He beat the 9-0 Indianapolis Colts back in 2006 and the 13-0 New Orleans Saints in 2009. Can he lead the Cowboys to a victory over the 10-0 Carolina Panthers?
Cowboys Gameday: Romo And The Cowboys Host The Undefeated Panthers For Thanksgiving- Dallas Morning News
With a win the Cowboys establish themselves as legitimate NFC East contenders. A loss means the Cowboys lose any margin for error in their last-ditch playoff run. Check out this cool interactive.
Division Standings To Determine Whether Cowboys Visit London In 2016 -David Helman- Dallas Cowboys
The Rams are slated for a game in London and their opponent will be a team from the NFC East. Depending on how they finish, Dallas could make a return trip in 2016.
The quirk comes in between those two, for the Week 7 matchup. The St. Louis Rams will host a Week 7 game at Twickenham Stadium on Oct. 23, but the identity of that team remains unknown. The Rams’ opponent will be an NFC East team, but who exactly won’t be determined until the end of the regular season, when the league standings are final.
Cowboys Now Equipped To End Panthers' Win Streak- Todd Archer- ESPN
Tony Romo has led the Cowboys past an undefeated team this late in the season on two occasions, and the Panthers could become victim No. 3.
The Panthers are 10-0 and playing as well as any team in the league. They have a defense that takes the ball away and an offense the can win a number of different ways. In 2006, the Cowboys rode Romo-mentum to the playoffs after a 4-4 start. Nine seasons later is Romo-mentum making a comeback?
Cowboys’ Romo, Carolina’s Unbeaten Streak In Spotlight For Thanksgiving Game -Drew Davison- The Star-Telegram
At 3-7, the Cowboys shouldn't be favored over anyone nonetheless an unbeaten team. However, this is a team with their heartbeat back and looking to stay alive.
Vegas, with an opening-line favoring the Cowboys, might be the only place that felt the Cowboys should be favored in this game. Yes, the Cowboys missed Romo, but they showed more flaws than just quarterback play during their seven-game losing streak. And they know they have to play a mistake-free game if they are going to knock off one of the two unbeaten teams left in the league. That means they can’t have bone-headed penalties such as excessive celebrations, which happened last week in Miami.
Rivera Sees Surging Cowboys Facing His Unbeaten Panthers (Nov 25, 2015) | FOX Sports
Carolina coach Ron Rivera sees a Dallas team on the verge of a run with Tony Romo back and trying to keep the Cowboys in the playoff picture.
''Their best receiver has been hurt, their tight end has been hurt, their running game is still in flux because it's just starting to develop and the runner is getting used to the blockers, and the blockers are just getting used to the quarterback being back,'' Rivera said of the defending NFC East champions. ''They're, I think, on the cusp of getting ready to start rolling again.''
Beyond Tony Romo: Who The Cowboys Must Rely On -Tom Ryle- Blogging The Boys
The star quarterback has lifted the team, but the rest of the Cowboys have to step up as well as one man can't do it all by himself.
The Dallas Cowboys are now trying to start a winning streak to keep their playoff hopes alive. Tony Romo has rekindled hope for the team and their fans, and the win over the Miami Dolphins showed just how important he is to the cause. But it takes a team to win. In all the excitement over the Jedi being back at quarterback, we should not overlook the rest of the Rebel Alliance that has to help win games.
What Can Cowboys Do To Contain Carolina QB Cam Newton? - David Moore- Dallas Morning News
The question that faces the Cowboys this holiday is the same one that vanquished opponents have failed to answer over the past 11 months.
Newton is the only player to throw more than 100 touchdown passes (102) and run for more than 25 touchdowns (39) in his first five seasons. And one other thing: he's coming off a game in which he threw a career-high five touchdowns passes against Washington.
DallasCowboys.com Writers Share Their Gut Feelings For Cowboys-Panthers | Dallas Cowboys
The Mothership's staff has mixed feelings on this game and have given us a split decision for the Turkey day tilt.
Rob Phillips: Did you know the Cowboys have never faced an undefeated team on Thanksgiving in their 47-game holiday tradition? This is the kind of matchup Tony Romo, the competitor, thrives on. I know he’s only getting three days’ rest, and he’s only started one game since returning from the collarbone injury, but you could see him lose the rust late in the first half against the Dolphins on his scramble-and-19-yard throw to Devin Street. I believe Carolina is the most complete team the Cowboys will play all season, and Thursday will go down as one of the all-time great Thanksgiving games. Here’s my prediction: Romo and Cam Newton combine for seven touchdowns in a high-scoring game, and Romo’s final TD is the difference. Carolina might be the best team in the league, but the Cowboys are 3-0 with Romo this year, and I’m sticking with No. 9. Cowboys 35, Panthers 31.
Dallas Cowboys CB Morris Claiborne Officially Ruled Out For Thursday- Todd Archer- ESPN
Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Panthers, and Byron Jones will get his second straight start.
With Claiborne out, rookie Byron Jones will get his second straight start at cornerback. The hope is Claiborne can return Dec. 7 against the Washington Redskins.
McFadden’s Workload Won’t Change In Short Week -Drew Davison- The Star-Telegram
A short week is not going to force the Dallas Cowboys to put running back Darren McFadden on a pitch count.
McFadden is coming off a game in which he rushed for 129 yards on 29 carries, including closing the game out with nine carries for 40 yards in the final 6 minutes. It was an impressive performance, considering McFadden missed a day of practice earlier that week with a strained groin.
Ex Cowboys RB Joseph Randle Arrested At Kansas Casino (Nov 25, 2015) | FOX Sports
Former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle was jailed early Wednesday after an altercation at a Kansas casino. The decision to part ways with him looks better by the day.
Randle was asked to leave the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane late Tuesday after causing some unspecified concerns on the casino floor, said Fred Waller, an enforcement agent with the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. Randle left, but then returned. Randle started arguing with security officers, and a scuffle ensued, Waller said. Several agents had to restrain him and he was taken to the county jail.
The Tony Romo Factor (Part III) - The Return Changes The Cowboys Dynamic -Jim Scott- Blogging The Boys
Tony Romo brought victory to Dallas for the first time in two months. How? It wasn't 400 yards and 4 TDs. It was something far more important.
In the first, I opined that there would not be a major statistical difference with Tony Romo's return. In the second, my hypothesis was that with Romo back, the team would play fast and loose and make plays they wouldn't usually make. With theDallas Cowboys victory over the Miami Dolphins, the experiment has been run and we now have some observations and data to record. Oddly, after a career of being accused of putting up "empty stats", Romo had a very mediocre statistical day, but his effect on the team couldn't have been clearer.
STAR: Despite Just 12 Meetings, Series With Carolina Has Been Entertaining -Nick Eatman- Dallas Cowboys
You might think it’s way too early to consider Carolina as a big-time adversary but considering the history already between the two teams, it’s not far off.
In just 12 meetings we've already got two playoff games, which if you remember those two contests should be reason enough for Cowboys fans to dislike the Panthers. But aside from those contests, the other meetings have been quite entertaining with interesting twists and turns, including Tony Romo’s first-ever start and win back in 2006 in front of a national audience. For the record, the Cowboys are 9-3 against Carolina and winners of nine of the last 11. That loss, of course, came in the playoffs of the 2003 season, proving to be one of the few really lopsided games in this series.
Do The Cowboys Have A Realistic Shot At Making The Playoffs? - Danny Phantom- Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys are still in the thick of the playoff hunt but have no room to make any mistakes.
The focus for the Dallas Cowboys is clearly centered on Thursday's big game against the undefeated Carolina Panthers. And winning one game over the last eight tries is certainly no cause for booking any post-season plans. But as fans, we are afforded the luxury of sitting back and looking at things from all perspectives and today's perspective is the playoff picture. You can't blame fans for being a little curious. If you want to blame someone, blame the other NFC East teams for lollygagging and leaving the door open. With the Cowboys franchise quarterback back in action, it is very imaginable that the team could go on a little heater. And with their divisional foes having a tough time winning games, the race for the East is still very much up for grabs.
Frozen Pizza, Game Film And Family: Three Cowboys Wives Explain How They Juggle Thanksgiving With Football -Jon Machota- Dallas Morning News
The Wittens, Romos and Garretts spend their Thanksgivings a little differently than most. Three of the most popular families associated with the Cowboys will be at AT&T Stadium.
"We're like, 'What are we going to eat for dinner?'" Michelle vividly recalls. "Nothing was open, so we went to the gas station to get frozen pizzas."
Dallas Cowboys Linebacker Sean Lee Nominated for Art Rooney Award -Drew Davison- The Star-Telegram
Growing up in the Pittsburgh area, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee understood how much the Rooney family meant to the city.
"It’s a blessing to play in the NFL. It’s a blessing to play for the Cowboys," Lee said. "Trying to do things the right way and play the right way on the field is extremely important."
Get your picks in for the BTB Pick 256 Challenge!
If you haven't yet submitted your picks, now would be a good time. Here's the link to the entry form.
If the link above doesn't work for whatever reason, use the following alternative, which does not autofill your BTB user name into the entry form.
Alternative Pick 256 Entry Form
We have 190 participants who've already submitted their picks for Week 12, and this is how the vote is trending in the NFC East:
82% like the Cowboys over the Panthers
82% like the Lions over the Eagles
64% like the Redskins over the Giants
If you haven't submitted your picks yet, you still have until 12:30 pm EST today to submit your picks, so get it done right now by following the links above.