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Five keys to victory against the Giants
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Saying that a game is 'crucial' for the Cowboys is a bit like saying that 'snow is cold' or that 'Tank Johnson is big.' When you dig yourself a hole so thoroughly as the Cowboys did this year, 'crucial' is a blessing; without hope, in the NFL, 'crucial' does not exist. So yes, Sunday's game against the Giants is crucial. If the 'Boys fail to step up against their division rivals, they may soon be out of hope, and out of 'crucial' games. Here are five keys to defeating the Giants on Sunday night:
1. Flozell versus Tuck. Justin Tuck makes a lot of offensive tackles look bad, but Flozell Adams looked like an overweight high school kid in the 35-14 loss a month ago. Of course, having Tony Romo in the lineup should help insofar as ducking the rush, but there's only so much number 9 can do; Adams will have to improve if the 'Boys hope to establish an effective offensive attack.
2. Stuff the run. The Giants enter Sunday's game as the number one rushing offense in the league; Brandon Jacobs is out with a knee injury, but Derrick Ward has proven that he is a legitimate threat in the big man's absence. Meanwhile, the Cowboys' defensive line (and linebacking corps. for that matter) have steadily improved each week since the bye. They looked downright oppressive at times against the Steelers. Effectively stuffing the run will force Eli Manning to make plays with his arm.
3. Establish the run. This really goes back to offensive line play--the Cowboys were limited to 81 yards on the ground in the teams' last meeting, with Barber accruing 54 on 19 carries. Tashard choice had 27 on 5. In last week's loss to Philadelphia, Brian Westbrook shredded the Giants defense, rushing for 130 yards on 33 carries, and opening up the Eagles passing game. He ran for one touchdown and caught another en route to handing the Giants their second loss of 2008.
4. Tony Romo, get big. Romo had looked untouchable for the three weeks prior to last Sundays loss to the Steelers, during which he looked lost at times. He (along with Jason Witten) will have to return to form if the Cowboys wish to walk away with a 'W' on Sunday.
5. Come together, 'Boys. Now, I'm not so worried about this one, since most of this supposed 'controversy' has about as much vailidity and significance as an episode of 'the Hills.' Dallas Cowboys Examiner Dan Telvock already wrote a great article concerning such ballyhoo here, so I'll spare you a bitter rant. Still, for all the so-called friction, it's undeniable that the Cowboys' offense looked fractured at times on Sunday. When the Cowboys are at their best, the offense is balanced, above anything. Calling for a balance on offense, despite what ESPN might have you believe, is not controversial. A balanced offense (yes, that includes T.O., Witten and the other characters in ESPN's soap opera) wins games. Plain and simple.
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