As a Cowboys website and a Cowboys Fan you are probably expecting me to predict that the Cowboys will go 16 and 0. Glide through the playoff, go to the Super Bowl for the ninth time, take home their sixth Super Bowl Championship trophy and send 22 players to the Pro Bowl!!!
Well I say Hell Yeah!!! Aim High!!!
Before we start planning the victory parade why don’t we take a minute or two and see about those 16 regular season games the Cowboys are made to play on their way to the Super Bowl.
The Cowboys have to play 6 division games which are always tough. When going 3 and 3 in your division is considered good you know that you are in the best division in football. On top of the two playoff teams from last year from their division the Cowboys have to play three other playoff teams from last year (Carolina, Atlanta, and San Diego) and two teams that were knocked out of the playoffs on the last day of the season (Tampa and the Broncos).
Week 1 – The Bucs!
Well the Buc stops here. Or should I say in
Week 2 – The Giants!
This will be a huge test for the Cowboys who will open their new stadium that night on national TV. The Giants were 12-4 in ’08 without Shooter Burress on the field most of the season. They have lost the Earth, Wind & Fire trio at RB, don’t ask me which one it was, I think it was Wind. Anyway, the Giants should have a lock down defense and a fairly good offense lead by their $100M man Eli Manning. This is a game that the Cowboys have to win if they are to have any chance to win their division. The next time they see the Giants it is December 6th and we all know how well games in December go.
Week 3 – The Panthers!
This is another huge set the tone for the season games. Win this one and the Cowboys are on the map for top NFC teams. Go 1-2 after three games and it may be over before it starts. It will be tough getting up for another nationally televise Monday Night Football game. But they will have to. I have thought for two years that the Panthers were pretenders. They have made no additions that make me think they got any better in the off season. We will see week 3.
Week 4 – Mile High!
The Broncos are tough at home and can move the ball. Last year they were 2nd in the NFL with yards gained but 30th in PPG allowed. They have a first year QB in Orton who is hurt to start the season and a receiver in
Week 5 – Heading to Arrowhead
The Chiefs offense and defense were both bad last year. The offense was 26th in scoring and the defense was 29th in points allowed. With that said the Chiefs can win the AFC West because everyone else is so bad in the division. They lost stud TE Gonzalez which will not help them because they did not add anyone except QB Matt Cassell from the Patriots. Cassell is ok but that was with the Patriots who were 16-0 the season before. These are not the Patriots. This will be a must win on the road.
Week 6 – Bye
Week 7 – The Falcons
Can the Falcons re-capture the magic of QB Matt Ryan? Maybe! Can the Cowboys take advantage of the bye week to come back strong? The Cowboys come home after two weeks on the road which is always a tough game. The Falcons were 2nd in the league in rushing last year but they will not be able to sneak up on anyone this year. New Cowboy LB Keith Brooking should be able to give the defense an edge over Ryan. This will be a game that could go either way. I know that any game could go either way but this is a toss up. Whoever is healthier week 7 will win this game. The special teams may decide this one which is not good for the Cowboys.
Week 8 – The Hawks!
The Cowboys beat the Hawks on T-Day last year and should repeat this year. They were 25th in scoring and points allowed. Even if they cut that in half they would still only be an average team. The Seahawks begin the Jim Mora Jr. regime after replacing 10-year head coach Mike Holmgren.
Week 9 – Who Let the Dogs Out!
The Cowboys return to the scene the CRIME of last December’s 44-6 thrashing and GET their first look at THE dog-slayer Vick’s vapor rub. By this point of the season I fully expect the QB controversy to be in full gear in Philly. The Beagles fans will have had enough of QB McNabb throwing the ball 5 feet short of the intended receiver and will be calling for THE dog-slayer. As a Cowboys fan it will be fun to watch the Beagles self destruct on national TV. The Beagles will also be having problems on defense like no time in the last decade. DB Brian Dawkins is gone, their long time defensive coordinator has passed away and their starting MLB is already on IR. Not good for the Beagles. Though they went to the NFC Championship last year please remember that they were 9-6-1. They may be better on offense but the defense which has saved them for a decade will not be as good.
I will take personal pleasure in watching the Cowboys go into Lincoln Financial Field and get a big old piece of payback and put those green and silver dogs in their place.
FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON AND MY FINAL PREDICTION COME BACK TOMORROW TO:
TheCowboysCorner.com
The Cowboys go 6-2 in their first 8 games.
