Week 9 NFL Game Spotlight

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Welcome to this season’s first installment of NFL Game Spotlight! Each week, we will break down one NFL game from every perspective possible. NFL Game Spotlight will primarily view the game from a real-life perspective, but will cover the fantasy side of the ball as well. This week, we will take a look at a bitter rivalry as a struggling and underachieving team hosts a team that is teetering on the thin line between breakout and bust. Ladies and gentleman, Dallas at Washington!

Schedule to Date

Washington’s record is currently 2-5 with losses to Minnesota (4-3), Dallas (4-3), New York Giants (5-2), Tennessee (2-5), and Indianapolis (7-0). Washington beat Jacksonville (4-3) and Houston (2-5). The combined record of the teams they have played is 28-21.

Dallas’ record is currently 4-3 with losses to Jacksonville (4-3), Philadelphia (4-4), and the New York Giants (5-2). Their wins have come against Carolina (4-4), Houston (2-5), Tennessee (2-5), and Washington (2-5). The combined record of teams Dallas has played is 23-28.

Washington has had the tougher schedule to date. Their key loss was when they lost to a poor Tennessee team, a game they should have won. However, Washington did beat Jacksonville, a decent, yet very inconsistent team (they lost to Houston, but beat Philadelphia the very next week).

Dallas, while they have the better record, have had an easier schedule. Dallas’ losses have all been to teams with records at or above .500. Dallas has handily beaten all of the poorer teams they have played (Houston and Tennessee). Dallas’ biggest win came against a good Carolina team at Carolina.

Keys to Victory

Dallas:

1. Must shut down the Redskin’s rushing game. The Redskins are currently tied for third in the league in rushing touchdowns with seven. They are also seventh overall in rushing yards/game with 128.4.

2. Cannot turn the ball over. Dallas is tied for 4th in the league for the most turnovers with 15, 12 of which have been interceptions. With Romo starting in his 7th quarter of NFL football on Sunday at noon CST, the interception situation will be one to keep a close eye on. Washington is last in the league with takeaways, so this will be a game where Dallas should be able to minimize their devastating interception situation.

Washington:

1. Must pressure Tony Romo consistently. Anytime you have a young quarterback, you have to get some pressure on them. However, this is easier said than done because we have seen that Romo is a tad bit more versatile than Drew “the statue” Bledsoe. Carolina tried to bring the pressure on Romo, and they had the tools with Julius Peppers, yet it seemed that Romo consistently escaped their grasp. Romo can throw well from within the pocket as well, so there must be inside pressure as well as containment on the outside.

2. Cannot allow the Cowboy’s running backs to rack up the yards. The Dallas committee rushing attack has been quietly excelling this season. Dallas is averaging 4.3 rushing yards/play and 140.6 rushing yards/game. The Dallas running game has been solid with the combo of Julius Jones and Marion Barber III.

Injury Report

Tyson Thompson, RB, Dallas (Out, IR):
Thompson broke his ankle after a late hit toward the end of the Carolina game last week. Yeah, I hear you saying, “So what? He’s a third string RB!” Well, Thompson has been an absolute machine on kickoff returns. Thompson’s 26.0-yard kickoff return average is tied for fourth in the NFL. The Cowboy’s also have a 28.3 yard-line average start following kickoffs, which is tied for fifth in the NFL. All this is due in large part to Thompson’s running capability and speed on kickoff returns. Look for Skyler Green, Marion Barber III, Miles Austin, or Abram Elam to replace Thompson for the rest of the season.

Santana Moss, WR, Washington (Questionable):
Moss injured his hamstring in their last game two weeks ago. Even with a week to recover from this injury, Moss missed Wednesday’s practice, making it four straight missed practices. It would be a huge hit to the Redskins if they lost Moss for this game. A fan of either of these two teams will surely remember how well Moss did against the Cowboys last season.

Other injuries:

DOUBTFUL
Jason Hatcher, DE, Dallas (Ankle)

PROBABLE
Mark Brunell, QB, Washington (Rib)
Lemar Marshall, MLB, Washington (Ankle)
David Patten, WR, Washington (Hamstring)
Clinton Portis, RB, Washington (Ankle)
Antwaan Randle El, WR, Washington (Heel)
Carlos Rogers, CB, Washington (Thumb)
Chris Samuels, T, Washington (Calf)

Fantasy Quick Hits

Dallas:
Look for Julius Jones to rack up a decent number of yards, but beware of Marion Barber as a goal-line vulture. Both of these running backs are worth a look as a starting second RB spot or bye week replacement. If Tony Romo’s last 6 quarters are any indication, then he is a definite fantasy starter. Consider Romo a high-risk, high-reward possible starter if you are weak at the QB spot. The young Dallas defense has decent fantasy value this week as well. Even though the Washington offense has put up quite a few yards this season, they have a lot of key injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Terrell Owens and Jason Witten are both fantasy locks due to their recent success with Romo. I would, however, sit Terry Glenn until Romo shows that he can throw the deep ball effectively or hit Glenn underneath.

Washington:
With the injuries to their offensive players, nearly all fantasy starters on the Redskin’s now carry a much higher risk. Start tight end Chris Cooley for sure. Even if Brunell were to not play the entire game, tight ends seem to be extremely successful with young quarterbacks due to being a large, safe target to hit. If healthy, Clinton Portis, and Santana Moss are both sure starters in my book. If Moss doesn’t play this week, look for Antwaan Randle El to get some extra opportunities on Sunday. Randle El Makes for a decent start in a pinch.

Final Thoughts

I see Dallas coming out of the gates strong in this game and smashing an injured Washington team in the mouth. Do I think that it will be a close game? Probably; after all, this is one of the most hated and storied rivalries in all of the NFL. Do I think that Washington can win this game? Again, this is a rivalry game; anything can happen when you have two teams and two owners that hate each other this much. All said, I don’t think Washington can keep up with the running game of the Cowboys. Dallas wins 28-17.

I welcome any and all arguments, debates, opinions, constructive criticism, compliments, or comments in the cafe forums.

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