Indy is tougher than you give them credit for IMO. I expect them to beat Dallas and for the NFC East to come down to week 17.
Indy's defense can't stop a nosebleed.tims4wins said:Indy is tougher than you give them credit for IMO. I expect them to beat Dallas and for the NFC East to come down to week 17.
luckiestman said:The bye scenario is a longshot for Dallas but they play at 1 pm. So they won't know anything more than they do now. Should they play Romo or let him sit?
COWBOYS CLINCH BYE WITH ...
(via NFL)
1) DAL win + SEA loss or tie + ARI loss or tie OR
2) DAL win + DET/GB tie OR
3) DAL tie + SEA loss + ARI loss OR
4) DAL tie + SEA tie + ARI loss or tie + DET/GB does not end in a tie
COWBOYS CLINCH TOP SEED AND HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE WITH ...
1) DAL win + ARI loss or tie + DET/GB tie
EP Sox Fan said:They're going to run Murray out there until he gets the all time single season rushing record. Then we'll see a lot of Randle and Dunbar. I can see Romo playing a half with a conservative game plan offense. Haslett blitzes the Cowboys to death so I suspect they will guard against that. This team has some good momentum and I think tanking the game against their arch rivals sends the wrong message to the team. GM Jerry was telling the Dallas sports talk crowd that they were going to bring it this game. While I don't think that means they will play this like a win or go home game, I do think it means they're going to try and put this one to bed early like the Colts game. If it's competitive at half, I think it will be hard for them to keep key starters in the game.
lithos2003 said:
Not to nitpick - but I think you mean Emmett Smith's franchise single season rushing record - the all time record is 2105 yards, which is 360 more than his current 1745.. so I doubt they'd try to rush for almost 400 yards.
Deathofthebambino said:Suh's suspension is huge. Dallas' strength is their offensive line, and without Suh there to disrupt them, I expect that Murray will have some huge running lanes all day long. I liked the Cowboys before, love them now.
Bosoxen said:We haven't? Did I hallucinate that playoff game there in 2009?
Also, you must not have watched that game against the Colts, because that was the loudest I've ever heard that place. Sounded to me like a legit home field advantage that day.
Deathofthebambino said:Suh's suspension is huge. Dallas' strength is their offensive line, and without Suh there to disrupt them, I expect that Murray will have some huge running lanes all day long. I liked the Cowboys before, love them now.
Don't listen to him. He's been beating that drum all season. I don't think he understands what the words "average defense" even mean.TheMoralBully said:I don't see them being even. Dallas has the fifth highest point differential and when Romo is healthy that offfense is top 5 in football, their record seems pretty accurate to me. Their defense hasn't been a strength but it has been a full season of being a bit better than league average, I think that's a big enough sample size to say it's not luck. Green Bay ran on them last week so I can see Dallas running it's usual efficient offense, and Romo vs. Stafford is such a mismatch.
More like lingering effect of the past 20 years. It wasn't that long ago that they went into the playoffs with home field advantage and got bounced immediately. Call it PTSD, if you like.BigSoxFan said:Why don't you share enthusiasm for a win against Detroit? The Cowboys are a TD favorite and are clearly the superior team. Lingering effect of that meltdown a couple years ago?
dcmissle said:They are playing big-boy football in Dallas once again for the first time in a long time. This team has all the earmarks of the "hot" one in the playoffs. It probably has the best chance of winning in Seattle. Time to stop poor mouthing prospects, especially given the trigger-puller in Detroit.
You shut up your face!johnmd20 said:
They are, I'm rooting for either Dallas or Green Bay to make the Super Bowl. But you know Dallas is going to lose a game b/c Romo will do something stupid in the final 4 minutes, after passing for 480 yards and 5 touchdowns in the previous 56 minutes. And then he will be mocked for being a choker in big games. And then Bosoxen's head will explode.
And then it will explode again.
Bosoxen said:You shut up your face!
Joke's on you. I'll be in Bedford.foulkehampshire said:
I'll make sure to pop into Sherlock's in Arlington to witness your immolation.
Bosoxen said:You shut up your face!
BigSoxFan said:The only chance I give Detroit is if Calvin Johnson just goes Beast Mode on Dallas' secondary. I have no idea how a team with CJ, Tate, Bell/Bush can be so pedestrian on offense.
johnmd20 said:
Come on, you know it's in the back of your mind. It has to be. Because, you know, Romo.
foulkehampshire said:
I'll never get the Romo hate. Undrafted, he's turned himself into an annual top-10 QB, despite a lackluster cast supporting him most years.
99% of the failure for the Cowboys during the Romo era is because of hideous drafting (especially on the defensive end), Jerry Jones, and poor coaching.
LondonSox said:Look I'm not out on a limb here. Football outsiders has Dallas ranked 22 in DVOA on defense .
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2014/final-2014-dvoa-ratings
What exactly am I saying wrong? They have a average or worse defense, which btw is still better than anyone expected pre season.
They have a great offense. Detroit has a great defense and a flawed offense. It's strength on strength. And could go either way. I favor the Cowboys but not by much.
Edit clarity ranking is for defense
LondonSox said:the Cowboys have been worse at home than on the road
LondonSox said:both teams are worse than their record
LondonSox said:The Cowboys d has massively massively outperformed it's talent level
BigSoxFan said:Well, Cowboys played a poor game but pulled it out with some help from the refs. They'll need to play better next week and I expect they will. Should be a great one.