View Single Post
Old 11-17-2007, 05:21 PM   #90
SC Skins Fan
The Starter
 
SC Skins Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,555
Re: Redskins vs. Cowboys predictions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattyk72 View Post
I think some people really need to chill and stop taking these predictions so damn seriously.
Amen brother. Who cares what the fans say? I actually think it is better when everyone in the world picks against the Skins. It always makes me kind of nervous when people start saying "there's no way we lose this week" or "Skins are a no brainer pick." As long as the Skins players aren't predicting a loss than that's all that matters.

You cannot look objectively at this game and see a whole lot of opportunites for the Skins to come out on top. Where are the matchups that favor them? Taylor is such a huge loss it really changes a lot of what the Redskins can do. Both long TDs the Eagles scored on last week were plays where they took advantage of Pierson (he was in great position on the long TD to Brown but could not adjust in the air and he overpursued way too hard to the boundary and allowed Westbrook to score on that 58 yard screen...he's a good player but he isn't an elite game-changer like Taylor). They'll have to take advantage of Jacque Reeves every time he is on the field and Jason cannot miss if he gets a shot deep. The biggest problem will come in stopping the Cowboys offense. They haven't had too many bad games this season and the Skins defense has not played particularly well since prior to the New England game.

Anyone can beat anyone on any Sunday, it's not just a cliche. Just look at St. Louis last week, they had "no chance" to beat New Orleans but they did. They got some players back, though, which is something the Skins can't really look forward to on Sunday (unless Moss can make plays). Chris Cooley is a certified Cowboy killer so maybe that is a matchup the Skins can try to exploit. Obviously Portis has to play big but the Cowboys only give up 87 yards /game on the ground. They are slightly more vunerable through the air, especially if Jacque Reeves has to play a substantial amount for Henry, but even there they are holding opponents to a 73.5 QB Rating (in comparison to the Eagles who have allowed opponents a 89 QB Rating). The matchups that favor the Skins are their WRs on Reeves or matched up with Roy Williams. Cooley should also have an advantage on their safeties.

They have to keep Romo in the pocket and have to make him flush to his left side, he is deadly moving to his right. If I were GW I think I would bring all pressure from the offensive right and force Romo left, I'd even move 'Dre over to the other side a good bit to try to generate pressure from that side. The Skins haven't done a great job dealing with QBs who can move and extend plays this season, though, and that worries me quite a bit (even Kellen Clemons gave them problems and the hobbled McNabb made a couple of plays last week too). Rocky McIntosh remains a liability in coverage and if the Cowboys get a chance to match him up with either Witten or Barber those are certainly matchups that favor them.

The real key will be forcing Romo into mistakes, which is possible, and shortening the game by running the football (even though that is anathema on this site). The Skins have to pay attention to Demarcus Ware and can't let him get free runs at Campbell (that probably means Portis needs to be on his game in with the pass pro, which he excels at). They did not do a good job at all last time the played against the 3-4 and Vrabel ate the o-line up, so hopefully they have worked on that this week. Of course its possible for the Skins to win, its just hard to figure out how they'll do it in Dallas and without ST. Clearly everyone will be rooting for the Skins and I don't think you need to get so incensed FD, plus if you want to predict a Skins victory then lay out how they'll do it. Short of a Romo meltdown, which I really really hope for because I actually genuinely hate that dude and his unique combination of immaturity and arrogance, its going to be tough.
__________________
It has taken a long time, but I have finally realized that nothing I say about the Redskins will have any effect upon anything the Redskins do.
SC Skins Fan is offline   Reply With Quote

Advertisements
 
Page generated in 0.35304 seconds with 10 queries