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Take 2: Vikings vs. Cowboys
By Scouts Inc
Thursday, October 18, 2007Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Vikings and Cowboys. Now they're back with a second look.
Matchup to watch Dallas ILB's Bradie James and Akin Ayodele vs. Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson
Peterson is coming off a 224-yard performance on only 20 carries last week. He has topped at least 100 yards in four of his first five games this season despite not being the Vikings No. 1 RB. However, when you look at the Vikings' offense, you know who you have to stop, and that is Peterson.
Dallas will be in more eight-man fronts this week and will blitz James and Ayodele to try to penetrate the backfield and disrupt the Vikings' run game. Peterson has shown the ability to make defenders miss at the second level, but he does not have that quick start/stop ability to make people miss consistently in the back field. Peterson possesses an excellent combination of size, speed, and burst, so look for Dallas to try to get to him in the backfield before he can get started north and south. There is only one player that can beat Dallas in this game and that is Peterson.
What is the mindset of the Cowboys after a tough loss last week to the Patriots?
There are times when a game like the one the Cowboys lost last week can have a hangover affect the following week. We saw it earlier in the season with the Houston Texans, who lost a big game versus the Indianapolis Colts and then went on to lose the next week in Atlanta. Dallas is fortunate to have a home game this week because that should improve their confidence level. Dallas played a good game last week, but they need to get back to some of the things that worked for them and that should happen this week.
First and foremost, they need to re-establish WR Terrell Owens in the offense. He has not been enough of a factor the past two weeks and of all the weapons on this offense, he should be the most feared. Owens has a chance to make some big plays this week versus a defense that ranks 20th in passing average per play. Dallas also knows that despite the loss last week, they were still able to run the football effectively when they did not have to get away from it. The Vikings have the No. 2 ranked run defense in the NFL, but Dallas will try to establish the run this week to get a little of their toughness back. Dallas is still the best team in the NFC. The Cowboys are a team that could throw or run it at will in the first five weeks of the season and they will try to re-establish that mindset this week.
Will Dallas be able to re-establish TE Jason Witten in the offense?
Despite only having three receptions for 47 yards last week, Witten has been the most important target in the passing game for QB Tony Romo. He leads their team in both receptions and yards, but last week they had to get away from him in part because Romo was getting hit early in the game. This forced Witten to become a blocker at times last week.
For the Cowboys offense to be at its best, Witten has to be more involved in the passing game and he has to be a target that can stretch the field and open up the offense. Witten has also been the target Romo looks for when he is forced to flush the pocket and he was not available in that role last week. This week versus the Vikings' Cover 2, look for Witten to have his role expanded in the passing game.
The Vikings have not received very good coverage this season from the back end of their defense and both safeties Dwight Smith and Darren Sharper are not as good in coverage as they once were. Minnesota primarily plays a Cover 2 defense, but teams have done a good job of spreading them out and forcing the Vikings to play a little more man-coverage and Dallas will do that was well. Dallas will also flood the deep-third of the field this week, which will open up the middle of the field for Witten. A Cover 2 defense is the perfect recipe for getting that Romo-to-Witten combination back up and running this week.
Will Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson be able to exploit the Cowboys 24th ranked pass defense?
After missing two weeks due to injury, Jackson was back in the starting lineup last week. Despite the win, he struggled as he had early in the season and it was clear that he was very rusty after the two-week layoff. For the season Jackson is completing less than 50 percent of his passes and has a QB rating of only 49.8. In looking at the Cowboys' defense this week it will be hard for Minnesota not to want to come out throwing the football. Dallas showed last week on defense that when you can spread out their 3-4 defense they become less effective.
However, the Vikings do not have the personnel to do that. Instead they will need to establish the run game and see if they can make some plays this week off the play-action passing game against Dallas FS Ken Hamlin and SS Roy Williams, who have been exploited in coverage this season. Hamlin is often out of position and Williams is not mobile or quick enough to cover in man or zone. Minnesota does hot have a prolific passing offense, but did get a big play last week out of former first-round bust Troy Williamson. Look for the Vikings to try to get the ball to Williamson down the field this week to stretch the defense. But, the Vikings just do not have a lot of weapons in the pass offense and Jackson struggles versus blitz pressure, which he will see plenty of this week, so look for the Vikings to continue struggling in their attempts to move the ball through the air.
Scouts' Edge
The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a tough home loss last week to the Patriots and as bad as the loss was, it was to a great team and they need to try to put it behind them quickly and get back to work versus the NFC, which should be their main focus right now.
Romo has not played well the past few weeks, but has a chance to get his game back on track versus the Vikings, who statistically have the worst pass defense in the NFL. This should provide Romo plenty of chances to get the ball down the field this week and get Witten more involved in the offense.
Minnesota does not play well from behind because they do not have a great pass offense, so look for Dallas to come out this week and try to get to an early lead to take away the Vikings' running game. Minnesota is coming off a big road win in Chicago, but the Bears are not the team they once were and Dallas is still the best team in the NFC. Look for Dallas to rebound and play well this weekend.
Prediction: Cowboys 27, Vikings 17
By Scouts Inc
Thursday, October 18, 2007Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Vikings and Cowboys. Now they're back with a second look.
Matchup to watch Dallas ILB's Bradie James and Akin Ayodele vs. Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson
Peterson is coming off a 224-yard performance on only 20 carries last week. He has topped at least 100 yards in four of his first five games this season despite not being the Vikings No. 1 RB. However, when you look at the Vikings' offense, you know who you have to stop, and that is Peterson.
Dallas will be in more eight-man fronts this week and will blitz James and Ayodele to try to penetrate the backfield and disrupt the Vikings' run game. Peterson has shown the ability to make defenders miss at the second level, but he does not have that quick start/stop ability to make people miss consistently in the back field. Peterson possesses an excellent combination of size, speed, and burst, so look for Dallas to try to get to him in the backfield before he can get started north and south. There is only one player that can beat Dallas in this game and that is Peterson.
What is the mindset of the Cowboys after a tough loss last week to the Patriots?
There are times when a game like the one the Cowboys lost last week can have a hangover affect the following week. We saw it earlier in the season with the Houston Texans, who lost a big game versus the Indianapolis Colts and then went on to lose the next week in Atlanta. Dallas is fortunate to have a home game this week because that should improve their confidence level. Dallas played a good game last week, but they need to get back to some of the things that worked for them and that should happen this week.
First and foremost, they need to re-establish WR Terrell Owens in the offense. He has not been enough of a factor the past two weeks and of all the weapons on this offense, he should be the most feared. Owens has a chance to make some big plays this week versus a defense that ranks 20th in passing average per play. Dallas also knows that despite the loss last week, they were still able to run the football effectively when they did not have to get away from it. The Vikings have the No. 2 ranked run defense in the NFL, but Dallas will try to establish the run this week to get a little of their toughness back. Dallas is still the best team in the NFC. The Cowboys are a team that could throw or run it at will in the first five weeks of the season and they will try to re-establish that mindset this week.
Will Dallas be able to re-establish TE Jason Witten in the offense?
Despite only having three receptions for 47 yards last week, Witten has been the most important target in the passing game for QB Tony Romo. He leads their team in both receptions and yards, but last week they had to get away from him in part because Romo was getting hit early in the game. This forced Witten to become a blocker at times last week.
For the Cowboys offense to be at its best, Witten has to be more involved in the passing game and he has to be a target that can stretch the field and open up the offense. Witten has also been the target Romo looks for when he is forced to flush the pocket and he was not available in that role last week. This week versus the Vikings' Cover 2, look for Witten to have his role expanded in the passing game.
The Vikings have not received very good coverage this season from the back end of their defense and both safeties Dwight Smith and Darren Sharper are not as good in coverage as they once were. Minnesota primarily plays a Cover 2 defense, but teams have done a good job of spreading them out and forcing the Vikings to play a little more man-coverage and Dallas will do that was well. Dallas will also flood the deep-third of the field this week, which will open up the middle of the field for Witten. A Cover 2 defense is the perfect recipe for getting that Romo-to-Witten combination back up and running this week.
Will Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson be able to exploit the Cowboys 24th ranked pass defense?
After missing two weeks due to injury, Jackson was back in the starting lineup last week. Despite the win, he struggled as he had early in the season and it was clear that he was very rusty after the two-week layoff. For the season Jackson is completing less than 50 percent of his passes and has a QB rating of only 49.8. In looking at the Cowboys' defense this week it will be hard for Minnesota not to want to come out throwing the football. Dallas showed last week on defense that when you can spread out their 3-4 defense they become less effective.
However, the Vikings do not have the personnel to do that. Instead they will need to establish the run game and see if they can make some plays this week off the play-action passing game against Dallas FS Ken Hamlin and SS Roy Williams, who have been exploited in coverage this season. Hamlin is often out of position and Williams is not mobile or quick enough to cover in man or zone. Minnesota does hot have a prolific passing offense, but did get a big play last week out of former first-round bust Troy Williamson. Look for the Vikings to try to get the ball to Williamson down the field this week to stretch the defense. But, the Vikings just do not have a lot of weapons in the pass offense and Jackson struggles versus blitz pressure, which he will see plenty of this week, so look for the Vikings to continue struggling in their attempts to move the ball through the air.
Scouts' Edge
The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a tough home loss last week to the Patriots and as bad as the loss was, it was to a great team and they need to try to put it behind them quickly and get back to work versus the NFC, which should be their main focus right now.
Romo has not played well the past few weeks, but has a chance to get his game back on track versus the Vikings, who statistically have the worst pass defense in the NFL. This should provide Romo plenty of chances to get the ball down the field this week and get Witten more involved in the offense.
Minnesota does not play well from behind because they do not have a great pass offense, so look for Dallas to come out this week and try to get to an early lead to take away the Vikings' running game. Minnesota is coming off a big road win in Chicago, but the Bears are not the team they once were and Dallas is still the best team in the NFC. Look for Dallas to rebound and play well this weekend.
Prediction: Cowboys 27, Vikings 17
