The Cowboys Need Another Win

The Cowboys come into the Dolphins game riding on the high of a three game winning streak. But just because they have won three games in a row doesn't mean they can afford to lose a game against an inferior team. It is very likely that the Cowboys will need 10 wins to make the playoffs. That means that they need to go 4-2 over their last 6 games. And that means they have to win the remaining games on the schedule against teams with losing records.

A few weeks ago it appeared that this would be an easy game for the Cowboys. The Dolphins were winless and they were finding a way to lose every week. But the Cowboys three game winning streak has been mirrored by a three game winning streak for the Dolphins.

Matt Moore has been on a roll during the winning streak. I felt that when the Cowboys released Moore a few years ago that they had made a mistake. It isn't like Matt Moore is going to be the next Tom Brady but I thought he had potential. He has developed into a guy who would have been a good backup option for the Cowboys.

I think the bigger concern for the Cowboys has to be Reggie Bush. The Dolphins have finally figured out how to use Reggie Bush in their system. And he creates matchup nightmares for any opponent. Sean Lee has the athleticism to match up with Bush but he is still playing one-handed. Lee's ability to contain Bush will have a big impact on whether the Cowboys can contain the Dolphin offense.

I think the offense will put up points for the Cowboys. The Dolphins aren't world beaters on defense but they are decent. They are currently ranked 9th in the NFL in yards allowed so it isn't like we should expect Tony Romo to throw for 5 TD's and DeMarco Murray to run for 150 yards. But I do think the Cowboys will be able to put up at least 24 points which should be enough for a win.

The Cowboys defense needs to force a few early 3 and outs and maybe a turnover or two so the Cowboys can get out to an early lead. The Dolphins don't have an explosive offense that can play from behind. Matt Moore has been great over the last 3 games but his history includes a lot of high turnover games. The defense needs to make this another one of those games.

I'm expecting a relatively easy win for the Cowboys. But I don't think that it will be a complete blowout. Tony Romo will continue his excellent play and Sean Lee will find a way to limit the big plays of Reggie Bush. I'm picking the Cowboys to win the game 24-13.

The Starters Need More Preseason Work

I've seen the debates running rampant over the last few days. The big question is whether playing the Dallas starters in the last preseason game is worth the risk. In most seasons I would say no. But after the awful showing by both the Cowboys' starting offense and defense Saturday night I think this season should be different.

You can say that it would be dumb to get someone hurt in the last preseason game before the season starts. And you would have a point. But can you honestly tell me that you believe the Cowboys are ready for a regular season game after watching the Houston game? Are you willing to sacrifice the first game of the season to protect against the small chance of an injury to a starter?

I just can't find a way to justify letting the starters sit after watching them trip all over themselves literally and figuratively last week. It is clear that the Cowboys have not found their rhythm on offense or defense yet. And it may only take a series or two to find it. The players can say they practice at the same speed as a game but until they show me the can translate their strong practice play into live game action then I don't really care how good practice is going.

Confidence plays a huge role in how a team performs. Right now the confidence of the Dallas Cowboys can not be good no matter what they are saying to the cameras. How can you be confident that you can score points when you can't protect the quarterback consistently and a ridiculous number of running plays are going for negative yards. How can the defense feel good about letting Houston go up and down the field against them even if Wade Phillips blames himself for not adjusting the defense at all during the game?

I say get all of the starters out there for at least a few series. If I were in charge I would tell the offense that they are going to play until they put the ball in the end zone. With the Dolphins likely to sit many of their starters the Cowboys will have a big advantage. And sure, even if the offense scores right away you can say it came against the Dolphins' backup players. That doesn't matter to me.

Success is a habit just like failure can become a habit. The Cowboys need to taste a little success on both sides of the ball before they head into the season opening game. Otherwise the Cowboys risk seeing another pitiful display of football in the season opener. I would hate to see the Cowboys lose the first game to the Redskins because they were too scared to play their guys for a few series in a preseason game. This is the NFL after all. You can't expect your team to improve if you only worry about playing it safe with injuries.