Week 1: DAL @ SD.

[jacs]

Just the wr's. I don't follow any team but Dallas, and wanna know how our current secondary matches up against them.

Keenan McCardell
Eric Parker
Vincent Jackson
Kassim Osgood
Reche Caldwell

McCardell is a good and now having a full offseason with the team will be great for him and Brees, Parker is very underated and is a good football player and the rest have their moments but not that good.

 

[jazzcat22]

Forgot to mention I'm thinking SD wins. I hoping for Dallas, but home teams on opening day usually win. I think it will be close though. San Diego had a lot of close games last year. They blew out the very bad teams, but most of their other games were in the single digits, win or lose.

I'll say 17-20, San Diego. I think we'll keep their offense in check, with field goals and our D defending a short field making up the difference.

I disagree...we had Atlanta beat a few years back and we let it slip away and lost. And we were the home team. I do not know , nor have looked up the home team wins on opening day. I am sure Norm Hitzges would know. But I do not entirely buy into this theory. Opening day, anything can happen no materr home vs. away. If I see the stats, then I will admit I am wrong.

The better team for that day will win.

 

[Gordon]

I'm sitting here trying to remember the last time we won on opening day. I'm struggling.. Comeback against the Skins maybe? I hope not, that was a while ago. Someone help me out.

San Diego - 27
Dallas - 16

 

[zagnut]

Jazzcat,

Things have definitely changed a bit since free agency. It's not as pronounced, but it's still a majority. The first 2 games of the season are harder to pick now, but home teams have a greater win % than road teams any week, not just opening week. Home field advantage is a real thing.

Going back to 2002, straight up W-L...

2004 - Home team won 9 out of 16 games.
2003 - Home team won 10 out of 16 games.
2002 - Home team won 10 out of 16 games.

I suck at Math. 60% in favor of the home team?

Not sayin it's impossible. Just sayin' the odds are not with us and I wouldn't bet money.

 

[true_north]

Cowboys Win

24-17

 

[ZiggyZ.]

The Bolts played a really weak schedule last year. The team is carried by the QB, RB, and TE. Gates, the TE, is definitely out. I think Dallas can harrow Brees enough to make the game interesting. LT is definitely a worry, but Julius Jones has to have the Chargers scared stiff, too. So that's a draw. And the Chargers defense doesn't scare me.

People are too quick to write Dallas off in this one. JJ can match LT, Witten will outperform anyone who fills in for Gates, WRs go to Dallas, but QB goes to SD. So I like the Dallas offense to perform better.
And I think Dallas has the better defense.

I won't be surprised if they win this thing, or lose it only because of Cortez & Condo.

 

[Danny White]

This really depends. I'm going to San Diego, but I don't have tickets yet. Hoping I can pick some up before kickoff.

If I make it inside the stadium, I think we win 27-24 with a game winning kick by Jose Cortez.

If I can't find any tickets, I think we lose 31-17.

Y'all better be pulling for me!

Good News! I just got my tix for the game. A win is all but certain now! :bounce:

 

[Hoov]

Dallas 27 - SD 13

 

[Sportsbabe]

For the record ... I hate this poll. I hope there's another Zone this can abruptly be moved to. It will only remind me of all the sorcerers, soothesayers, and fortune tellers we have among us. (I hope this isn't considered name calling, oh well.)

 

[31smackdown]

Cowboys 23
Chargers 20

 

[Doomsday101]

Cowboys 23
Chargers 20

Cortez gets the game winner?

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

There is no doubt that we are a bunch of homers. LOL.

80% voting for the Cowboys to win against a favored opponent on the road. Especially considering our fortunes the last few years in opening games.

 

[CalMor]

LT is that good. The Bolts are not. Cowboys win. Dont know by how much.

 

[mmurray21]

I have seen Tomlinson make a lot of defenses look bad. Ware will be the key. He will probably get a couple of sacks, but he may also give up gaping running lanes for LT. The good news the cowboys should be able to bring their safties up a bit to help out.

 

[TheSkaven]

I'm not quite sure why this team scares anyone, especially without Gates. As others have stated, San Diego played a weak schedule last year, didn't have any significant upgrades in the off-season, and are missing their number 2 thread on offense (Gates). This game is absolutely winnable.

 

[MS17]

Chargers score late FG in a close one, SD 20 Cowboys 17....

 

[bigdrulez3141]

First post here but i read the thread daily, I think the Cowboys match up pretty well againt the Chargers. i think the game pretty much comes down to roy williams vs lt in the box. i think the cowboys defense will do enough to win this one.

 

[RedLine]

Cowboys 20
Chargers 17

Dallas scores 20 and could have had more, but Bill leans on D for the win.

 

[smashmouth]

I'm not quite sure why this team scares anyone, especially without Gates. As others have stated, San Diego played a weak schedule last year, didn't have any significant upgrades in the off-season, and are missing their number 2 thread on offense (Gates). This game is absolutely winnable.

The reason we are scared, is because we don't "truly" know who the Cowboys are right now.

We know what we want them to be, and we see some things, but until they start playing real games, it's going to be hard right now to judge what this team is all about.

 

[BledsoetoWittenfortheTD]

Gates is a huge part of their offense, you could argue hes just a valuable or even more valuable than Tomlinson. San Diego caught everybody off guard last year, that won't be the case this season. Their defense hasn't impressed me either and their secondary seems to be suscpetible from what i've seen in the preseason. The key is limiting Tomlinson and protecting bledsoe. If we do that, call me a homer but I see this team making a statement:

Cowboys 35 Charger 20