Dolphins (8-2) at Cowboys (5-5)
4:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Line: Cowboys by 2½
Preview | War Room preview | Baxter's bits
Focal Point: Jimmy Johnson vs. Jerry Jones

	Injuries slowed Marino in his final years.

Why to watch:
There's no better combination than Thanksgiving and football. After you've had your turkey and mashed potatoes, this tasty matchup at Texas Stadium should make for a very fitting dessert.

The main storyline is Jimmy Johnson's return to Dallas. After winning two Super Bowls and resurrecting the proud Cowboys franchise in his five seasons as coach, Johnson abruptly resigned in 1994. He hasn't coached a game at Texas Stadium since, although Jerry Jones' Cowboys did defeat Johnson's Dolphins in the first JJ Bowl at Miami in 1996. The clash of mammoth egos should be fascinating, with Johnson wanting nothing more than to drop his former team below the .500 mark and Jones getting a chance to bump Jimmy's club out of first place.

Aside from the personality clash, this game is extremely important to both teams in the playoff chase. Miami is tied with Indianapolis for the top spot in the tight AFC East, and the hard-charging Colts have won six in a row. Dallas slipped into second place in the NFC East with a loss at Arizona last week, and the 'Boys can't afford a home loss as they attempt to stay in the divisional and wild-card races.

Both teams should get their future Hall of Fame quarterbacks back this week. The Dolphins' Dan Marino is expected to start after missing five weeks, even though he still felt some pain from the pinched nerve in his neck after throwing around 50 passes in a workout earlier in the week. The Cowboys' Troy Aikman has missed two starts after suffering a head injury in a Nov. 8 loss at Minnesota.

This one is also a rematch of a memorable Thanksgiving game in 1993 in which Dallas' Leon Lett botched a blocked field-goal attempt, allowing the Dolphins to escape with a 16-14 victory. You can bet the big Cowboys DT remembers that one.

So there you have it. An egomaniacal coach. An egomaniacal owner. Two All-Pro passers. Plenty of history. Turn on the tube and enjoy this one for three-plus hours while you ingest all those calories.

Who to watch:
Johnson insists that he will wait until game time to decide his starting QB, but all signs point to Marino. Damon Huard, who was 4-1 as the starter, broke his nose last week, but should be ready if called upon. Dolphins rookie RB J.J. Johnson became the first Miami rusher to reach the 100-yard mark this season with his 106-yard effort last week against the Patriots. Johnson also got the call 31 times, setting a team record for carries by a rookie. The kid should be busy again as Jimmy tries to keep his former workhorse, Emmitt Smith, off the field.

INJURY REPORT

Dolphins: OUT: RB Cecil Collins (leg). DOUBTFUL: RB Kantroy Barber (neck). QUESTIONABLE: TE Hunter Goodwin (calf); LB Dwight Hollier (hamstring); WR O.J. McDuffie (toe). PROBABLE: QB Damon Huard (nose); CB Sam Madison (knee); QB Dan Marino (cervical nerve root); LB Derrick Rodgers ankle); DE Jason Taylor (ankle). Cowboys: OUT: G Larry Allen (knee); WR Michael Irvin (neck); CB Kevin Mathis (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: QB Troy Aikman (head); WR Wane McGarity (shoulder); CB Kevin Smith (hamstring); WR Jason Tucker (toe). PROBABLE: RB Robert Chancey (ankle); RB Ryan Neufeld (leg); CB Deion Sanders (hamstring-groin); RB Emmitt Smith (hand); S George Teague (shoulder); RB Chris Warren (neck).

Speedy Dolphins WR Tony Martin should challenge Cowboys CB Deion Sanders, who isn't going full-speed because of hamstring and groin injuries. Dolphins WR O.J. McDuffie might also find some room against Cowboys RB Kevin Smith, who tweaked his hamstring last week. If Dallas uses S Darren Woodson to help the two ailing corners in coverage, it will open things up for Miami's ground game. Dolphins LB Zach Thomas should be pumped up for his return to the Lone Star State, where he was a college star at Texas Tech.

Cowboys RB Smith was the only "Triplet" in the lineup last week, and he ran for a gutty 127 yards on 29 carries -- despite playing with a soft cast on his right hand. Once again, Smith won't be running behind Cowboys G Larry Allen, one of the league's most dominating lineman, who is out with a knee injury. Aikman might struggle to find open targets as Cowboys WRs Raghib Ismail and Ernie Mills face aggressive Dolphins CBs Terrell Buckley and Sam Madison, who leads the AFC with six interceptions.

Dolphins' numbers to know:
Miami is 35-23 in the regular season in Johnson's three-plus seasons as head coach. The Dolphins have made the playoffs twice, won one postseason game and failed to reach the Super Bowl under Jimmy. By contrast, Dallas went 32-32 in the regular season in Jimmy's first four years, reaching the playoffs twice with four postseason wins and a Super Bowl title in Year 4. That could be a good omen for the Fish.

Cowboys' numbers to know:
Dallas is 20-10-1 in Thanksgiving Day games, but the 'Boys have dropped their last two. As usual, this Turkey Day tilt is being played at Texas Stadium, and that's a great sign for Dallas. The Cowboys are 4-0 in home games this season, but they're a miserable 1-5 on the road.

What it means:
Well, bragging rights are on the line, and Jimmy and Jerry are two of the NFL's biggest braggarts. But putting ego aside -- and that's tough to do with these two -- this game will really impact the races in the league's two East divisions. The Dolphins have won six of their last seven, and the Cowboys play great at home, so the matchup should be entertaining.

Sean Salisbury's breakdown
Dolphins' game plan:
Miami will continue giving the ball to Johnson, who comes off the first 100-yard game of his career. Because Marino will be coming back after sitting out six weeks, it will be important for Miami to establish the run early. The advantage of having Marino in the lineup is that the Dolphins won't need to protect him by trying to play a low-scoring game, relying on field goals. Marino has the ability to use the whole field in the passing game, something the Dolphins are reluctant to do with Huard at the helm.

Cowboys' game plan:
It will be imperative for the Cowboys offensive line to protect Aikman, who's coming back from a concussion. The Dolphins will blitz Aikman from all over the field. There are few secrets to Miami's defense, which runs extremely well. The Cowboys will not work the perimeter because that is a mismatch in the Dolphins' favor. They must pound inside with Smith, whose running sets up the rest of the offense. In addition, Dallas will need a quick, timing passing game. If Aikman holds the ball a split-second too long, he will get knocked around. He cannot get hurt again.

Pivotal Player:
Marino. Miami has relied on the defense to make plays and Olindo Mare to kick field goals. Marino must get in an early rhythm to show he can be effective.