NFL Preview - Minnesota (2-3) at Dallas (5-1)
By Tony Moss, Sports Network -- The Sports Network
Published: Thursday, October 18, 2007
Could the high-flying act that is the Dallas Cowboys have their show stolen for a second straight week?
It was last Sunday when the New England Patriots marched into Texas Stadium and ended the Cowboys' run of perfection, flexing their own undefeated muscles in a 48-27 victory.
This week, the Minnesota Vikings and dazzling rookie running back Adrian Peterson will look to prove themselves as the feature attractions, sending Dallas into its bye week with a second straight loss.
Peterson offered up one of the great individual performances in NFL history last Sunday, when the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 draft rushed for a franchise record 224 yards on just 20 carries, scoring three touchdowns in a 34-31 road upset of the Chicago Bears. The Oklahoma product totaled 361 all- purpose yards in the victory, the third-highest single-game total in NFL history, and took over the league lead in rushing yards with 607 on the year.
Peterson's legendary performance helped Minnesota snap a three-game losing streak and emerge from the NFC North cellar at 2-3. The Vikings enter play in Week 7 a game back of second-place Detroit in the division.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, have seen their once-comfortable lead in the NFC East diminish. The loss to New England, coupled with the Giants' 31-10 rout of Atlanta on Monday night, narrowed Dallas' edge to one game in the division.
Wade Phillips' squad is now tied with the idle Green Bay Packers for the best record in the NFC at 5-1.
SERIES HISTORY
The Vikings have a 10-9 edge in their all-time regular season with the Cowboys, including a 35-17 home win when the teams last met, in Week 1 of the 2004 season. Minnesota also won the last time it played at Texas Stadium, a 27-15 triumph in 2000. The Cowboys' last regular season win over the Vikings took place in the 1995 campaign, a 23-17 overtime triumph at the Metrodome. Amazingly, Dallas is 0-6 in regular season home games against Minnesota since scoring their last such win, in 1966.
The Cowboys are 4-2 against the Vikings in the postseason, including a loss in the 1973 NFC Championship and a win in the 1977 NFC Championship.
Phillips is 0-2 in his career against Minnesota, losing one game each during his tenures with Denver (1993-94) and Buffalo (1998-2000). The Vikings' Brad Childress will be meeting both Phillips and the Cowboys for the first time as a head coach.
The Vikings and Cowboys also met in the 2007 preseason, a 23-14 Minnesota home win on Aug. 30.
WHEN THE VIKINGS HAVE THE BALL
Peterson's (607 rushing yards, 10 receptions, 5 TD) amazing Week 6 performance was all the more remarkable considering that the rookie didn't start the game and didn't even receive the most carries on the team. Starting honors once again went to Chester Taylor (141 rushing yards), who carried 22 times for 83 yards, and all indications are that Taylor will continue to be the starter, at least nominally. Things will be easier for both running backs if Minnesota can display a rare bit of passing prowess. Making his third start of the season last week, second-year pro Tarvaris Jackson (465 passing yards, 2 TD, 5 INT) completed just 9-of-23 passes for 160 yards with one touchdown, with his highlight of the day coming on a 60-yard scoring strike to wideout Troy Williamson (8 receptions, 1 TD) in the first quarter. Williamson now has one of two TD catches by Minnesota wide receivers on the year. Bobby Wade (18 receptions), who leads the Vikes in receptions and receiving yards (203), had a team-best three grabs totaling 30 yards last Sunday. The Vikings have allowed 13 sacks this far in 2007, but only two of those have come in Jackson's two starts.
A Dallas defense that had generally been a strength during the team's 5-0 start was leaky against the vaunted New England attack, particularly in the old Achilles heel of pass defense. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his way with the Cowboys secondary on a 388-yard, five-touchdown afternoon, and the Dallas secondary will be very pleased to face the much more pedestrian Minnesota aerial game this week. With Anthony Henry (ankle) still expected to be out this week, Nathan Jones (19 tackles, 1 sack) and Jacques Reeves (30 tackles, 1 INT) will have to help out opposite Terence Newman (18 tackles, 1 INT) at cornerback. Safeties Roy Williams (33 tackles, 2 INT) and Ken Hamlin (27 tackles, 2 INT), both of whom had a rough day against the Patriots, will have to do a better job in coverage this Sunday. The Cowboys pass rush managed to sack Brady a season-high three times last week, with linebackers Greg Ellis (2.5 sacks) and DeMarcus Ware (31 tackles, 5.5 sacks) both breaking through. Dallas has 15 sacks on the season to date. The Cowboys are currently sixth in the NFL against the run (79.7 yards per game), and held New England to 2.6 yards per carry last week.
WHEN THE COWBOYS HAVE THE BALL
The Dallas offense had one of its weakest outings of the year against a very good New England defense, but still made some gains via both the air and ground. Six days after committing six turnovers in an unlikely win over Buffalo, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (1707 passing yards, 15 TD, 9 INT) completed 18-of-29 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and just one pick against the Patriots. Romo threw touchdown passes to wideouts Terrell Owens (27 receptions, 4 TD) and Patrick Crayton (24 receptions 4 TD), who combined for 11 receptions and 112 yards in a losing effort, but tight end Jason Witten (32 receptions, 4 TD) was neutralized to the tune of three receptions for 47 yards on the day. The running game was effective with 97 yards and 6.5 yards per carry, but Dallas rushed only 15 times while playing from behind for most of the day. Julius Jones (268 rushing yards, 1 TD) led the club with 51 yards on six carries, while Marion Barber (383 rushing yards, 14 receptions, 5 TD) chipped in with 47 on eight totes. Romo was sacked twice against the Patriots, and has now been dropped a total of eight times on the year.
Last week's Minnesota win helped overshadow the fact that the team once again struggled in pass coverage. The Vikings allowed 381 yards through the air to Chicago journeyman Brian Griese, including long touchdown passes to Muhsin Muhammad and Devin Hester during a span of 58 seconds in which the Bears erased a 31-17 lead to tie the game. Cornerbacks Antoine Winfield (34 tackles, 1 INT) and Cedric Griffin (32 tackles) must be better against Dallas' talented receiving group this week, and safeties Darren Sharper (25 tackles, 2 INT) and Dwight Smith (20 tackles) will have to help over the top. Smith had his second interception of the year last week, but was also beaten on Hester's 81-yard TD catch. The Vikings have 13 sacks on the year, including a team-best three by rookie end Brian Robison (9 tackles). The strength of the Minnesota "D", of course, remains the run-stopping unit. Thanks in large part to tackles Kevin Williams (9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Pat Williams (14 tackles, 1 sack), the Vikings lead the NFL in yards allowed per rush (2.7) and are the only team in the league that has yet to surrender a touchdown on the ground. Linebackers E.J. Henderson (39 tackles) and Chad Greenway (35 tackles) are 1-2 on the team in stops.
FANTASY FOCUS
If you decided to bench Peterson last week against the usually staunch Bears defense, you've been sick about it all week. Even though Childress is determined to split the carries between Peterson and Taylor, you should still start the rookie until further notice. No other Minnesota players are worth starting with the possible exception of kicker Ryan Longwell. On the Dallas side, there are several must-starts, including Romo, Owens, Witten, and kicker Nick Folk. Barber's string of touchdowns has dried up in the past few weeks, and he's not a great start on Sunday against a Minnesota rushing defense that has yet to allow an opposing runner to see the end zone. No. 2 receiver Crayton has also become a worthy start for fantasy managers.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
There are some teams against which the Vikings will have a chance to run the ball 43 times and win (see Chicago), but Dallas is not one of them. The Cowboys' front seven is talented enough to slow Peterson, and whatever they miss, a good run-stopping secondary will catch. Dallas' defensive weakness is in coverage, and Minnesota does not have the ability to expose that weakness with the still raw-Jackson. On the other side of the ball, Romo will be happy to put the ball in the air 45 times against a Vikings defense that challenges quarterbacks to do just that. The Cowboys are expert at executing the intermediate passing game, and that ability represents a recipe for offensive success against Minnesota. Expect the Vikings to fall behind early and never steady themselves versus an opponent against which they simply don't match up.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cowboys 38, Vikings 12
Published: Thursday, October 18, 2007
Could the high-flying act that is the Dallas Cowboys have their show stolen for a second straight week?
It was last Sunday when the New England Patriots marched into Texas Stadium and ended the Cowboys' run of perfection, flexing their own undefeated muscles in a 48-27 victory.
This week, the Minnesota Vikings and dazzling rookie running back Adrian Peterson will look to prove themselves as the feature attractions, sending Dallas into its bye week with a second straight loss.
Peterson offered up one of the great individual performances in NFL history last Sunday, when the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 draft rushed for a franchise record 224 yards on just 20 carries, scoring three touchdowns in a 34-31 road upset of the Chicago Bears. The Oklahoma product totaled 361 all- purpose yards in the victory, the third-highest single-game total in NFL history, and took over the league lead in rushing yards with 607 on the year.
Peterson's legendary performance helped Minnesota snap a three-game losing streak and emerge from the NFC North cellar at 2-3. The Vikings enter play in Week 7 a game back of second-place Detroit in the division.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, have seen their once-comfortable lead in the NFC East diminish. The loss to New England, coupled with the Giants' 31-10 rout of Atlanta on Monday night, narrowed Dallas' edge to one game in the division.
Wade Phillips' squad is now tied with the idle Green Bay Packers for the best record in the NFC at 5-1.
SERIES HISTORY
The Vikings have a 10-9 edge in their all-time regular season with the Cowboys, including a 35-17 home win when the teams last met, in Week 1 of the 2004 season. Minnesota also won the last time it played at Texas Stadium, a 27-15 triumph in 2000. The Cowboys' last regular season win over the Vikings took place in the 1995 campaign, a 23-17 overtime triumph at the Metrodome. Amazingly, Dallas is 0-6 in regular season home games against Minnesota since scoring their last such win, in 1966.
The Cowboys are 4-2 against the Vikings in the postseason, including a loss in the 1973 NFC Championship and a win in the 1977 NFC Championship.
Phillips is 0-2 in his career against Minnesota, losing one game each during his tenures with Denver (1993-94) and Buffalo (1998-2000). The Vikings' Brad Childress will be meeting both Phillips and the Cowboys for the first time as a head coach.
The Vikings and Cowboys also met in the 2007 preseason, a 23-14 Minnesota home win on Aug. 30.
WHEN THE VIKINGS HAVE THE BALL
Peterson's (607 rushing yards, 10 receptions, 5 TD) amazing Week 6 performance was all the more remarkable considering that the rookie didn't start the game and didn't even receive the most carries on the team. Starting honors once again went to Chester Taylor (141 rushing yards), who carried 22 times for 83 yards, and all indications are that Taylor will continue to be the starter, at least nominally. Things will be easier for both running backs if Minnesota can display a rare bit of passing prowess. Making his third start of the season last week, second-year pro Tarvaris Jackson (465 passing yards, 2 TD, 5 INT) completed just 9-of-23 passes for 160 yards with one touchdown, with his highlight of the day coming on a 60-yard scoring strike to wideout Troy Williamson (8 receptions, 1 TD) in the first quarter. Williamson now has one of two TD catches by Minnesota wide receivers on the year. Bobby Wade (18 receptions), who leads the Vikes in receptions and receiving yards (203), had a team-best three grabs totaling 30 yards last Sunday. The Vikings have allowed 13 sacks this far in 2007, but only two of those have come in Jackson's two starts.
A Dallas defense that had generally been a strength during the team's 5-0 start was leaky against the vaunted New England attack, particularly in the old Achilles heel of pass defense. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his way with the Cowboys secondary on a 388-yard, five-touchdown afternoon, and the Dallas secondary will be very pleased to face the much more pedestrian Minnesota aerial game this week. With Anthony Henry (ankle) still expected to be out this week, Nathan Jones (19 tackles, 1 sack) and Jacques Reeves (30 tackles, 1 INT) will have to help out opposite Terence Newman (18 tackles, 1 INT) at cornerback. Safeties Roy Williams (33 tackles, 2 INT) and Ken Hamlin (27 tackles, 2 INT), both of whom had a rough day against the Patriots, will have to do a better job in coverage this Sunday. The Cowboys pass rush managed to sack Brady a season-high three times last week, with linebackers Greg Ellis (2.5 sacks) and DeMarcus Ware (31 tackles, 5.5 sacks) both breaking through. Dallas has 15 sacks on the season to date. The Cowboys are currently sixth in the NFL against the run (79.7 yards per game), and held New England to 2.6 yards per carry last week.
WHEN THE COWBOYS HAVE THE BALL
The Dallas offense had one of its weakest outings of the year against a very good New England defense, but still made some gains via both the air and ground. Six days after committing six turnovers in an unlikely win over Buffalo, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (1707 passing yards, 15 TD, 9 INT) completed 18-of-29 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and just one pick against the Patriots. Romo threw touchdown passes to wideouts Terrell Owens (27 receptions, 4 TD) and Patrick Crayton (24 receptions 4 TD), who combined for 11 receptions and 112 yards in a losing effort, but tight end Jason Witten (32 receptions, 4 TD) was neutralized to the tune of three receptions for 47 yards on the day. The running game was effective with 97 yards and 6.5 yards per carry, but Dallas rushed only 15 times while playing from behind for most of the day. Julius Jones (268 rushing yards, 1 TD) led the club with 51 yards on six carries, while Marion Barber (383 rushing yards, 14 receptions, 5 TD) chipped in with 47 on eight totes. Romo was sacked twice against the Patriots, and has now been dropped a total of eight times on the year.
Last week's Minnesota win helped overshadow the fact that the team once again struggled in pass coverage. The Vikings allowed 381 yards through the air to Chicago journeyman Brian Griese, including long touchdown passes to Muhsin Muhammad and Devin Hester during a span of 58 seconds in which the Bears erased a 31-17 lead to tie the game. Cornerbacks Antoine Winfield (34 tackles, 1 INT) and Cedric Griffin (32 tackles) must be better against Dallas' talented receiving group this week, and safeties Darren Sharper (25 tackles, 2 INT) and Dwight Smith (20 tackles) will have to help over the top. Smith had his second interception of the year last week, but was also beaten on Hester's 81-yard TD catch. The Vikings have 13 sacks on the year, including a team-best three by rookie end Brian Robison (9 tackles). The strength of the Minnesota "D", of course, remains the run-stopping unit. Thanks in large part to tackles Kevin Williams (9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Pat Williams (14 tackles, 1 sack), the Vikings lead the NFL in yards allowed per rush (2.7) and are the only team in the league that has yet to surrender a touchdown on the ground. Linebackers E.J. Henderson (39 tackles) and Chad Greenway (35 tackles) are 1-2 on the team in stops.
FANTASY FOCUS
If you decided to bench Peterson last week against the usually staunch Bears defense, you've been sick about it all week. Even though Childress is determined to split the carries between Peterson and Taylor, you should still start the rookie until further notice. No other Minnesota players are worth starting with the possible exception of kicker Ryan Longwell. On the Dallas side, there are several must-starts, including Romo, Owens, Witten, and kicker Nick Folk. Barber's string of touchdowns has dried up in the past few weeks, and he's not a great start on Sunday against a Minnesota rushing defense that has yet to allow an opposing runner to see the end zone. No. 2 receiver Crayton has also become a worthy start for fantasy managers.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
There are some teams against which the Vikings will have a chance to run the ball 43 times and win (see Chicago), but Dallas is not one of them. The Cowboys' front seven is talented enough to slow Peterson, and whatever they miss, a good run-stopping secondary will catch. Dallas' defensive weakness is in coverage, and Minnesota does not have the ability to expose that weakness with the still raw-Jackson. On the other side of the ball, Romo will be happy to put the ball in the air 45 times against a Vikings defense that challenges quarterbacks to do just that. The Cowboys are expert at executing the intermediate passing game, and that ability represents a recipe for offensive success against Minnesota. Expect the Vikings to fall behind early and never steady themselves versus an opponent against which they simply don't match up.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cowboys 38, Vikings 12
posted by The Gryphon at 6:55 PM
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