Is there any way we can win @ Carolina, Saturday?

[Qwickdraw]

This is NOT one of those "sky is falling" threads.

I'm looking for some honest input and hoping to hear some responses that give me some added hope about our chances of vistory this weekend.

If Rivera doesn't play... that's Tucker, Petitti, Gurode?, and Johnson going head to head against one of the best D-Lines in all of football. How in the world are they gonna be successful?

Do you guys see an all new gameplan this week specifically designed for the Panthers?
Maybe a system of moving the ball much more quickly? Heavy running? Extra protection in the backfield? (ie; Keyshawn) Shotgun?

What do you think?

I'm keeping the faith 100% but I know it's against the odds.

 

[CliffnDallas]

It's Christmas Eve. Any thing is possible.

 

[Sarge]

We'll be as good as our OL. I don't worry about their running game. Deshaun Foster does nothing for me. But if Steve Smith goes on a rampage, that'll kill us.

 

[alancdc]

Despite all the hype Peppers only has 7 1/2 sacks. They have had 1 100 rushing game this year by a back. They have really good corners. They love to hit 89 with a 3 yard pass, and see if he can break it. I think we can run up the middle like Tampa did with MBIII. Their O-Line is not very good either, and Cadillac ran all over them a couple weeks ago. In the Tampa game the Panthers were giving up 6-8 yard passes all game to Chris Simms. Mike Minter is an old version of Roy Williams. Can we win. Yes, but we will have to play mistake free football, and get after Jake so he turns into his versin of a poor mans Brett Farve throwing balls up for grabbs.

 

[THUMPER]

Yes there is a way we can win this game... If we come out and play like we have nothing to lose we will win.

If we come out and play scared and conservative, trying to control the clock, etc. then we are not likely to win the game. If we come out aggressive and look to make big plays then we have a very good chance to win it.

John Fox is an outstanding HC and he knows Parcells' tendencies, he will have a game plan to stop us so we have to come out with something different if we want to win.

Carolina can be beat by big plays, spread the defense out and look for the one-on-one matchups. With Crayton back it gives us 4 good targets in the passing game along with Keyshawn, Glenn, & Witten. We start hitting on some passes and it will open up the running lanes for Jones & Barber.

Get Bledsoe out of the pocket as often as possible so that the defense can't simply rush to a spot.

On defense our DBs will have chances to intercept the ball as DelHomme throws a lot of passes up for grabs. Our guys need to catch the dang ball! I have long been a proponent of having the DBs go through the same drills as the WRs as far as catching the ball as it seems they drop way too many potential INTs which would turn the game around for us.

DeShaun Foster is my biggest worry right now since we have given up big yards to RBs over the last several games. Steve Smith is my other big worry as he is having an MVP season and has beaten some of the best DBs in the game. Our defense HAS to tackle well as both guys make their living out of breaking through weak tackles.

Our O-Line just needs to suck it up and step up. Start beating the guy opposite them rather than getting beaten all the time. Show some pride and fight for once guys!

I will be at the game (first time since the 80s) so I am really hoping we come out and play well. I'd hate to be there to see them suck live.

Go Cowboys!!!

 

[Silverstar]

Keys to winning...


On defense -

Contain Steve Smith and pressure Delhomme all day with stunts and blitzes. If we do this, I doubt they score more than 10 points...if that. Ware, Bradie, Shanle, Fujita and Burnett need to turn it up a few notches and start flying to the ball...don't think so much!


On offense -

Bledsoe needs to roll out more and use JJ, Barber, Polite and Witten as outlets. We've been running the screen better lately, but the defense has to really bite to be successful. The main thing is, Bledsoe needs to work on getting the ball out quicker or simply throwing it away. We need to use more slants for example with Keyshawn and the TE's. Crayton has to get more involved in the middle of the field, where I think he's best at. JJ and Barber need to start running more outside and cut back inside....not the other way around. We can't rely on the OL to make holes, so we need to first spread out defenses with 3 WR sets on EVERY down. We can use a TE, FB or put JJ and Barber both in the game and still have 3 WR sets on EVERY down. This is where Crayton comes in and helps move the chains.


I could go on and on, but that's basically what we need to do IMO.

 

[THUMPER]

Keys to winning...


On defense -

Contain Steve Smith and pressure Delhomme all day with stunts and blitzes. If we do this, I doubt they score more than 10 points...if that. Ware, Bradie, Shanle, Fujita and Burnett need to turn it up a few notches and start flying to the ball...don't think so much!

Sorry, we would need a different DC for those things to enter into our defensive gameplan. Zimmer never heard of a stunt and doesn't have a clue how to design a blitz. Just line a bunch of guys up and tell them to run into the blocker in front of them. If there aren't enough blockers to go around then run into the back of one of our own guys.

 

[Juke99]

These teams, on paper, look like mirror images of eachother offensively.

My biggest concern is that Bledsoe's numbers on the road are dramatically worse than at home....QB rating of 98 to 71....Also, most of our O Line break downs occur on the road....they have given up 27 sacks on the road vs 12 at home.

Our TOP is approx 6 minutes per game better at home.

There is a 60 yd per game differential in our rushing and stopping the run, home vs road.

And we tend to be penalized alot more on the road.

So, it doesn't look good going in.

The line play, both sides of the ball, HAS to turn around for us to have a chance.

I'd key on their game breakers, Smith and Peppers...After Smith, they have NOTHING on offense...Zilch..Let them try to beat us with the running game

They are good on special teams but I think we're going to have to figure out a way to make a play or two against them. I'd put Newman back on punt returns.

And Earth to Parcells and Zimmer....come up with SOME unique twist in this very Vanilla 3-4 defense to get some occasional pressure on Delhomme...

 

[KingTuna]

Wll we FINALLY use the shotgun for a good percentage of plays??

 

[CrazyCowboy]

CrazyCowboy hopes he is wrong.....but, I DO NOT SEE IT HAPPENING!

 

[kingwhicker]

Yes, if we score more points than the Panthers we can win.

 

[Eddie]

I remember the early days of the Jimmy Johnson era, when he used to OUTCOACH opposing teams.

In three years of the BP era, I don't remember BP outcoaching anyone. In fact, it's been the other way around WAY too often.

Carolina will be a true test of BP "genius". If he can't outcoach Fox and get this team into the playoffs, I have no faith in him.

 

[THUMPER]

Yes, if we score more points than the Panthers we can win.

You mean that we might not win if we have the ball longer? I thought Parcells said that time of possession wins games but you say it is having more points than your opponents. Hmm, I wonder who is right...

:bang2:

 

[DipChit]

I remember the early days of the Jimmy Johnson era, when he used to OUTCOACH opposing teams.

In three years of the BP era, I don't remember BP outcoaching anyone.

So in '03 when we won 10 games with the likes of QC and T-Ham as starters, those wins had nothing to do with coaching but relied solely on the pure talent of the players?

 

[alancdc]

Carolina plays a bend dont break pass defense. If you watched them against the Saints this week freakin Todd Bauman really looked pretty good had Donte Stallworth been able to run a rout and catch a pass. I do not understand why we don't run Key on quick slants like we did for Michael all those years. Watch the tape of the Tampa/Carolina game and you get the way to beat the Panthers. They were throwing underneath for 6-7-8 yards, and running Cadillac on 3 and 2. Before you say anything about our obviously bad Oline Tampa's is not much better. Dan Morgan and all his concussions can not cover Whitten down the field, and Mike Minter has the same problem covering downfield that everybody says Roy does, except he is 10 years older. When Carolina struggles is when Jake gets pressured and throws it up for grabbs. We have to make him make Farve like mistakes, and take advantage. Also, going unnoticed is their kicking problems. John Kasay all of a sudden can't make a field goal from over 40 yards. The way they play close games against good teams that has to come back to haunt them. (SOUNDS FAMILIAR I KNOW)

 

[vicjagger]

I think we can run up the middle like Tampa did with MBIII.

MBIII plays for the Cowboys.

 

[SultanOfSix]

If our offensive line comes out successful against Carolina - and that is a big if - then it may be a confidence booster, because they have, without a doubt one of the best defensive lines in football.

However, I just really haven't seen anything from our offensive play on the road, with the exception of the first game of the season, that will keep us in this game.

I think we're going to go back into max protect mode, rely on a conservative offense with minimal mistakes, and hope our defense holds to win a 13-10 game, or something like that.

 

[DipChit]

Everytime the question is asked, the answer is the same. Of course it's winnable because you're not playing some high power..we'll hang 30 on ya just by getting off the bus... offense.

A couple forced turnovers.. good defense etc can keep you in the game.

Bout like goin to play the Bears . OMG we'll be lucky to score anything against those guys! Sure, but because you might only need 13 to win, a defensive score and some cheap offensive TD if nothing else, could do it.

That theory almost worked against the Giants.. they did afterall only score 10 of their own. But then again the game against the Skins got away from them right quick. So we'll just have to see.

 

[alancdc]

I think that you know what I meant with MBIII. Sorry, I should have inserted a comma after did,

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

We will need an ealry Christmas present from Carolina to win this one I'm affraid. I will be rooting for the Cowboys, I expect a better effort but the same result as last week.