HH31's Dallas Cowboys season breakdown/predictions

[The30YardSlant]

Week 1: Dallas @ Jacksonville

Dallas' new and supposedly improved O-Line will be tested early and often against probably the second best D-Line in football. Can Kosier/Johnson/Rivera handle a pair of all-pro tackles in Stroud and Henderson? I personally dont think so, and that will be the difference in the game. Dallas will move the ball through the air against the Jags very average corners, however they will force several turnover resulting from a great pass rush to make up for it. A close game that will come down to Dallas simply making more mistakes tha Jacksonville.

Prediction: 21-17 Jacksonville

Week 2: Washington @ Dallas

Dallas' chance for revenge after the breakdown last season in week 2. Correcting the coverage mistakes that did them in a season ago, they will not allow ashinton to get much going on offense. The coaches will use week 1 to help correct to the pass protection issues, and Dallas will make just enough plays on offense (and a few on defense) to win.

Prediction: 24-10 Dallas

Week 3: Bye

Week 4: Dallas @ Tennessee

Tennessee is simply one of the weakest teams in football. Unless Vince Young has a magical rookie year, their offense will be putrid, and their defense not much better. A statemnt game that Dallas should have in hand at halftime.

Prediction: 38-13 Dallas

Week 5: Dallas @ Philadelphia

A game that is hard to predict without seeing what Philadelphia will trot out this season. From a talent standpoint, Dallas is the better team. I just find it hard to believe that Philadelphia will be able to move the ball on our defense, especially through the air. TO Bowl part 1 goes to Da Boys.

Prediction: 17-14 Dallas

Week 6: Houston @ Dallas

At home against probably the worst team in football, easy right? I have a feeling we will have a letdown game and Houston will play above their level in what they consider a rivalry. However, their sheer lack of difference makers makes their efforts in vain and Dallas pulls away late.

Prediction: 31-21 Dallas

Week 7: New York @ Dallas

Home division games are a MUST this season, and this one is no different. Eli always seems t struggle against Dallas, and that coupled with the fact tha TO will shred their secondary, Dallas should pull out a win here.

Prediction: 27-16 Dallas

Week 8: Dallas @ Carolina

The Panthers are the best team in the NFC IMO. Dallas seems to have one of those games on the road every season, and this seems to be a prime time for a poor performance. Th Panthers pass rush and their explosive offense will overwhelm Dallas who is not quite on that elite level yet.

Prediction: 30-10 Carolina

Week 9: Dallas @ Washington

At this point, the Commanders and their fans a in panic mode. After a supposed SB season, they are sitting here at 4-3 and needing a win to keep pace in the division. Unlike last season, Dallas comes in prepared and ready and follow up their worst performance of the year with their best.

Prediction: 28-14 Dallas

Week 10: Dallas @ Arizona

Trap game alert. The 3rd straight road game against a team tha has the offensive weaons to bea you. In what will be one of the more entertaining games of the NFL season, the respective offenses put on shows, but Dallas' superior defense comes up with a key stop late.

Prediction: 35-31 Dallas

Week 11: Indianapolis @ Dallas

Easiy our toughest home game all season, Dallas will have to play a grea game to get it done against maybe the NFL's best team (at least in the regular season). Dallas will put up a serious fight, but the Manning/Harrison duo proves to be too much.

Prediction: 38-28 Indianapolis

Week 12: Tampa Bay @ Dallas

Does this look familiar? A 7-3 Dallas team on Thanksgiving day looking to propel itself into serious playoff contention. This is the game where Mike Vanderjagt proves his worth, and Dallas ditches the kicking woes that haunted them in this game a season ago. Dallas wins on a late kick from the "liquored up kicker".

Pediction: 23-21 Dallas

Week 13: Dallas @ New York

The Meadowlands. In December. With the division possibly in the balance. h Gians use these motivations and feed off the crowd to a win the ties them atop the division with Dallas at 8-4.

Prediction: 29-24 New York

Week 14: New Orleans @ Dallas

The Cowbys are pissed about the previous week and take it out on the hapless New Orleans/San Antonio/Brazos Valley/Future Los Angeles Saints. Roy Williams makes Reggie Bush wish he had stayed in school.

Prediction: 45-14 Dallas

Week 15: Dallas @ Atlanta

John Abraham and Patrick Kerney make Drew Bledsoe wish he could join Reggie Bush back in the college ranks. Both teams play bad offense and great defense, but Atlanta pulls it out late

Prediction: 13-10 Atlanta

Week 16: Philadelphia @ Dallas

TO bowl part deuxe. Owens again scores 3 TDs with the Eagles in Txas Stadium, except this time it's his star he's dancing on.

Prediction: 35-17 Dallas

Week 17: Detroit @ Dallas

With the Cowboys and Giants both entering week 17 at 10-5, Dallas knows they need a win to cure their drought of division titles. Luckily, Detroit is just the antidote they need, and the Cowboys defense outs on it's best show in years.

Prediction: 38-0 Dallas


Season Stats:

Julius Jones: 1,274 yards, 8 TDs

TO: 87 catches, 1,394 yards, 13 TDs

Terry Glenn: 69 catches, 1,110 yards, 7 TDs

Jason Witten: 61 catches, 686 yards, 5 TDs

Drew Bledsoe: 3,848 yards, 28 TDs, 12 INTs

DeMarcus Ware: 68 tackles, 12 sacks, 4 FF, 2 INTs

Roy Williams: 84 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 FF, 4 INTs

Terence Newman: 62 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, 18 passes defensed, 8 INTs, 3 TDs (NFL Defensive MVP)


NFC playoff seedings:
1: Carolina (13-3)
2: Seattle (11-5)
3: Dallas (11-5)
4: Chicago (9-7)
5: New York (10-6)
6: Atlanta (9-7)

Wild Card Round: Atlanta @ Dallas

Well, here it is. The Dallas Cowboys first home playoff games in 8 years. With a little help from the crowd and a lot of help from Julius Jones, Dallas surprises the usually staunch Atlanta defense and JJ proves why he was named the starting RB this season.

Prediction: 31-23 Dallas

Divisional Round: Dallas @ Seattle

Hey Seattle, guess what? That's not Jose Cortez trotting out to kick the potential game winning FG. Dallas doesnt make the same mistake twice.

Prediction: 24-21 Dallas

NFC Championship: Dallas @ Carolina

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunatly the best Cowboys season in 11 years must end here against simply a better football team. Dallas still seems to be a year and a few O-Line improvements away.

Prediction: 28-24 Carolina

 

[the kid 05]

i like it now if that comes true

 

[firehawk350]

My only issue is your lack of full-game analysis. You choose a small part of the game (ex. first NY game, you choose to look at only Eli Manning and TO and assumed that Tiki Barber, the monster pass rush, Shockey and Burress will not play big roles in this) to base your predictions on. I also think that you had a reasonable record (11-5) in mind first and had you losing to select decent teams that aren't named the Commanders. I just think that it is a little bold to predict a sweep based on "dallas comes prepared" vs. Washington who has two weeks to prepare and one of the best motivators in football.
Here's my predictions. Dallas will pull one out that they were expected to drop (I think it's very likely to be Indy or Carolina) and likewise, they'll lose one they were expected to win (NO or Detroit maybe). I also predict a winning streak mid-season and faltering slightly at the end. To what record, I don't know. I also don't think Newman will be DPOY. I think he might get a trip to the pro-bowl, but i doubt DPOY. And I don't think Demarcus Ware will get 12 sacks, I think it will be around 10. If he's lucky. I also don't see Atlanta getting into the playoffs. Not until Vick learns that it's okay to pass.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Rankings:

Passing defense: 5th (182 YPG)
Rushing defense: 7th (92 TPG)
Total defense: 5th (274 YPG)
Scoring defense: 9th (18.8 PPG)

Passing offense: 4th (242 YPG)
Rushing offense: 16th (106 YPG)
Total offense: 9th (348 YPG)
Scoring offense: 6th (26.8 PPG)

 

[Stash]

I'm not scared of the Panthers. They're a great team, but the Cowboys can beat them. They proved it when their offensive line was in full-blown "pathetic" mode in Carolina last year. Jones absolutely torched their vaunted "D" as well. With the added threat of the league's best receiver, an improved line, and a kicker who can actually kick, I'll take Dallas.

anthers:

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I like it if we beat Carolina.

 

[The30YardSlant]

My only issue is your lack of full-game analysis. You choose a small part of the game (ex. first NY game, you choose to look at only Eli Manning and TO and assumed that Tiki Barber, the monster pass rush, Shockey and Burress will not play big roles in this) to base your predictions on. I also think that you had a reasonable record (11-5) in mind first and had you losing to select decent teams that aren't named the Commanders. I just think that it is a little bold to predict a sweep based on "dallas comes prepared" vs. Washington who has two weeks to prepare and one of the best motivators in football.
Here's my predictions. Dallas will pull one out that they were expected to drop (I think it's very likely to be Indy or Carolina) and likewise, they'll lose one they were expected to win (NO or Detroit maybe). I also predict a winning streak mid-season and faltering slightly at the end. To what record, I don't know. I also don't think Newman will be DPOY. I think he might get a trip to the pro-bowl, but i doubt DPOY. And I don't think Demarcus Ware will get 12 sacks, I think it will be around 10. If he's lucky. I also don't see Atlanta getting into the playoffs. Not until Vick learns that it's okay to pass.

And Dallas doesnt have one of the best motivators in football? Look, the fact is Washington beat Dallas so badly at home last year is becuse Dallas was missing 5 starters and 2 key reserves. IMO, Dallas is simply the better team this year.

Ware got 8 sacks a year ago as a rookie, better than almost every great current OLB had in their rookie year. It's a great possibility he gets 12+ sacks, he will be a star in this league very quickly.

Who gets in over Atlanta? Tampa Bay? Arizona? Any of the garbage North teams? Washington might, but I doubt the NFC East manages 3 playoff teams.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Actually HH31 you did a pretty credible job there...

 

[Stash]

Who gets in over Atlanta? Tampa Bay? Arizona? Any of the garbage North teams? Washington might, but I doubt the NFC East manages 3 playoff teams.

I would take Tampa Bay over Atlanta personally. Until Vick proves he can actually pass the ball, I won't respect that team.

 

[5Stars]

Not bad, HH31...the only game I might disagree with is the Indy game at Texas Stadium. I think the Cowboys pass rush this year will be enough to rattle the Manning brat into making some costly mistakes.

Why so many people admire him is beyond me! He's good, but, he's not god!

I think the Boyz win that game 21 - 17...

 

[The30YardSlant]

Not bad, HH31...the only game I might disagree with is the Indy game at Texas Stadium. I think the Cowboys pass rush this year will be enough to rattle the Manning brat into making some costly mistakes.

Why so many people admire him is beyond me! He's good, but, he's not god!

I think the Boyz win that game 21 - 17...

No way we hold Indy to 17 points

 

[5Stars]

No way we hold Indy to 17 points

OK...

 

[The30YardSlant]

OK...

They were held to 17 points or fewer 5 times last year, however 3 of those games were when they had clinched the conference and were resting their starters.

 

[Stash]

They were held to 17 points or fewer 5 times last year, however 3 of those games were when they had clinched the conference and were resting their starters.

How does "The Chosen One" do against 3-4 defenses?

Hint: Not too good.

And he won't in '06 either.

 

[superpunk]

How does "The Chosen One" do against 3-4 defenses?

Hint: Not too good.

And he won't in '06 either.

Well.....he beat the Steelers and Pats like a rented mule last regular season. Baltimore too, I think.

Now - if we could make our regular season a playoff game, I'd ensure that victory.

 

[The30YardSlant]

How does "The Chosen One" do against 3-4 defenses?

Hint: Not too good.

And he won't in '06 either.

Manning against 3-4 defenses in 2005:

820 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs, 104.8 QB rating

 

[parchy]

I think the Cowboys pass rush this year will be enough to rattle the Manning brat into making some costly mistakes.

Sorry, but if that's what you're relying on, don't hold your breath. The 3-4 is a noted Manning-killer, but c'mon, this D is not up to Pittsburgh status yet. And even when it is that deep, it's going to look a bit different because it's Parcells and not LeBeau. Plus, he's in a familiar situation to what he's used to at Texas Stadium.

Manning's not perfect, but neither is our pass rush. We'll have to put up a ton of points to win that game.

 

[Stash]

New England has owned Manning for the past several years - 3-4 defense

San Diego harrassed him all day en route to handing the Colts their first defeat of the season - 3-4 defense

Pittsburgh spanked him and the Colts out of the playoffs. The crybaby could do nothing against them - 3-4 defense

Manning has typically played poorly against 3-4 defenses.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I think the Colts are in for a bit of a fall this season. It took a lot out of them to have such a perfect regular season yet fail again in the playoffs, and I think losing James will hurt their offense more than most people think. We all know what a stickler Parcells is for rookie backs correctly picking up the blitz... I think we're going to see an example of why in Indy this year.

I do like HH's predictions of losses to Jax, Carolina, Atlanta (inconsistent but can beat anyone), and New York. But I doubt we sweep Washington.

I also predict that Matt Jones and/or Wilford will catch a few over Newman in the first game of the year and the "Newman sucks" crowd will make a re-appearance. Just a hunch.

 

[5Stars]

New England has owned Manning for the past several years - 3-4 defense

San Diego harrassed him all day en route to handing the Colts their first defeat of the season - 3-4 defense

Pittsburgh spanked him and the Colts out of the playoffs. The crybaby could do nothing against them - 3-4 defense

Manning has typically played poorly against 3-4 defenses.

And, this is basically why I think the Cowboys will beat the Colts AT Texas Stadium...

Stand back and take a long, hard look at what the Cowboys got going on defense this coming 2nd year! I mean, it could really be special...they could really get after people!