Jenna’s Outlook, Week 15: Bills (7-6) vs. Cowboys (10-3)

Humble and hungry. That is what is usually said by head coach Sean McDermott when the Bills celebrate a win. Sunday was a perfect example. A road victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, combined with a few games during the week which went in their favor, may have changed the narrative surrounding the Buffalo Bills. Now, they must move onto the next game.

Actually, this matchup couldn’t have come at a better time. Remember in 2019, when the Bills last played the Dallas Cowboys? Some may recall that game as the first time Josh Allen came onto the scene. It was a Thanksgiving classic in Arlington, and Allen led Buffalo to a 26-15 victory after what is known to be one of the most iconic fourth down conversions in Bills history. This time, Dallas will be coming to our home and it will likely be the toughest matchup of the season.

The Cowboys are an extremely well-rounded team, from offense to special teams. Their quarterback, Dak Prescott, is playing the best football of his career. He currently has 3,505 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He is also the current betting favorite for MVP (+150), according to FOX Sports. The Bills must give him and the rest of this Dallas Cowboys team their best if they’re going to make an impression on the league heading into the final stretch of the season.

Matchups to Watch

Buffalo Bills WRs vs. Dallas Cowboys Secondary

Now, this is the thing I’m worried about (aside from the very obvious Dallas pass rush) because Buffalo’s widereceiver production was less than ideal against the Chiefs. They combined for a total of 70 receiving yards, which is less than the amount of receiving yards that RB James Cook had in the entire game! Thankfully other players have stepped up, such as TEs Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, but for a team that’s been more “WR friendly,” it is not a sustainable method in the long run. The Bills’ wideouts must step up against the Cowboys, or else it will be a long evening.

The Dallas defense gives up approximately 134.2 receiving yards per game to WRs, which ranks sixth in the league. To make matters worse, the Bills will be facing a familiar foe: former first round pick CB Stephon Gilmore. There will likely be an added incentive for Gilmore to perform well against his former team. After all, his family will get to watch him play in Buffalo in a meaningful game.

Bills Defense vs. Cowboys Offense

Speaking of defenses, the Bills will be short handed at the safety and defensive end positions against the Cowboys. S Micah Hyde and DE AJ Epenesa have both been ruled out for Sunday by head coach Sean McDermott.

The Dallas Cowboys offense has been firing on all cylinders, averaging 381.5 yards per game and 28.5 points per game, which both rank top five in the league. How can the Bills stop them? Well, first we have to hope that Taron Johnson is good to go. He’s too important to the defense. Plus, he’ll likely be following Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb throughout the game. The Dallas offense is very potent in the first half of games. Dak Prescott averages almost two first half touchdowns per game compared to less than one touchdown per game in the second half. Perhaps this works in Buffalo’s favor, because we’ve seen the Bills defense do its best work in the first half in the past couple games against great offenses such as the Eagles and Chiefs. Corral the Cowboys in the beginning of the game, and run the clock in the second half.

Predictions

The Buffalo Bills run all over Dallas

One of the Cowboys’ best defensive linemen, NT Johnathan Hankins, is out with an ankle injury. This could allow the Bills to exploit Dallas’ run defense with RB James Cook, who had a fantastic day against the Chiefs in Week 14.

There’s a Justin Shorter sighting

WR Justin Shorter had his 21-day window was opened. He has also been listed as questionable for Sunday. Does that mean he will be activated in time to play against the Cowboys? I’d like to see if he can add a boost to the Bills’ special teams unit, which has struggled all of this season. I don’t foresee him being involved in the offense too much considering how little time he’s had to spend with QB Josh Allen, but his presence could be a sneak peek as to what we should expect in the near future. I hope that he can find himself a roster spot leading into the 2024 season. He deserves a fair chance.

Conclusion

I cannot believe it’s already Week 15, which means that the playoffs are just around the corner. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills do not have a seat at the table just yet, as opposed to previous seasons. There is still work to be done to ensure that we see Josh Allen and Co. play past Week 18. They must face the Dallas Cowboys first to prove themselves.

I’ll be honest, I am very nervous for this game. The Cowboys are on a five-game winning streak and they’re averaging 40 points a game in that timeframe, so I do expect a high-scoring affair. Sure, please bet the over — if you will. I just hope that the Bills won’t be on the losing side of the game! However, if there’s any game that the Bills could afford to lose in their final stretch, it is this one as they’re facing an NFC team. 

There’s only a few weeks left, but I’m still chugging along! Stay tuned for the next edition of Jenna’s Outlook, as the Bills prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16!

Featured Image Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports