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By Ken Moll
Scouts Inc.
Scouts Inc.
Washington at Dallas
When: 1:00 PM ET
Watch: FOX
Preview
More scouting reports: Week 11
Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Commanders-Cowboys matchup.
1. Washington needs balance offensively. This Cowboys defense is very talented, and the Commanders will need a good mixture of run and pass on early downs to keep Dallas off balance. Washington ran the ball well in its Week 10 victory but will be facing a much tougher task in this matchup. Look for more play-action passes and quick hitters from the Commanders' offense on first down.
2. Expect more maximum protections from the Commanders. Washington has been one of the worst teams protecting their quarterback, yielding 31 sacks thus far. Look for tighter splits and extra blockers in pass protection schemes to keep Jason Campbell clean in the pocket. With the offensive line being so banged up, this type of protection might become the norm, rather than the exception.
3. Washington needs to stop the Cowboys' three-headed backfield. Dallas can attack a defense with three capable ball carriers rushing the football. With such a poor showing in last week's loss against the Packers, it's likely the Cowboys will force feed the ground game. As a result we may see more interior stunts and zone run blitzes from the Commanders.
4. Washington needs to corral Dallas QB Tony Romo. Romo is best when improvising out of the pocket and Commanders' defenders need to focus on staying in their rush lanes. Not letting Romo slide or step up in the pocket to find a window to deliver the ball in will be key to slowing down the Dallas air assault.
5. Matchup to watch: Commanders' DT Albert Haynesworth versus Cowboys' C Andre Gurode. It will be important to set the tone in the trenches throughout this contest. The battle between Haynesworth and Gurode could swing momentum in their respective teams' favor. Both eight-year veterans are playing at a high level, and if Haynesworth can overpower the smaller Gurode, it could stymie much of the Cowboys' game plan. If Gurode can keep Haynesworth at bay, the advantage swings to Dallas.
6. Expect the Cowboys to emphasize their ground attack. The Dallas running game came up short in their Week 10 loss and we are likely to see them get back to pounding the ball between the tackles in this contest. If you take out three rushing attempts and 16 yards from Romo, the Cowboys had only 11 attempts and 45 yards versus the Packers. Look for a good dose of Barber, Jones and Choice in this battle.
7. Dallas needs to stretch the field early in the game. The Cowboys tend to utilize a controlled passing attack but may take more shots downfield in this week's matchup. Look for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to design more deep routes to give Romo opportunities to pick up chunks of yards. This approach will keep Commanders defenders from jumping short and intermediate routes.
8. Look for Dallas to focus on stopping the run. The Commanders racked up 174 yards in their upset victory over the Broncos in Week 10, and the Cowboys will want to take that away from them in this matchup. Ladell Betts carried the load for Washington with 114 yards last week, with Portis likely back this week, we'll probably see a one-two punch that could be a challenge for Dallas.
9. Dallas needs to flush Campbell out of the pocket. Campbell had one of his best efforts in Week 10 with efficient passes from the pocket. Forcing Campbell out of his comfort zone with inside pressure will be important to derail a high-percentage passing game. Look for more interior blitz schemes from Dallas to collapse the pocket and flush Campbell to the perimeter.
10. Matchup to watch: Cowboys' WR Miles Austin versus Commanders' CB DeAngelo Hall. This should be an excellent battle on the perimeter between one of the hottest wide receivers in the league (Austin) and the Commanders' leading ball hawker (Hall). Austin has become Romo's favorite target and is averaging over 20 yards-per-catch. His combination of size, speed and instincts will likely cause problems for an overconfident Hall.
Prediction
Washington 20
Dallas 27
Scouts Inc.
Scouts Inc.
Washington at Dallas
When: 1:00 PM ET
Watch: FOX
Preview
More scouting reports: Week 11
Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Commanders-Cowboys matchup.
1. Washington needs balance offensively. This Cowboys defense is very talented, and the Commanders will need a good mixture of run and pass on early downs to keep Dallas off balance. Washington ran the ball well in its Week 10 victory but will be facing a much tougher task in this matchup. Look for more play-action passes and quick hitters from the Commanders' offense on first down.
2. Expect more maximum protections from the Commanders. Washington has been one of the worst teams protecting their quarterback, yielding 31 sacks thus far. Look for tighter splits and extra blockers in pass protection schemes to keep Jason Campbell clean in the pocket. With the offensive line being so banged up, this type of protection might become the norm, rather than the exception.
3. Washington needs to stop the Cowboys' three-headed backfield. Dallas can attack a defense with three capable ball carriers rushing the football. With such a poor showing in last week's loss against the Packers, it's likely the Cowboys will force feed the ground game. As a result we may see more interior stunts and zone run blitzes from the Commanders.
4. Washington needs to corral Dallas QB Tony Romo. Romo is best when improvising out of the pocket and Commanders' defenders need to focus on staying in their rush lanes. Not letting Romo slide or step up in the pocket to find a window to deliver the ball in will be key to slowing down the Dallas air assault.
5. Matchup to watch: Commanders' DT Albert Haynesworth versus Cowboys' C Andre Gurode. It will be important to set the tone in the trenches throughout this contest. The battle between Haynesworth and Gurode could swing momentum in their respective teams' favor. Both eight-year veterans are playing at a high level, and if Haynesworth can overpower the smaller Gurode, it could stymie much of the Cowboys' game plan. If Gurode can keep Haynesworth at bay, the advantage swings to Dallas.
6. Expect the Cowboys to emphasize their ground attack. The Dallas running game came up short in their Week 10 loss and we are likely to see them get back to pounding the ball between the tackles in this contest. If you take out three rushing attempts and 16 yards from Romo, the Cowboys had only 11 attempts and 45 yards versus the Packers. Look for a good dose of Barber, Jones and Choice in this battle.
7. Dallas needs to stretch the field early in the game. The Cowboys tend to utilize a controlled passing attack but may take more shots downfield in this week's matchup. Look for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to design more deep routes to give Romo opportunities to pick up chunks of yards. This approach will keep Commanders defenders from jumping short and intermediate routes.
8. Look for Dallas to focus on stopping the run. The Commanders racked up 174 yards in their upset victory over the Broncos in Week 10, and the Cowboys will want to take that away from them in this matchup. Ladell Betts carried the load for Washington with 114 yards last week, with Portis likely back this week, we'll probably see a one-two punch that could be a challenge for Dallas.
9. Dallas needs to flush Campbell out of the pocket. Campbell had one of his best efforts in Week 10 with efficient passes from the pocket. Forcing Campbell out of his comfort zone with inside pressure will be important to derail a high-percentage passing game. Look for more interior blitz schemes from Dallas to collapse the pocket and flush Campbell to the perimeter.
10. Matchup to watch: Cowboys' WR Miles Austin versus Commanders' CB DeAngelo Hall. This should be an excellent battle on the perimeter between one of the hottest wide receivers in the league (Austin) and the Commanders' leading ball hawker (Hall). Austin has become Romo's favorite target and is averaging over 20 yards-per-catch. His combination of size, speed and instincts will likely cause problems for an overconfident Hall.
Prediction
Washington 20
Dallas 27
