Article: Gil Brandt: This weeks key matchups (Dallas)

[YosemiteSam]

LINK (for the rest of the matchups)

Rams defense vs. Cowboys offense

The Rams' defensive coaches seemingly need to pull a rabbit out of their hat with the 0-3 Rams facing the 3-0 Cowboys. Dallas leads the NFL in scoring and ranks second in total offense. That said, St. Louis is better on defense than most would think. They're pretty good against the pass, and they've allowed less than 300 per game of total offense -- the fewest yards allowed in the NFC, in fact.

I don't think you'll see the Rams blitz as much here -- most teams are becoming afraid to blitz Tony Romo. This could be a decent challenge for Dallas.

 

[dogunwo]

That would be a mistake not to blitz the Cowboys. Just because Romo didn't make a whole lot of mistakes against the Bears, doesnt mean he wont make mistakes. If you dont blitz him, that offensive line will give him so much time to pick apart a zone, or let TO or Witten beat someone one on one.

 

[burmafrd]

Looking at who the rams have played I think their defensive stats are very misleading.

 

[03EBZ06]

LINK (for the rest of the matchups)

Rams defense vs. Cowboys offense

The Rams' defensive coaches seemingly need to pull a rabbit out of their hat with the 0-3 Rams facing the 3-0 Cowboys. Dallas leads the NFL in scoring and ranks second in total offense. That said, St. Louis is better on defense than most would think. They're pretty good against the pass, and they've allowed less than 300 per game of total offense -- the fewest yards allowed in the NFC, in fact.

I don't think you'll see the Rams blitz as much here -- most teams are becoming afraid to blitz Tony Romo. This could be a decent challenge for Dallas.

I respect Gil, but he didn't do the homework on this analysis. Rams defense hasn't allowed 300 YPG, not because Rams great pass defense, rather due to their weak running defense, other teams are running all over them and have no need to pass as much, hence relatively low passing yardage. Rams defense are allowing 22.7 PPG, bit more than Cowboys defense but everybody talks about how bad Cowboys defense is and yet praise Rams defense which allows more PPG than us, funny.

 

[CATCH17]

Romo is going to kill a zone defense. Better just do your best and hope for the best against him.

 

[theebs]

Jim Haslett has run defenses that have beat us for a number of years now. We havent beaten one of his teams I dont think ever. He beat us with the saints in 03 and 04.

Dick jarons defenses have also played well against our team when he was in detroit.

This weeks game is not the cake walk many think. We have the better team but if we play poorly in one area we could lose this game.

 

[sago1]

I believe Wade & Jason Garrett will keep this team's head on straight. I do think the Rams might put up more points then we expect cause Bulger is a good QB and if his WRs get open they won't drop the ball. I also expect us to be able to score on their defense. This game is similar to the Dolphins game except Bulger is now a better QB then Trent Green.

BTW: I saw parts of the Bucs game against the Rams. Was really surprised how well the Bucs played. There defense was stifling and ours is no where near as good.

 

[THUMPER]

I respect Gil, but he didn't do the homework on this analysis. Rams defense hasn't allowed 300 YPG, not because Rams great pass defense, rather due to their weak running defense, other teams are running all over them and have no need to pass as much, hence relatively low passing yardage. Rams defense are allowing 22.7 PPG, bit more than Cowboys defense but everybody talks about how bad Cowboys defense is and yet praise Rams defense which allows more PPG than us, funny.

The Rams have given up an average of 152.3 rushing yards per game and an average of 4.7 yards per carry. Those are horrible numbers and I expect to see Romo struggle to throw for 250 yards against them as we run the ball 40+ times in the game.

On offense, they are without Steven Jackson and have had a hard time running the ball even when he was in the lineup as he was only averaging 3.4 yards per carry and as a team they were only averaging 91 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry.

Bulger has not exactly lit it up either averaging a mere 217 yards per game passing and only 2 TDs in 3 games. Holt has caught only one pass for 20+ yards and none for 40+. Bruce has done a bit better with 4 receptions of over 20 yards but none for 40+. Terrell Owens has 6 for 20+ and 1 over 40 yards, more than both their top WRs combined. Witten has the same number of 20+ receptions as Bruce.

Both the Panthers and Bucs put up 180+ rushing yards on them on 38 & 32 carries respectively. The sorry Niners only had 89 yards and 43 of them came on one Frank Gore TD run. I expect to see us put up 200+ on them on the ground.

The Rams suck on both sides of the ball.

 

[ringmaster]

LINK (for the rest of the matchups)

Rams defense vs. Cowboys offense

The Rams' defensive coaches seemingly need to pull a rabbit out of their hat with the 0-3 Rams facing the 3-0 Cowboys. Dallas leads the NFL in scoring and ranks second in total offense. That said, St. Louis is better on defense than most would think. They're pretty good against the pass, and they've allowed less than 300 per game of total offense -- the fewest yards allowed in the NFC, in fact.

I don't think you'll see the Rams blitz as much here -- most teams are becoming afraid to blitz Tony Romo. This could be a decent challenge for Dallas.

The Rams high ranked pass defense is very misleading simply because the first three teams didn't need to pass the ball when their run defense is shaky.

I can remember back in 2000, when the Cowboys, had a very high ranked pass defense, but had a very bad run defense which included three 200 yd rushers that year in Duce Staley, (Eagles) Charlie Garner, (49ers), and Warrick Dunn (Buccaneers).

So I'm not buying into the Rams, "top ranked" pass defense, when they have trouble stopping the run.

 

[Sarge]

Where all hell breaks loose is when the Rams are on OFFENSE. Their entire OL is decimated, Bulger is banged up, Holt is at 85% and Jackson is out. They'll be lucky to score 17 points which won't even be close to enough.

 

[ringmaster]

Jim Haslett has run defenses that have beat us for a number of years now. We havent beaten one of his teams I dont think ever. He beat us with the saints in 03 and 04.

Dick jarons defenses have also played well against our team when he was in detroit.

This weeks game is not the cake walk many think. We have the better team but if we play poorly in one area we could lose this game.

I don't expect it to be a cakewalk with no NFL team.

But this is a very different Cowboys team this year and I don't see them taking any game lightly.

 

[ringmaster]

I believe Wade & Jason Garrett will keep this team's head on straight. I do think the Rams might put up more points then we expect cause Bulger is a good QB and if his WRs get open they won't drop the ball. I also expect us to be able to score on their defense. This game is similar to the Dolphins game except Bulger is now a better QB then Trent Green.

BTW: I saw parts of the Bucs game against the Rams. Was really surprised how well the Bucs played. There defense was stifling and ours is no where near as good.

If you have been paying some attention latley the defense is getting better each week after we gave up 35 pts, to the G-Men, in the first game the D, gave up a combined 30 pts to the Dolpins, and Bears, so you tell me whether they're improving or not.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Jim Haslett has run defenses that have beat us for a number of years now. We havent beaten one of his teams I dont think ever. He beat us with the saints in 03 and 04.

Dick jarons defenses have also played well against our team when he was in detroit.

This weeks game is not the cake walk many think. We have the better team but if we play poorly in one area we could lose this game.

ROUT. :laugh2:

 

[Chocolate Lab]

We should and I think will win, but I bet there is a scary moment or two in the first half when their offense clicks. Maybe a Romo pick or two puts us behind temporarily. At least, that's my prediction.

I think next week going to play at their house on a Monday night could be when we see something really scary.

But hey, maybe I'm thinking of last year's team, and this one will go out and put its foot on their throats early.

 

[Colo]

Jim Haslett has run defenses that have beat us for a number of years now. We havent beaten one of his teams I dont think ever. He beat us with the saints in 03 and 04.

Dick jarons defenses have also played well against our team when he was in detroit.

This weeks game is not the cake walk many think. We have the better team but if we play poorly in one area we could lose this game.

The difference is Romo. Romo is a lot different than any QB we've had here in a loooong time, so I don't think Haslett's prior success amounts to a hill o beans really - JMO.