NFL: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

Talk about two teams heading in opposite directions. That’ll be the case when these two long-time adversaries rekindle their rivalry on Thanksgiving.

The Cowboys are rolling, having won four of their last five games to move to 7-3 on the season. In the last two weeks, they’ve scored 82 combined points, while giving up just 27. Blowout wins over the Giants and Panthers have Dallas riding high.

The same can’t be said for the Commanders. Washington has lost four of its last five, including a brutal loss on Sunday to the hapless Giants. At 4-7, the Commanders’ playoff hopes are on life support; they desperately need a win, but it’ll be tough on a short week against a very good team.

Dallas is a perfect 4-0 at home. They also boast a league-best point differential at +127. As a result, the Cowboys still have aspirations for tracking down the Eagles in the NFC North and vying for the No. 1 seed in the conference.

They’re arguably the most balanced team in the league. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are a dangerous duo, connecting 74 times for 1,013 yards and five touchdowns. Tony Pollard spearheads the ground game, with 590 yards and three scores. And the Cowboys defense is ranked No. 2 in the league, surrendering just 266.3 yards per game.

The Cowboys have scored the most points in the NFC, racking up 302 through 10 games. They’ve also given up just 175, second-only to the 49ers. Not surprisingly, Dallas has recorded some lopsided wins.

They beat the Giants by 40 and 32, bested the Patriots by 35, topped the Rams and Panthers by 23, and outscored the Jets by 23. When they win, they normally do it in fine fashion.

Meanwhile, the Commanders have been sputtering, especially on defense. Ron Rivera’s team is ranked 29^th in the NFL on that side of the ball, giving up 372.8 yards per game. They’re also giving up 27.7 points per game, which is dead last in the league.

Steve Quinne’s Pick: Dallas -10.5 (-110)

All of America is hoping for a competitive game, looking for a doozy on Turkey Day. But it seems unlikely. Dallas is simply a juggernaut at this point. They have a top-10 offense and one of the best defenses in the league. Washington, on the other hand, struggles to stop anyone. And their offense is just okay, with Sam Howell racking up a lot of yards through the air, but only managing 21.5 points per game. The Cowboys will add another blowout victory to their 2023 slate.

CFB: Ohio State at Michigan

For the first time in five years, Michigan is favored over Ohio State in one of college football’s greatest rivalries. And this time around, it’s ever-so-important. Both teams are currently inside the CFP Top-4, so the outcome will surely have major implications for both teams and likely a school outside the Top-4. Furthermore, the margin between these two teams appears to be razor thin, as the voters and bettors are not in total agreement.

When the line opened, Michigan has been as much as a 6.5-point favorite. Currently, it’s sitting at -3.5, but more movement could take place.

Despite the fact that Jim Harbaugh won’t be on the sidelines, serving the final game of a three-game suspension for the alleged sign-stealing scheme, observers of the Wolverines seem unphased. Clearly, his assistants and players have his back – as evidenced by Michigan’s monster road win over No. 11 Penn State two weeks ago when emotions were at their highest. Last week’s 31-24 win over Maryland was less impressive, but still kept the Wolverines undefeated for this weekend’s showdown.

Ohio State rolls into town on the heels of a 37-3 thumping of Minnesota – who, for what it’s worth, was whipped by Michigan 52-20 earlier in the season – and likely insulted by the fact that the Buckeyes are ranked higher but getting little to no respect for it.

Then again, all the drama can be tossed right out the window, as this is a game that will be played by the country’s best two defenses. It’s quite possible one big play could determine who heads to the Big Ten championship game versus Iowa.

Bud Parmalee’s Pick: Ohio State M/L +145

For the record, take the under, as it’s set at an embarrassingly realistic 46.5, as if it were an NFL playoff game. But it’s not, it’s just that both defenses are that good. But that’s not my bet here. I’m taking the Buckeye’s to put an end to the saga that surrounds Michigan. Two weeks ago, the slogan “Michigan Against Everyone” became very prominent. Too prominent, in fact. There’s a lot of truth to that, and while Michigan is playing the “us against the world” card, the world – including everyone associated with college football – doesn’t want this messy situation impacting this year’s CFP final polls. Call me a conspiracy theorist but look for the Buckeyes to settle the score and end the Harbaugh shenanigans.