Week 11 Matchup: Redskins at Cowboys
War Room scouts break down every NFL game. Here is a excerpt of their Redskins-Cowboys matchup:
The Edge
Quarterback: Advantage Cowboys
Running backs: Advantage Redskins
Receivers: Advantage Cowboys
Offensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Defensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Linebackers: Advantage Cowboys
Secondary: Advantage Redskins
Pass rushers: Advantage Cowboys
Special teams: : Advantage Redskins
Depth: Advantage Cowboys
Coaching: Advantage Cowboys
Prediction Redskins 30 Cowboys 16
Redskins Keys For Success
1. Give the ball to Clinton Portis. It's this simple: Portis, anchor of their running game, must get at least 25 carries. This offense can't get into a gunfight with the potent Cowboys. It must establish a running attack and dominate time of possession.
Portis missed training camp and started the season slowly as he got into football shape. He had a breakout game two weeks ago against the Jets. He had 196 yards on 36 carries in that game and 137 yards on 30 carries last week against the Eagles.
He is hitting the holes with authority and picking cutback lanes as well as he did in 2005, when he was at his best. Credit the play of right tackle Todd Wade and right guard Jason Fabini. Portis plays seldom start to the right, but blocks by Wade and Fabini seal off defenders and provide Portis with critical cutback lanes.
However, the running game ground to a halt at critical times last week against the Eagles. Portis can't fail again to take advantage of short on short-yardage situations near the goal line.
2. Double-cover T.O. Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot will challenge Terrell Owens within five yards of the snap and run underneath him, while free safety Sean Taylor defends all deep balls.
Owens is the Cowboys most dangerous receiver and he can change momentum on any play. Washington lost starting cornerback Carlos Rogers to injury, and Taylor will be gimpy if he plays on a sore knee. Pierson Prioleau knows how to play safety. He's smart, experienced and sound fundamentally. But can't make the plays Taylor makes. So the Cowboys will attack through the air.
The best tack this week is to take away Owens and force wideout Patrick Crayton, tight end Jason Witten and Cowboys running backs to step up as receivers. And even scheme that is like playing with fire.
Protect Jason Campbell. Tackles Chris Samuels and Wade must keep DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Chris Canty off their young quarterback. Campbell's receivers are slowed by injuries, and they will need a few extra seconds to get open.
The team's best receiver, Santana Moss, missed Week 10 with a heel injury and also has a sore groin. The other starting receiver, Antwaan Randle El, is playing through a hamstring injury. And James Thrash, who started in place of Moss, has a high ankle sprain that was being evaluated on Monday. He left the Eagles game on crutches -- not a good sign.
Keenan McCardell must step up. He should be able to replace Thrash and must become a bigger part of the offense.
Without the benefit of a solid receiver corps, Campbell has hit a plateau. He must improve his play, and coaches must find ways for him to distribute the ball to his available receivers.
A solid running game will help establish tempo. But when Campbell needs to throw, blockers must keep defenders at bay. This figures to be a long day for Campbell. Without solid blocking, it could be a nightmare.
Cowboys Keys For Success
1. Run between the tackles. Give the ball to Julius Jones and Marion Barber III, and let them pound away. Washington's defense prefers speed over power. Dallas has a massive offensive line that prefers power over speed.
Middle linebacker London Fletcher plays with passion, but he is not big. Pro Bowl outside linebacker Marcus Washington missed the past five games with a hamstring injury and likely won't play this week either.
Effectively running between the tackles will force strong safety LaRon Landry to play closer to the line of scrimmage, which will open up the passing attack.
2. Get the ball to Witten. Quarterback Tony Romo will use play-action passes and spread formations to get tight end Jason Witten in favorable scenarios. Witten is arguably the NFC's best tight end, and he has the numbers to prove it -- 47 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns.
Witten should be in favorable matchups all game. He will be against Landry, a rookie, or second-year outside linebacker Rocky McIntosh. Either way, he should be open over the middle.
3. Take away the big play. Keep free safety Ken Hamlin deep to defend against long passes, and gang tackle anyone in red who has the ball.
Redskins offensive stars produce few plays of more than 20 yards, and with their biggest playmakers dinged up they don't figure to break loose this week.
By taking away big plays, the defense will force Campbell and his coaches to call a methodical game. Nothing will come easy for the Redskins against a stingy defense and a hostile crowd.
The Edge
Quarterback: Advantage Cowboys
Running backs: Advantage Redskins
Receivers: Advantage Cowboys
Offensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Defensive line: Advantage Cowboys
Linebackers: Advantage Cowboys
Secondary: Advantage Redskins
Pass rushers: Advantage Cowboys
Special teams: : Advantage Redskins
Depth: Advantage Cowboys
Coaching: Advantage Cowboys
Prediction Redskins 30 Cowboys 16
Redskins Keys For Success
1. Give the ball to Clinton Portis. It's this simple: Portis, anchor of their running game, must get at least 25 carries. This offense can't get into a gunfight with the potent Cowboys. It must establish a running attack and dominate time of possession.
Portis missed training camp and started the season slowly as he got into football shape. He had a breakout game two weeks ago against the Jets. He had 196 yards on 36 carries in that game and 137 yards on 30 carries last week against the Eagles.
He is hitting the holes with authority and picking cutback lanes as well as he did in 2005, when he was at his best. Credit the play of right tackle Todd Wade and right guard Jason Fabini. Portis plays seldom start to the right, but blocks by Wade and Fabini seal off defenders and provide Portis with critical cutback lanes.
However, the running game ground to a halt at critical times last week against the Eagles. Portis can't fail again to take advantage of short on short-yardage situations near the goal line.
2. Double-cover T.O. Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot will challenge Terrell Owens within five yards of the snap and run underneath him, while free safety Sean Taylor defends all deep balls.
Owens is the Cowboys most dangerous receiver and he can change momentum on any play. Washington lost starting cornerback Carlos Rogers to injury, and Taylor will be gimpy if he plays on a sore knee. Pierson Prioleau knows how to play safety. He's smart, experienced and sound fundamentally. But can't make the plays Taylor makes. So the Cowboys will attack through the air.
The best tack this week is to take away Owens and force wideout Patrick Crayton, tight end Jason Witten and Cowboys running backs to step up as receivers. And even scheme that is like playing with fire.
Protect Jason Campbell. Tackles Chris Samuels and Wade must keep DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Chris Canty off their young quarterback. Campbell's receivers are slowed by injuries, and they will need a few extra seconds to get open.
The team's best receiver, Santana Moss, missed Week 10 with a heel injury and also has a sore groin. The other starting receiver, Antwaan Randle El, is playing through a hamstring injury. And James Thrash, who started in place of Moss, has a high ankle sprain that was being evaluated on Monday. He left the Eagles game on crutches -- not a good sign.
Keenan McCardell must step up. He should be able to replace Thrash and must become a bigger part of the offense.
Without the benefit of a solid receiver corps, Campbell has hit a plateau. He must improve his play, and coaches must find ways for him to distribute the ball to his available receivers.
A solid running game will help establish tempo. But when Campbell needs to throw, blockers must keep defenders at bay. This figures to be a long day for Campbell. Without solid blocking, it could be a nightmare.
Cowboys Keys For Success
1. Run between the tackles. Give the ball to Julius Jones and Marion Barber III, and let them pound away. Washington's defense prefers speed over power. Dallas has a massive offensive line that prefers power over speed.
Middle linebacker London Fletcher plays with passion, but he is not big. Pro Bowl outside linebacker Marcus Washington missed the past five games with a hamstring injury and likely won't play this week either.
Effectively running between the tackles will force strong safety LaRon Landry to play closer to the line of scrimmage, which will open up the passing attack.
2. Get the ball to Witten. Quarterback Tony Romo will use play-action passes and spread formations to get tight end Jason Witten in favorable scenarios. Witten is arguably the NFC's best tight end, and he has the numbers to prove it -- 47 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns.
Witten should be in favorable matchups all game. He will be against Landry, a rookie, or second-year outside linebacker Rocky McIntosh. Either way, he should be open over the middle.
3. Take away the big play. Keep free safety Ken Hamlin deep to defend against long passes, and gang tackle anyone in red who has the ball.
Redskins offensive stars produce few plays of more than 20 yards, and with their biggest playmakers dinged up they don't figure to break loose this week.
By taking away big plays, the defense will force Campbell and his coaches to call a methodical game. Nothing will come easy for the Redskins against a stingy defense and a hostile crowd.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:44 PM
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