3 Central keys to Cowboys-Buccaneers opening week matchup

[Doomsday101]

Limitations on the offensive line could be the key to the game. The Cowboys have a bunch of unknowns. Has center Tyler Biadasz improved? What’s the initial result of losing Connor Williams and La’el Collins? Can first-round pick Tyler Smith be an immediate quality starter at left tackle after playing guard all summer?

The Buccaneers are not the ideal matchup facing these open-ended questions. Tampa Bay can bring Shaquil Barrett, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and Carl Nassib off the edge and up the middle have two monsters in Akiem Hicks and Vita Vea who are hard to move. Then there are depth guys like William Gholston and rookie Logan Hall, and even a second-level blitzer like Devin White can be an excellent playmaker. They are a handful for great offensive lines, let alone a depleted one like Dallas has.

The Buccaneers aren’t without their issues up front, either. After losing Alex Cappa in free agency and Ali Marpet to retirement, the bad news continued with knee injuries to Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and offensive guard Aaron Stinnie. Their offensive tackles aren’t practicing currently, even though both are expected to play.

The Cowboys may not be equipped to attack the middle of the line where Tampa Bay is weak. Demarcus Lawrence is a great pressure player off the edge and Micah Parsons can attack from anywhere, but Neville Gallimore and Osa Odighizuwa are unproven. If that DT group can’t make a mark, then quarterback Tom Brady might be able to step up in the pocket and use his quick release to pick Dallas apart.

3 Central keys to Cowboys-Buccaneers opening week matchup (yahoo.com)

 

[DeaconMoss]

QB-Bucs
OL-even
DEF-even
WR-Bucs
RB-even (could be DAL if they use Pollard creatively)
K-Bucs
Coaching-even

Advantage Bucs.

 

[CCBoy]

Limitations on the offensive line could be the key to the game. The Cowboys have a bunch of unknowns. Has center Tyler Biadasz improved? What’s the initial result of losing Connor Williams and La’el Collins? Can first-round pick Tyler Smith be an immediate quality starter at left tackle after playing guard all summer?

The Buccaneers are not the ideal matchup facing these open-ended questions. Tampa Bay can bring Shaquil Barrett, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and Carl Nassib off the edge and up the middle have two monsters in Akiem Hicks and Vita Vea who are hard to move. Then there are depth guys like William Gholston and rookie Logan Hall, and even a second-level blitzer like Devin White can be an excellent playmaker. They are a handful for great offensive lines, let alone a depleted one like Dallas has.

The Buccaneers aren’t without their issues up front, either. After losing Alex Cappa in free agency and Ali Marpet to retirement, the bad news continued with knee injuries to Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and offensive guard Aaron Stinnie. Their offensive tackles aren’t practicing currently, even though both are expected to play.

The Cowboys may not be equipped to attack the middle of the line where Tampa Bay is weak. Demarcus Lawrence is a great pressure player off the edge and Micah Parsons can attack from anywhere, but Neville Gallimore and Osa Odighizuwa are unproven. If that DT group can’t make a mark, then quarterback Tom Brady might be able to step up in the pocket and use his quick release to pick Dallas apart.

3 Central keys to Cowboys-Buccaneers opening week matchup (yahoo.com)

Stop the run and put pressure on Bledsoe.

 

[CCBoy]

Stop the run and put pressure on Bledsoe.

Brady....

 

[maryquality]

Stop the run and put pressure on Bledsoe.

LOL. I believe Brady may be as old as Bledsoe, so why not.

 

[Doomsday101]

No doubt Brady is tough to get pressure on, I do think pressure up the gut by Osa and Gallimore, Hill can be very effective and critical.

 

[fivetwos]

I'm more concerned about their DTs vs Biadasz and McGovern than outside play....which is also a bit of a problem.

These games are close enough to where it typically comes down to two or three plays and getting the right breaks on them.

Unfortunately bad calls often play as big of a role as the players do, and they refuse to fix it, although thats very possible to do.

 

[Ranched]

 

[Cowfan75]

No stupid, drive-killing penalties. No excuse for it after last season, this offseason. At home, allegedly motivated from last year...all the ingredients are there to come out and play as tight as we have in years.

 

[Aftershock]

Score
Don’t let them score
Block good
Get sacks
Run the ball good
Score good

 

[leeblair]

This is all hype.
The Buccaneers will be weak, and the Cowboys should win- and the hype train will once again begin.
The Cowboys might accept the Lombardi after week one this season, rather than week eight or nine as in previous years.
Because if they miss the opportunity to accept it early, they might not get to later.

 

[FanofJerry]

Gonna be hard to score when refs have a built in excuse to penalize Dallas...

"Tyler Smith was most likely holding...lets throw the flag"

 

[reddyuta]

I expect both Defenses to better than the last matchup,Brady might not do so well if our DTs consistently push the pocket and force him to move.If he sits in the pocket even for 3 seconds unmolested then its going to be a long day.

 

[jazzcat22]

QB-Bucs
OL-even
DEF-even
WR-Bucs
RB-even (could be DAL if they use Pollard creatively)
K-Bucs
Coaching-even

Advantage Bucs.

Of course you give Dallas no advantages, typical.

You forgot a key position TE - Dallas, Tommy Boy does not have his security blanket anymore.
QB-Bucs, only because of blankets on the wall, however Dak went toe to toe with him at TB last year, in his 1st action in almost a year. Could be different this year.
OL-even, but slightly to Dallas, they return more guys than TB.
DEF-even, don't be so sure about this, TB lost some players on defense. We actually gained, on paper, as that is what this game is for now, on paper.
WR-Bucs, depends if Godwin plays, if not, then even
RB-even (could be DAL if they use Pollard creatively) - BS, no way Fournette is better than Zeke. Add Pollard, advantage Dallas for sure, no matter how he is used. So Dallas.
K-Bucs -yes
Coaching-even, maybe, as it is Bowles 1st year as a HC.

Home Field - depended how many Bucs fans bought tickets.

Advantage Bucs - no, it is Even, but maybe slightly TB only because of the K. Night mare flashbacks going on here.

Intangiables = WIN - Dallas. Becasue it is the homer thing to do.

 

[DeaconMoss]

Of course you give Dallas no advantages, typical.

You forgot a key position TE - Dallas, Tommy Boy does not have his security blanket anymore.
Kyle Rudolph and Brate will be just fine. Tommy Boy doesnt have to have great players everywhere to win.
QB-Bucs, only because of blankets on the wall, however Dak went toe to toe with him at TB last year, in his 1st action in almost a year. Could be different this year.
The goat. No comparison.
OL-even, but slightly to Dallas, they return more guys than TB.
Both are banged up and have holes. Even.
DEF-even, don't be so sure about this, TB lost some players on defense. We actually gained, on paper, as that is what this game is for now, on paper.
Both teams lost and gained about the same players. And TB has the playbook bc they signed Neal.
WR-Bucs, depends if Godwin plays, if not, then even
Evans Gage JJ Godwin Miller >>>>>CD Brown Tolbert Turpin Fehoko
RB-even (could be DAL if they use Pollard creatively) - BS, no way Fournette is better than Zeke. Add Pollard, advantage Dallas for sure, no matter how he is used. So Dallas.
Last year they had nearly identical stats in the first game.
K-Bucs -yes
Coaching-even, maybe, as it is Bowles 1st year as a HC.
Home Field - depended how many Bucs fans bought tickets.
Advantage Bucs - no, it is Even, but maybe slightly TB only because of the K. Night mare flashbacks going on here.
Intangiables = WIN - Dallas. Becasue it is the homer thing to do.
Vegas disagrees

 

[JoeKing]

1) Establish the run early.
2) T.O.P. ... time of possession, the defense needs to quickly shut down Brady drive after drive and Dak score on long drive after long drive.
3) No costly penalties.
4) No costly turnovers.
5) Set Micah Free

 

[CowboyRoy]

1) Establish the run early.
2) T.O.P. ... time of possession, the defense needs to quickly shut down Brady drive after drive and Dak score on long drive after long drive.
3) No costly penalties.
4) No costly turnovers.
5) Set Micah Free

Establishing the run will never happen. Bucs are the best run defense in the NFL the last couple years. And our Oline and run game is one of the worst.

 

[BAT]

The key maybe ST.

If Turpin can break a return for a score, that could be the difference between win or loss.

 

[VaqueroTD]

1) Dalton and Pollard… who else going to help Dak and Lamb?
2) Pressure up the middle, Like any NFL QB, Brady hates pressure there the most, all injured there too
3) ST making some plays if this becomes a defensive slug fest

 

[Blackrain]

Both teams have offensive line issues and may have difficulty running the ball so will Brady's quick release be more effective than Daks mobility.
Did Tyler Biadasz improve enough to hold off Vita Vey.
My game plan would be short and sweet get Micah free and Hammer Brady into the turf over and over again if we get penalized so what it would happen anyway no matter where we touched him so make every hit count.
I think DAk is better able to take the hits and get back up and lead then Brady is at this point in his career can't let him stand there and pick us apart