Preview Cowboys vs Saints

As the end of the regular season comes closer the Cowboys road to the playoffs becomes harder and harder. This week the Cowboys play the Saints. Now the Cowboys can afford a loss and have other teams lose and their playoff hopes would still be alive. But the Cowboys can not hope for teams losing and they need this win. Here is what they need to do in order to get the win.

Winning the turnovers is the most important thing to focus on for this game. Both Drew Brees and Tony Romo have had interception problems this year. Who ever throws the least amount will win this game. Romo is coming in with a hot streak, while Brees has been inconsistent with his play. So Romo has a lot more confidence then Brees heading into this game. Claiborne is also expected to make his return after missing last weeks match up. With him and Carr in the secondary interceptions are sure to happen.

Romo also needs help though, luckily Dez is still planning to play and then Austin and Witten will also help him through the air. But Murray needs to also show up. So far Murray has been a huge help since his injury, he has gotten key first downs and touchdowns in the past few games. And with this Saints defense that has been struggling all year to stop just about every team, I think the Cowboys will succeed in their balanced offense attack.

The defense will play the biggest role in this game though. With the Saints defense not doing hot, their offense can still be amazing. Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Luckily the Cowboys have Ware and Spencer who have been spectacular the past few games and getting to Brees should be no problem. With this, Brees will throw under pressure and throw interceptions all game. Giving the Cowboys a huge advantage.

Now even though the Cowboys can lose and still make the playoffs, I am saying this is a must win game for the Cowboys. The Cowboys have won 5 of the last 6 and a loss would really bring this team down. Plus if they do lose they will not have much confidence heading into their rematch against the Redskins, which is a must win. But the Cowboys right now have much more confidence than the Saints. The Saints have lost 3 of the last 4. The opposite of the Cowboys. Not to mention the Cowboys have home field advantage to give them even more confidence.

My prediction is the Cowboys will win this game, it will not be as close as the past few but it will also not be a blow out. Brees will put up a fight but will choke and throw too many interceptions and the Cowboys will win 24-14.

Go Cowboys!

Recap Cowboys vs Steelers

Now this, was a big win for the Cowboys. In a game that would either send the Cowboys home or keep their playoff hopes alive, they delivered big. Romo was able to hook up with his favorite target Witten for the Cowboys first touchdown. Then Bryant got a touchdown catch in the third. Murray then got a touchdown in the 4th quarter to send the game into overtime, then Carr picked off Big Bens pass and returned it to the 1 were Bailey easily kicked the game winner. Here is what went well for the Cowboys.

Balanced offense
This was the one thing the Cowboys had to get right in order to win this game. The Steelers have the best defense in the league, ranked 1st against the pass. So making sure Romo did not have to throw the ball too much was very key. And the Cowboys succeeded in doing so. Murray had 81 yards on the ground while adding that touchdown score. Then Romo had 341 yards in the air with no turnovers at all. Romo was also only sacked once in the entire game. All of this showing how the offensive line has been improving for the Cowboys.

Defense
The Cowboys did great with getting to Big Ben and disrupting the pass. The defense had 4 sacks and 8 QB hits. Also the game winning play with Carr intercepting Big Ben in over time and returning it to the 1 yard line to set up Bailey. This was great for the Cowboys defense, especially since they are missing 6 people from their starting line up. Just imagine how good they will be when every one is healthy again. Also Anthony Spencer has continued his hot streak recording 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for loss. He has been such a great force along side Ware for this really hurt defense.

Turnovers
With the balanced offense Romo did not have to throw as much so he did not make any bad decisions with the ball. Murray did have a fumble but the Cowboys were still positive in take aways which really helped them to get the win.

The one thing the Cowboys still need to work on is penalties. They are still having way too much. Penalties can give the other team good field position and take away your field position. The Cowboys really need to work on them in practice if they want to keep winning.

And yes I was wrong about Dez Bryant. He caught 4 balls for 59 yards and 1 touchdown, so yes he was very helpful for the team, but I just don't want him hurt for life. Dez just needs to know when enough is enough and I think he can make that call.

Up next is the struggling Saints, who have lost the last 3 out of 4, and the Cowboys will try and continue their playoff run at home.

Playoff News

The Redskins have just decided they will not be playing RGIII in the game today. That means Kirk Cousins who lead a touchdown drive to help win their game last week will start. But we have not seen much of Kirk, only some glimpses of him. If he is not able to produce then this will be huge for the Cowboys. A Redskins loss wold take them out of contention for the playoffs, which means the Cowboys would then have to win the rest of their games and hope the Giants mess up. Which is likely since they have a very hard schedule remaining. Pieces seem to be falling into place for the Cowboys, but can they produce?

Injury Report

This week there has been even more injuries to add to the growing list of injured players. Dez Bryant of course the obvious injury, and right now he is saying that he wants to play for the playoffs, and wouldn't be if the Cowboys were out of the race. Which is good because he is showing he cares for the team but he still could injure him self more which would be terrible.

Apart from Dez, 2 key injuries on defense which will make the defense even more hurt, Demarcus Ware and Morris Claiborne are both listed as questionable for the game. Both did not practice Friday but luckily Ware plans to play Friday. Which would be great for this defense. Ratliff is out and the Cowboys need Ware and Carr to step up to lead all of these back ups to have a good solid performance.

Murray is on the probable list after a limited practice Thursday, he should be good for the game though. The Cowboys need him on this one, the Cowboys will need a run game to get past the number one pass defense.

Preview NFC East

As the race for the playoffs keeps tightening up, any simple slip up by any of the top 3 teams in the East can take them out. Here is what to look for in the NFC East.

New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons
This is the game that could make all 3 teams leading the East be in a tie. The New York Giants are leading the East by one game but play one of the best teams in the league, the Falcons. The Falcons are one of the best because they do such a good job at the balanced offense along with a solid defense. Matt Ryan has 2 of the best receivers in the league along with 2 great running backs. Eli will have to have a great game if he wants to win, he can not be mediocre this week. That also goes for the Giants defense, the Falcons are known for the big plays and they can not give up too many if they want the win. But I think Eli will choke in this game, the Falcons will win by a touchdown and the race for the playoffs will become closer in the NFC East.
My prediction - Giants Lose 24-17

Washington Redskins vs Cleveland Browns
This simply looks like a game where the Redskins will totally destroy and take a share of the division lead. The Redskins have a great offense and an improving defense as they try to make a push for the playoffs. But the Browns could surprise them. The Browns have been able to hang in there with a lot of great teams, they were just not able to finish it in the end. The Redskins just need to stay consistent through out the game to get this victory. As for the Browns, the defense needs to be able to get off the field quick and Weeden needs to stay perfect for the whole game. This game will not be a blow out, but I think the Redskins will be able to hang in there to get a share of the East lead.
My prediction - Redskins Win 28-27

The Eagles played last night and got blown out by the Bengals, including 6 turnovers. While also blocking their own punt. This game just adds to the terrible season the Eagles are having. My advice is to maybe look for another QB in the draft. Vick seems to already be out of question and Foles has only produced one win this season, it might be time for another change.

And I already talked about how I predict the Cowboys to beat the Steelers 20-17.

So after this week I am predicting each of the top teams in the East will be 8-6 to make the race for the playoffs even closer.

Go Cowboys!

Dez News

Jerry Jones has said that the decision on wether or not Dez will play sunday is all up to him.

Horrible decision Jerry, because Dez says he will play.

Dez Bryant has yes been red hot, has yes been a great impact for the team, and has yes gotten some key catches to help win games. And yes he could help win this game and help the Cowboys get even closer to the playoffs, but is it worth his future?

Dez has fractured his finger and it requires surgery, if Dez plays he could hurt it even more and maybe make it so it is less capable then it use to be and ultimately take him out of the game for life. This would be terrible for Dez, he is a super star, becoming a monster in the game.

So please Dez, just say no.

I have already talked about how this is a great opportunity for Beasely and Harris. Dez sitting would not even make a huge impact. Miles Austin is still a great receiver, and Jason Witten is the most trusted by Tony Romo.

I am begging you Dez, sit this one out. Yes you have reached the 1,000 yard mark, could make the pro bowl and make a name for yourself, but if you get hurt more, it could mean your career.

Preview Cowboys vs Steelers

Another week, another make or break game to the playoffs. This week the Cowboys play the struggling Steelers who have lost 3 of the past 4. While the Cowboys have recently been on fire winning the last 4 out of 5. Here is what the Cowboys need to do in order to win.

The defense needs to step up and take advantage of Big Ben and his sloppy play. Last week he just come back from an injury and couldn't get a win against the lowly Chargers. The Dallas defense needs to create chaos in the secondary. They need to get some early interceptions and not allow the Steelers to get in front. Last week the defense did a great job in shutting down A.J. Green. The Steelers have a wide range of targets and the Cowboys need to make sure they cover everybody. Claiborne might not make this game but the secondary should still be able to cause trouble for Big Ben.

The offense will be very important in this match up. Everything is going to have to be clicking for the Cowboys. The Steelers have the best defense in the league for passing yards and is 5th in rushing yards allowed. The offensive line needs to be there, they have to stop committing penalties, block for Murray, and block for Romo. Murray also needs to get going quick to take some of the pressure off Romo. Romo will play a huge role in this matchup. He needs to be smart with the ball, he can not force the throw he needs to make sure he can jump start the Cowboys offense early. Romo is in the top 5 quarterbacks this season to lead his team to comeback victories. Romo has also been in games this season that has ended with a loss because they could not finish the comeback. Romo needs to be perfect and get the Cowboys up early so that they do not have to fight hard for a come back.

The Cowboys need to take advantage of home field. They are only 3 and 3, this stat could look like away games records. But unfortunately the Cowboys have let their fans down too much in Dallas. What the Cowboys need is a huge win against their long time rivals the Steelers. This would really boost their fans spirits, playoff hopes, and how they are thought of by other people.

Another note is maybe the Steelers are truly in a slump. The Chargers have only scored over 34 twice and the fact that they got that much against the number 1 defense may be a sign of the Steelers slowing down. Will they continue this slump?

My prediction is they will not, but the Cowboys will still win. Over the past 5 weeks Romo has really been making up for his many multiple interception games in the beginning of the season, he is showing he is ready for the playoffs and I think the Cowboys will win this one 20-17.

Go Cowboys!