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Why To Watch
Of all the close losses the Cowboys have endured this season, the one that still really sticks in their craw is their collapse to the Commanders on Monday night in Week 3. Now with the stakes even higher for both teams, the Cowboys will try to play a 60-minute game while the Commanders will look to capitalize on the weaknesses they exploited in the Cowboys' defense for an entire game.
This game features two great head coaches who know how to win in the NFL. Time of possession could prove to be a key element as both teams will attack on the ground to set up the pass and eat the clock. In a game likely to be determined by who makes the fewest mistakes, turnovers and special teams will play an especially important role.
When the Cowboys have the ball
Rushing: The Cowboys' game plan last week was to be aggressive and attack through the air to set up the run. Expect the Cowboys to be more balanced this week by utilizing the combination of Julius Jones and Marion Barber. Head coach Bill Parcells will look to the hotter back as the game progresses and field position becomes the more critical factor. That guy last week was Barber, who was very impressive as a runner, blocker and pass catcher on the Cowboys' final go-ahead drive.
Look for the Commanders to use seven- and eight-man fronts against the Cowboys and try and confuse the Dallas blocking patterns by attacking up-field gaps, which will allow their linebackers to fast flow and attack downhill. The interior of the Cowboys' offensive line (RG Marco Rivera, OC Al Johnson and LG Larry Allen) is their strength, and they will match up with MLB Lemar Marshall and SLB Marcus Washington off their combination patterns and try to slow down the fast, explosive linebackers from being free hitters to the ball.
One of the keys to this will be getting movement at the point of attack on Cornelius Griffin and slipping off and sealing either Marshall or Washington to slow down pursuit angles. Look for the Cowboys to design running plays that attack and run right at the Commanders' defense between the tackles off inside zone plays because of the ineffectiveness of outside running plays on the perimeter. The Cowboys have a big offensive line and a significant size advantage that can wear down this undersized Commanders' front four.
Passing: QB Drew Bledsoe, who passed for less than 200 yards in three of the previous four games, completed 22 of 34 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 126.1 last week against the Chiefs. Commanders defensive coordinator Gregg Williams knows Bledsoe very well from his days as a head coach in Buffalo. With Bledsoe's lack of mobility and the inexperience of the Cowboys' offensive line, look for Williams to incorporate multiple blitz packages to pressure and confuse him.
However, when incorporating these pressure packages, the one thing that comes to mind is the explosiveness of WR Terry Glenn and the playmaking skills of TE Jason Witten. Glenn still has explosive speed and playmaking skills and caught six passes for 138 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs. The Commanders are allowing only 192.5 yards per game but have had some inconsistencies at starting left corner.
Rookie first-round pick Carlos Rogers replaced the inconsistent Walt Harris and is starting to play with more confidence. Look for Williams to match up RDC Shawn Springs with Terry Glenn and LDC Rogers with the slower and bigger Keyshawn Johnson. Johnson is still a productive player who leads the Cowboys in receptions and knows how to use his size and experience to get open in the short and intermediate areas of the passing game.
Protecting Bledsoe is still a concern for the Cowboys, but the Commanders have struggled with their sack production from both defensive ends in Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn. The Cowboys abandoned their max protection schemes for much of last game and instead left RT Rob Petitti and LT Torrin Tucker fend for themselves for much of the day. Although Chiefs DE Jared Allen registered three sacks, the Dallas offense was still much more fluid.
With the inexperience of Petitti and Tucker, look for Williams to exploit these mismatches on the edge by utilizing SLB Marcus Washington in different alignments as an extra blitzer.
When the Commanders have the ball
Rushing: Washington features one of the most conservative offenses in the league. RB Clinton Portis is now over 1,000 yards for the season and is averaging 4.3 yards per carry while the Cowboys' defense has allowed 106.4 yards per game. Portis will use his excellent patience and vision to attack behind RT Jon Jansen and RG Randy Thomas.
The Cowboys have utilized a lot different fronts in their multiple 3-4 schemes to allow their linebackers to attack inside/out to the ball. FB Mike Sellers has done a good job of playing under control and maintaining his pad level at the point of contact at the second level. MLB Bradie James and SS Roy Williams will be counted on heavily in containing Portis. James is a physical specimen who has been active between the tackle box, while Williams is a superior playmaker when aligned close to the line of scrimmage against the run rather than when detached away from the line of scrimmage.
Offensive line coach Joe Bugel emphasizes the physical nature of run blocking. Although the Cowboys' run defense has been solid throughout most of the season, it has problems against physical, downhill, power runners. Portis is more finesse than physical but has the ability to take it to the house if the Cowboys don't contain him, which will be critical for the outside edges of their defense in Scott Fujita and DeMarcus Ware. Look for Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to incorporate more multiple eight-man fronts and try and force the Commanders into a one-dimensional attack through the air.
Passing: Mark Brunell's league-best 1.4 interception percentage was thrown out the door last week as he was picked off three times in the red zone against the Cardinals. Brunell has thrown only four touchdowns over his last seven games.
WR Santana Moss leads the Commanders in receptions and has had an outstanding year, especially given the fact that the Commanders don't have a legitimate receiver playing on the opposite side of the formation. TE Chris Cooley has taken some of the heat off Moss; while teams have been doubling Moss on the outside, Cooley has been getting open in the short and intermediate areas of the field.
Zimmer will look to isolate Moss on the outside with corner Terence Newman. Their first meeting was Moss' coming out party, burning the Cowboys' cover-2 defense for two touchdowns. This week, look for the Cowboys to utilize bracket coverage on Moss with either a safety or corner playing over the top depending on situation. The Cowboys will also play a lot of cover-2 against the Commanders in order to be physical and disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Commanders' passing attack and eliminate the big downfield throws.
The Commanders' offensive line has been somewhat inconsistent at times when protecting Brunell and has allowed 29 sacks on the season. The Cowboys have done a good job of pressuring the quarterback with their multiple schemes and blitz packages. However, the Cowboys have struggled in certain sub situations when defending the intermediate and deep middle of the field with Williams and FS Keith Davis. So, look for Brunell to exploit this area off play-action. The key for the Cowboys will be stopping the run and forcing the Commanders into being a one-dimensional offense through the air, where the Cowboys can pressure and attack the pocket.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/scouting?gameId=251218028
Of all the close losses the Cowboys have endured this season, the one that still really sticks in their craw is their collapse to the Commanders on Monday night in Week 3. Now with the stakes even higher for both teams, the Cowboys will try to play a 60-minute game while the Commanders will look to capitalize on the weaknesses they exploited in the Cowboys' defense for an entire game.
This game features two great head coaches who know how to win in the NFL. Time of possession could prove to be a key element as both teams will attack on the ground to set up the pass and eat the clock. In a game likely to be determined by who makes the fewest mistakes, turnovers and special teams will play an especially important role.
When the Cowboys have the ball
Rushing: The Cowboys' game plan last week was to be aggressive and attack through the air to set up the run. Expect the Cowboys to be more balanced this week by utilizing the combination of Julius Jones and Marion Barber. Head coach Bill Parcells will look to the hotter back as the game progresses and field position becomes the more critical factor. That guy last week was Barber, who was very impressive as a runner, blocker and pass catcher on the Cowboys' final go-ahead drive.
Look for the Commanders to use seven- and eight-man fronts against the Cowboys and try and confuse the Dallas blocking patterns by attacking up-field gaps, which will allow their linebackers to fast flow and attack downhill. The interior of the Cowboys' offensive line (RG Marco Rivera, OC Al Johnson and LG Larry Allen) is their strength, and they will match up with MLB Lemar Marshall and SLB Marcus Washington off their combination patterns and try to slow down the fast, explosive linebackers from being free hitters to the ball.
One of the keys to this will be getting movement at the point of attack on Cornelius Griffin and slipping off and sealing either Marshall or Washington to slow down pursuit angles. Look for the Cowboys to design running plays that attack and run right at the Commanders' defense between the tackles off inside zone plays because of the ineffectiveness of outside running plays on the perimeter. The Cowboys have a big offensive line and a significant size advantage that can wear down this undersized Commanders' front four.
Passing: QB Drew Bledsoe, who passed for less than 200 yards in three of the previous four games, completed 22 of 34 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 126.1 last week against the Chiefs. Commanders defensive coordinator Gregg Williams knows Bledsoe very well from his days as a head coach in Buffalo. With Bledsoe's lack of mobility and the inexperience of the Cowboys' offensive line, look for Williams to incorporate multiple blitz packages to pressure and confuse him.
However, when incorporating these pressure packages, the one thing that comes to mind is the explosiveness of WR Terry Glenn and the playmaking skills of TE Jason Witten. Glenn still has explosive speed and playmaking skills and caught six passes for 138 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs. The Commanders are allowing only 192.5 yards per game but have had some inconsistencies at starting left corner.
Rookie first-round pick Carlos Rogers replaced the inconsistent Walt Harris and is starting to play with more confidence. Look for Williams to match up RDC Shawn Springs with Terry Glenn and LDC Rogers with the slower and bigger Keyshawn Johnson. Johnson is still a productive player who leads the Cowboys in receptions and knows how to use his size and experience to get open in the short and intermediate areas of the passing game.
Protecting Bledsoe is still a concern for the Cowboys, but the Commanders have struggled with their sack production from both defensive ends in Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn. The Cowboys abandoned their max protection schemes for much of last game and instead left RT Rob Petitti and LT Torrin Tucker fend for themselves for much of the day. Although Chiefs DE Jared Allen registered three sacks, the Dallas offense was still much more fluid.
With the inexperience of Petitti and Tucker, look for Williams to exploit these mismatches on the edge by utilizing SLB Marcus Washington in different alignments as an extra blitzer.
When the Commanders have the ball
Rushing: Washington features one of the most conservative offenses in the league. RB Clinton Portis is now over 1,000 yards for the season and is averaging 4.3 yards per carry while the Cowboys' defense has allowed 106.4 yards per game. Portis will use his excellent patience and vision to attack behind RT Jon Jansen and RG Randy Thomas.
The Cowboys have utilized a lot different fronts in their multiple 3-4 schemes to allow their linebackers to attack inside/out to the ball. FB Mike Sellers has done a good job of playing under control and maintaining his pad level at the point of contact at the second level. MLB Bradie James and SS Roy Williams will be counted on heavily in containing Portis. James is a physical specimen who has been active between the tackle box, while Williams is a superior playmaker when aligned close to the line of scrimmage against the run rather than when detached away from the line of scrimmage.
Offensive line coach Joe Bugel emphasizes the physical nature of run blocking. Although the Cowboys' run defense has been solid throughout most of the season, it has problems against physical, downhill, power runners. Portis is more finesse than physical but has the ability to take it to the house if the Cowboys don't contain him, which will be critical for the outside edges of their defense in Scott Fujita and DeMarcus Ware. Look for Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to incorporate more multiple eight-man fronts and try and force the Commanders into a one-dimensional attack through the air.
Passing: Mark Brunell's league-best 1.4 interception percentage was thrown out the door last week as he was picked off three times in the red zone against the Cardinals. Brunell has thrown only four touchdowns over his last seven games.
WR Santana Moss leads the Commanders in receptions and has had an outstanding year, especially given the fact that the Commanders don't have a legitimate receiver playing on the opposite side of the formation. TE Chris Cooley has taken some of the heat off Moss; while teams have been doubling Moss on the outside, Cooley has been getting open in the short and intermediate areas of the field.
Zimmer will look to isolate Moss on the outside with corner Terence Newman. Their first meeting was Moss' coming out party, burning the Cowboys' cover-2 defense for two touchdowns. This week, look for the Cowboys to utilize bracket coverage on Moss with either a safety or corner playing over the top depending on situation. The Cowboys will also play a lot of cover-2 against the Commanders in order to be physical and disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Commanders' passing attack and eliminate the big downfield throws.
The Commanders' offensive line has been somewhat inconsistent at times when protecting Brunell and has allowed 29 sacks on the season. The Cowboys have done a good job of pressuring the quarterback with their multiple schemes and blitz packages. However, the Cowboys have struggled in certain sub situations when defending the intermediate and deep middle of the field with Williams and FS Keith Davis. So, look for Brunell to exploit this area off play-action. The key for the Cowboys will be stopping the run and forcing the Commanders into being a one-dimensional offense through the air, where the Cowboys can pressure and attack the pocket.
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