The Playoffs Start This Weekend for the Cowboys

Even though this is the last week of the regular season, this is really the 1st "playoff game" for the Cowboys meaning that if they win this weekend in Filthadelphia they get into the playoffs...if not, then they don't. That is the definition of a playoff game, win and keep going...lose and go home. Even if the Foul win, they are not automatically in the playoffs as they need other teams to lose as well for them to get in. But that doesn't necessairly mean the Foul will roll over and die. And if there is one thing I KNOW about Filthadelphia, it's that they HATE all things Dallas, especailly the Cowboys. I expect the Foul to play exceptionally hard and feed off the raucous crowd so it would behoove the Cowboys to take the crowd out as soon as it can.

When these teams met in Dallas in Week 2, it was all about offense as the Cowboys outlasted the Eagles, 41-37. Romo was 21 of 30 for 310 yards and 3 TDs. It looked like Dallas' offense had everything clicking and the Super Bowl was in the reach. My how things have changed. Since that point, Romo got hurt and missed 4 games and since his return has been up and down from game to game. Two weeks ago against the Giants, he was up and finished the game with a 113.8 QB rating. Last week against the Ravens, he was down and finished the game with a 66.2 rating.

Not only has Romo been up and down each week but so has the offense as a whole. Dallas either blows away an opponent on the strength of Tony Romo’s passing, or it inexplicably struggles to score, letting down what’s usually a good defensive effort. I think Dallas' defense will shake off what happened to them the final 4 minutes of the Ravens game and play very well in a hostile environment. I think DeMarcus Ware will play well, as he has all year, and I hope he can break Strahan's single season sack record...all he needs is 3. That would be so great especailly coming against Filthadelphia. However, the defensive secondary needs to be wary of 2 players, DeSean Jackson (who burned them for a 60 yard completion in the earlier game) and Michael Westbrook who is basically the heart and soul of that offense. So goes Westbrook, so goes the Foul's offense. Dallas needs to account for both of those guys every play.

So with both of these defenses likely to be an attack mode, it comes down to which quarterback stands tall to consistently deliver the ball downfield. Romo has got to be smarter with the ball, not force the issue and just take what the defense gives him. If he has to throw the ball away, throw and incompletion or even take a sack he should do that rather than risk turning the ball over. This is NOT the game to get cute with the ball. TO Owens seems to play well against his former teams so I'm hoping he is a little more amped up than normal for this. If that is the case, I look for him to have a big game.

I think that the game will be similar to the Ravens game where both defenses control the other's offense and the team with the fewest mistakes will win. With everything that is on the line for Dallas and all the expectations of the team and the fact that they seem to play better when their back is against the wall, I think they will emerge victorious and grab the #6 seed. And I can think of few better opponents to do that against than Filthadelphia.

Prediction: Dallas 21, Filthadelphia 17