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FRISCO, TX — Once upon a time, this was one of the most fiery rivalries in the NFL, and largely because the Dallas Cowboys thumped the Buffalo Bills in consecutive Super Bowl matchups in the 1990s. Fast forward to this season and there is still plenty of spice sprinkled all over this battle in Week 15, especially considering what's on the line for both clubs.

It's not quite the Lombardi trophy being presented this weekend, but the victor takes a huge step toward the one that's up for grabs in Vegas come February; and considering the firepower present on both rosters, on both sides of the ball, this should be a fun one to watch.

WHEN AND WHERE:

Josh Allen and the Bills are coming off of an important win over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Kansas City to climb above .500 and put themselves in position to work toward a playoff spot, while Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are riding a five-game win streak that includes the humiliation of the Philadelphia Eagles that has them atop the NFC East and with a clear path to challenging for the top seed in the NFC.

The Bills are 5-2 at home while the Cowboys are just 3-3 outside of AT&T Stadium, and that means the latter will have to turn up the juice to get the job done in Buffalo, though the Bills will throw everything they can at them to try and stop that from happening.

It's a playoff-caliber matchup in mid-December, so buckle up.

TV/RADIO/MOBILE:

PREGAME SHOW:

Cowboys Pregame Live: Cowboys Now (Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire), Cowboys Mobile, DallasCowboys.com, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) 2:20-3:20 pm CT: Host Kyle Youmans, Nate Newton, Isaiah Stanback and Barry Church

105.3 The Fan: (DFW listening area)

1:55 pm-kickoff: Bryan Broaddus & Eric Chiofalo

BROADCAST CREW::

POSTGAME SHOW:

There are still limited tickets available to attend the next home game in-person at AT&T Stadium - click here for the opportunity to see the primetime game live and in-person.

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It’s been eight years since the Cowboys played in Buffalo. The starting quarterback: Kellen Moore.

Dallas lost that dreary December day, 16-6. Moore completed just 13 of 31 passes for 186 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

No one expects a repeat performance.

The offense the Cowboys take to upstate New York this weekend in no way resembles the injured, mismatched group that last appeared in Buffalo. But will it be the same, explosive group that has fueled five straight victories and wins in seven of its last eight games?

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That’s to be determined.

Here are five, final thoughts heading into the Cowboys game with the Bills:

All wet

When the Cowboys first saw this game on the schedule, thoughts of a white non-Christmas danced in their heads.

This could be worse.

It’s not expected to snow Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. The temperature is expected to reach 50 degrees.

But Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy will tell you temperature is last on his list of considerations or concerns when it comes to the weather. He’s more interested in wind and rain.

The forecast: gusts up to 31 mph with a steady rain that could drop half an inch.

“I thought it was supposed to be beautiful out there until this morning when I heard there was rain, so I got a couple of wet ball drills in,” quarterback Dak Prescott said late in the week. “Ready for whatever, honestly.

“I don’t think it necessarily changes the game plan, changes the way we approach and attack this team, but got to make sure we get some practice in and prepare in case that does happen. Hopefully, we’re not dealing with the rain and a cold front or blizzard doesn’t come in.

“But if it does, bring it on."

Receiver CeeDee Lamb said he doesn’t do anything special in the rain. All he does is keep his hands as dry as possible before the snap.

And Micah Parsons?

“I like the rain," he said. “The rain is exciting. Get a little more slippery, a little bit more fun, a little more challenging. The rain should increase the intensity of the game. More time to just get after it.

“I think that might play into our favor, too.”

Shades of Favre

Brett Favre was a gunslinger in every sense of the word.

McCarthy knows. He coached him for two seasons in Green Bay.

Buffalo’s Josh Allen reminds McCarthy of Favre.

“He’s a dynamic football player," McCarthy said of Allen. “The way he plays the position, he reminds me of a young Brett Favre, just the temperament, the ability to throw the ball to any quadrant of the field.

“Very aggressive running the ball. You have to treat him like a running back when he gets out there because he’s not looking to go down or go out of bounds, those types of things. Very impactful football player."

Related:Dak Prescott received heavy criticism last season. Could Josh Allen be in for the same?

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn considers Allen a tough, strong runner who can make a defender miss or run him over like a running back. Once he gets out of the pocket, he can create on the move.

The Cowboys’ goal is to keep him caged inside the pocket.

Allen has thrown for nearly 3,500 yards this season with 25 touchdown passes. He’s also rushed for 374 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His Achilles heel is turnovers. He’s thrown 14 interceptions and lost three fumbles.

The Dallas defense has forced 21 turnovers this season.

“I think we’ve just got to play our game and stay focused," McCarthy said. “Every time we line up we have an opportunity to take the ball away, we’ve got to convert.

“He’s a very, very aggressive player. Definitely it could be a 60-plus minute football game. They are never out of it when he has the ball in his hands."

Making a stand

The Cowboys used a first-round pick on Mazi Smith to improve their run defense.

A Dallas defense built to rush the quarterback and force turnovers is good enough in that category. But veteran Johnathan Hankins had led the way on the interior. Smith spells him.

That will change this week as Hankins misses the game with a high ankle sprain. Smith is expected to get his first start. He’ll have a chance to make impact he hasn’t made to this point.

“I think he’s doing a helluva job," McCarthy said of Smith. “You got to remember the room he walked into.

“We understand he’s a first-round pick and all that, but he’s come in here to do a job that’s dirty. This is not a statistic-filled role that he has that’s going to bring a bunch of notoriety.”

McCarthy invited Smith into his office to talk about “life in the A-gap" shortly after he was taken in the April draft. He talked about how difficult life is inside for a young defensive tackle in the NFL and how it could take some time.

The time is now.

“He has the ability to do more and he’ll be given a chance to do more," McCarthy said. “He plays on a veteran defensive line.

“I like the way Mazi’s gone."

Travel tunes

Dallas hasn’t lost at home this season.

Upstate New York is far from home. The Cowboys are 3-3 on the road and have won just one game away from AT&T Stadium in the last eight weeks.

“I feel like we have to bring our own music,” Lamb said. “Obviously, we’re going to be in a hostile environment, so we’re not going to get as much praise for making big plays, but we kind of have to make that the new norm, just being in that away format.

“We just have to stick to the script and continue to play, make routine plays and score touchdowns.”

The Bills Mafia awaits. Parsons has never played in Buffalo, but he’s excited to see what it’s all about.

He calls it extreme.

Prescott said it’s about taking the momentum the Cowboys have generated in Arlington these last few weeks and taking it on the road.

“Right now it’s not about home or away," the quarterback said. “These are all playoff type games, as I spoke about before, so it’s important for us to use this momentum and confidence that we gathered from the last month-and-a-half and make sure we take another step, on the road."

Inside information

An injury has taken an intriguing subplot out of this game.

Stefon Diggs is a Pro Bowl receiver for the Bills. Trevon Diggs is a Pro Bowl corner for the Cowboys. Watching the brothers compete against each other in the same NFL game is a high most families never experience.

Trevon’s torn ACL has tabled that special moment. Stefon will instead get a steady diet of Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland.

Still, Trevon knows his brother better than most. He could give Quinn some tips on how to play the receiver in this game. The coordinator made it clear that conversation would not take place.

Why?

“Because I wouldn’t put him in that spot," Quinn said. “That’s his brother.

“I was very much looking forward to this contest months ago, because I was quite certain he [Trevon] would be wanting to travel in this game, no matter what.”

If Quinn determines the best way to slow Diggs is to have a corner travel with him, Gilmore is the leading candidate.

“I love his game,” Lamb said of Diggs. “He’s been doing this for quite some time. I’ve been watching him for a while.

“I love his game. I love his route-running ability and his ability to create himself to get open."

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with the Musers at 9:35 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the Hardline at 4:35 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday during Cowboys season.

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Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

O'Brien goes from working at O'B Clarks in Brentwood to backup goalie in NHL

Just as Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger was leaving Friday’s game against the Ottawa Senators due to injury, Joey O’Brien was looking for the TV remote to change the channels at the sports bar where he works.

A football game had just ended, and as per usual, the customers at O’B Clarks - the popular sports bar in Brentwood - wanted a hockey game on.

“I saw the Senators and Stars were playing, so I put the game on right as Oettinger was heading off the ice. I didn’t think much of it,” O’Brien told stlouisblues.com. “Then a little later, I was downstairs changing a keg when I got a text from Blues Assistant General Manager Ryan Miller, who said the Stars might need me for the morning skate. Going to bed last night, I was like ‘OK, let’s just see what happens here.’”

O’Brien was a goalie for CBC High School in St. Louis, then played two years of junior hockey in Canada before playing in college for Niagara University until he graduated in 2019. Before all that, he also played for the AAA Blues, where former Blue Al MacInnis was one of his coaches.

For the last three seasons, he has served as an emergency backup goalie in St. Louis, which means he attends games at Enterprise Center with goalie pads in case an injury requires him to suit up. In those three years, he’s occasionally practiced with the Blues when one of its goalies have needed a maintenance day.

Serving as an EBUG means you could be called upon at any time, but O’Brien says he has yet to experience anything quite like this.

Because of the injury to Oettinger, the Stars having back-to-back games and salary cap complications, Dallas won't be able to get another goalie to St. Louis for Saturday’s game. As a result, O’Brien has signed an amateur tryout agreement and will serve as the backup. He will take warm-ups with the team and be on standby if he needs to play in relief of Dallas’ Scott Wedgwood, who is anticipated to start against the Blues.

“It’s definitely been a whirlwind of events,” said O’Brien, who worked with the Stars’ goalie coach on Saturday morning. “It’s been an interesting 18 hours so far, for sure.”

O’Brien said Ben Bishop, a former Blues and Stars goaltender and St. Louis native, called Saturday afternoon to wish him luck.

“He got my number and told me to enjoy it,” O’Brien said. “He also mentioned that if I end up going in (the game), I’d be on the ice with guys that are in the NHL, they’re going to tighten up around me, be there and have my back. He said just do the best you can and that’s really all I can expect out of it.”

All-in-all, Saturday will be an incredibly memorable experience for another St. Louis kid - one who less than 24 hours ago was changing kegs and stocking the refrigerator for his dad and uncle at their restaurant.

“It’s a whirlwind,” O’Brien added, “but I’m perfectly content being able to experience this and get a good seat to watch a hockey game.”

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here. Looking for the best Christmas lights this weekend? Find those lists here and here.

1. Original Dallas location of game-changing Fireside Pies pizza closes. A legendary pizzeria has shuttered: The original location of Dallas pizza chain Fireside Pies, located at 2820 N. Henderson Ave., has closed, after 20 years in the space.

2. Year-end restaurant & bar closures begin to pile up in Dallas. One not-so-pleasant custom at the end of the year is the arrival in Dallas of "restaurant closure season," a depressing yet consistent annual tradition when restaurants and bars take a look at the books and make the decision to cut their losses before the New Year begins.

3. Italian food store in Dallas' Oak Cliff proffers pastas, sauces, and charm. Foodies in Oak Cliff have a new place to get their Italian food fix, right in the neighborhood. Called Ari's Pantry, it's a cool little grocery and market coming soon to 1307 ½ W. Davis St. in Winnetka Heights, selling pastas, tomato sauces, olive oils, and imported Italian foodstuffs.

4. Dallas' Richard Rawlings ditches Lite - gasp - for new beer partnership. Famed Gas Monkey Garage owner Richard Rawlings has found a new beer. According to a release, the Dallas entrepreneur and notorious beer aficionado — he is always always cracking open a Lite — has shifted gears (what a clever press release verb!) to team up with Garage Beer, a craft light beer made by Braxton Brewing, a Kentucky-based brewer founded in 2014 by brothers Evan and Jake Rouse.

5. Dallas' Crystal Charity Ball 2023 exhibits the art of a masterpiece gala. Crystal Charity Ball 2023 brought artistic élan to Dallas' most glamorous gala. Ball chair Angie Kadesky crafted the theme “Masterpieces in the Making,” which, she had explained, would be a double entendre: "While classic artistic masterpieces will be the decorative motif at the ball, the real masterpieces in the making are the children we serve."

The design of Dallas’ Hotel Swexan, whose playful moniker is a blend of developer Gabriel Barbier-Mueller’s Swiss heritage and its Texan locale, reads like the city. Its commercial-looking façade – designed in consultation with Kengo Kuma – is as strait-laced and slick as surrounding towers, but its interior offers an international welcome inspired by an array of global metropolises.

Kuma, who has designed several projects with Harwood, including the nearby Rolex building, says of the Swexan, ‘We were assigned the task of designing the building’s façades, which for us was like tailoring a suit – precise and crisp in the Swiss approach and relaxed and robust in the Texan spirit – made of local materials. The horizontals and verticals build on the theme found throughout our projects for Harwood, a loose and woven grid. This suit should feel made for the spaces and the rich diversity within, welcoming, with surprising moments and movement throughout. We are interested in the continuity between regional tradition and cosmopolitan modernity. This exterior coat sets the tone and wears through the day with changing light, from morning to dusk and into the evening.’

Hotel Swexan is now open in Dallas' Harwood District

The linearity of the exterior is softened inside by the use of over 100 different types of natural stone and wood, each hand-picked and sourced from different suppliers. The in-house design team says that architectural elements are inspired by a classical 19th-century Parisian residence-turned-hotel, with comfortable yet elegant furniture and intricate, hand-carved stone and wooden fireplaces on every floor of the hotel.

Every floor is designed to be a unique immersive experience, a work of art in itself, revealed as the elevator doors open. Consider the 20th-floor with its infinity-edge swimming pool and a Moroccan-inspired deck overlooking the Dallas skyline; or the private social club on the seventh floor, where executive chef Taylor Kearney will lead Hotel Swexan’s signature steakhouse, Stillwell’s.

The hotel’s 134 residential-feeling guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and one-of-a-kind bathrooms, complete with different wallpapers, lighting, sink fixtures, floors, and tiling. Ten premium suites each have a unique design, and public spaces will be filled with art, including pieces from the Barbier-Muellers’ personal collection of Japanese Samurai armour.

The hotel opening marks the culmination of the developer’s five-decade commitment to transforming the 19-city block ‘Harwood district’ into a walkable, pedestrianised place to live and play – a Dallas version of Vancouverism. But the sumptuous and self-contained surroundings of Swexan are so seductive that guests might easily stay cocooned in their rooms, connected to the city by the tower’s stellar views.

hotelswexan.com

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