Here comes the Washington Football Team. Those words have rarely struck fear into NFL teams. But there is some precedent to heed them, at least in December. Since 2000, Washington has made five playoff appearances. In each of those seasons, the team entered December with a losing record before going a combined 21-4 the rest of the way. Is Washington (6-6) destined to repeat the script this year? If so, it will have to survive NFC East-leading Dallas (8-4). The teams meet two of the next three Sundays, starting this weekend in Landover, Md. A month ago at 2-6 and facing a game against the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, the team appeared on the road to nowhere. But Washington clipped Tampa Bay to trigger a four-game winning streak and rekindle its playoff hopes. To close this one out, consider that division dogs riding a 3-0 SUATS winning streak – all as underdogs – are 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS while the Cowboys come in riding a 0-4 ATS skid on the division road, and owners of the league’s 27th ranked overall defense (372 YPG).

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