'TNF' preview: Cowboys aim to keep win streak alive with fourth consecutive blowout

Dallas (8-3) enters Week 13 a nine-point home favorite over Seattle (6-5), having won its past three games by 90 points combined. Here's what to watch for in a potential "Thursday Night Football" blowout.

WHEN SEAHAWKS ARE ON OFFENSE

How does quarterback Geno Smith handle Cowboys pressure? Among the 25 quarterbacks with at least 276 dropbacks this season, Smith has been pressured at a rate of 39.6 percent, tied for the fourth-highest in the league (h/t Pro Football Focus). The results haven't been great, with Smith completing only 51.2 percent of his attempts, with five touchdowns, three interceptions and a below-average 69.4 passer rating when pressured. 

Micah Parsons is ranked by ESPN as the league's top pass-rushing edge defender and Osa Odighizuwa ranks as the top pass-rushing defensive tackle. The Seahawks offensive line's ability to protect Smith will dictate how much success Seattle has on offense. 

Cornerback DaRon Bland: The most misleading name in football, Bland has actually been the league's most exciting defender, setting an NFL record for interceptions returned for a touchdown in a season (five) in the Cowboys' 45-10 Thanksgiving day win over the Commanders. Smith will take shots to wide receivers Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, giving Bland opportunities to add to his incredible year.

Tight end Noah Fant: Seattle's talented wide receivers must win their one-on-one matchups, but one way Smith can attack the Cowboys is by targeting tight end Fant. Per RotoWire, the Cowboys are tied with four other teams for the most touchdowns given up to tight ends (six). They also allow 7.81 yards per target, the sixth-most in the league. Fant has a paltry 6.8 percent target share, but Smith might want to look his direction more often against the Cowboys.

Running back Zach Charbonnet: Kenneth Walker III (oblique) is doubtful, setting the stage for rookie Charbonnet to receive the bulk of the carries. He's taken the lead-back role the past two weeks but has struggled. Charbonnet has 29 carries, 94 yards (3.2 yards per carry) and has added 10 receptions for only 33 yards. Dallas ranks 13th against the run but has improved since allowing 392 rushing yards combined in losses to the Cardinals and 49ers, allowing 97.2 yards per game on the ground over its past six games.

WHEN COWBOYS ARE ON OFFENSE

Quarterback Dak Prescott: A potential league MVP award awaits Prescott if he keeps up his impressive stretch over his last six games. Prescott is 148-of-210 (70.5 percent) for 1,874 yards, 18 touchdowns and two interceptions since Week 6, leading the Cowboys to a 5-1 record while averaging 35.5 points per game during that span. The Seahawks have had a couple of ugly defensive performances this month against two other strong offenses (Baltimore and San Francisco), increasing the likelihood that Prescott's name will continue popping up in MVP conversations after Thursday night.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb vs. Seahawks secondary: Seattle's young corners Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon have the difficult task of stopping Lamb, who's having the best season of his career. He has 78 receptions for 1,066 yards, the third-most in the league. Woolen (shoulder) missed the majority of Seattle's 31-13 loss to the 49ers, potentially meaning rookie Witherspoon, who's allowed a reception rate of only 50.9 percent when targeted, will see most of the individual matchups against Lamb. 

Tony Pollard poised for big game: Per RotoWire, the Seahawks are tied with the Cardinals and Giants for the second-most rushing touchdowns allowed (12) and have also allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to running backs. Pollard has 39 receptions, the fifth-most in the league, and receives 54.8 percent of the Cowboys rush attempts in the red zone.

Red zone woes: As impressive as the Cowboys have been, they've left a bunch of points off the scoreboard due to their mediocre red-zone offense. Dallas is 16th in red-zone scoring (54.3 percent) but should be able to improve that mark against Seattle, which ranks 27th in red-zone defense, allowing a touchdown on 64.5 percent of possessions that make it inside the 20-yard line.