The Washington Commanders will host the Dallas Cowboys today to kick off Week 17 and the 2025 NFL Christmas slate of games.
Since both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, there is not much to play for. However, millions of fans will still be tuned in to watch the matchup between two NFC East rivals.
Who Will Perform the National Anthem for the Cowboys-Commanders Game?
The Cowboys enter this game with a record of 6-8-1, while the Commanders are 4-11 and have had a disappointing campaign following their appearance in the NFC Championship Game last year.
Before the start of the season, the Christmas Day matchup between Dallas and Washington looked promising, as both teams were expected to fight for the division or at least a playoff spot. However, that is no longer the case.
The game will be televised on Netflix, and according to Deadspin, the Army will perform the national anthem. Kelly Clarkson will open the show on Netflix, and the Christmas games will be covered by notable personalities such as Drew Brees, Kay Adams, and Michael Irvin.
Cowboys vs. Commanders: Preview for Week 17 Matchup
According to PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, Dallas has the league’s fourth-best offense heading into Week 17. Fortunately for them, all of their notable offensive players are healthy and will play today against the Commanders.
That is not the case for Washington. The Commanders will start the game with their QB3, Josh Johnson, under center due to injuries to Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.
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The Commanders have lost nine of their last 10 games, and based on the availability of players, they are expected to lose again today.
The only silver lining for Washington after this disastrous season is securing a better draft pick that can be used to support Daniels further. If the season ended today, the Commanders would have the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which puts them in a position to select a blue-chip prospect.
According to PFSN Analytics, the Commanders currently have a 32.1% chance of having a top-five pick in next year’s draft.
As for the Cowboys, the offseason goal is clear: to improve the defense. It could come at the cost of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus losing his job, but changes must be made in Dallas. Prescott and the offense have held up their end of the bargain, but the Cowboys’ defense is the only reason the team will miss the playoffs.
According to PFSN’s Defense Impact metric, Dallas has the worst defense in the league, and no quarterback in the NFL can overcome that kind of disadvantage.
