Gametime: Cowboys-Giants Preview

Ehsan Azad

Cowboys-Giants Preview

                It’s finally here! The NFL kicks off the season with a bang as the Defending Super Bowl Champion New York Football Giants hosts America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys, in a divisional showdown.  It should be an exciting yet nervous night for all Cowboys fans.  Let’s preview the game that seems t have the hype of a championship game.

Cowboys Offense vs. Giants Defense:

Ok, this could be the matchup that really could decide the game. The Dallas Cowboys boast one of the talented offenses in the league.  It features two dynamic receivers in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.  Jason Witten is an ALL-PRO and one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Demarco Murray is an up and coming star running back ready to shoulder the load of carries. And Tony Romo is in my opinion an elite quarterback capable of making all the right plays for his team to succeed. But, there are some glaring holes that could help the Giants out in this game. The Giants defense relies heavily on its elite pass rush. Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Chris Canty are some of the best pass rushers and can cause havoc for any offensive line. It was that pass rush that the Giants rode to an unlikely Super Bowl run last year.  That means trouble for a Cowboys O-line that is unproven and hasn’t had time to gel much in training camp. Left tackle Tyrone Smith could handle his own, but the rest of the line is such a question mark. Good news for Cowboys fans is that if Romo has time in the pocket, he could exploit a Giants secondary that is hurting right now with Cornerback Prince Amukamara. The Cowboys could lean on the running game to help take the pressure of Romo. The tandem of Murray and Felix Jones could slow down the pass rush and help open a lot of play action plays for the offense. Murray is a talented runner, he should be able to slice up the Giants run defense and get to the second level. This is where I think the key for Dallas is. If Jason Garrett can balance the offense, the Cowboys can score in bunches. If they pass too much, Romo will be under pressure from the Giants all night.

Cowboys Defense vs. Giants Offense:

This was the matchup that caused the most damage from last year for the Cowboys. Last year, the Cowboys defense was shredding in the passing game and no team exploited it better than the Giants. They have one of the premier Quarterbacks in the league in Eli Manning, two explosive running backs with Ahmad Bradshaw and rookie David Wilson, and playmaking receivers in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz.  To counter the Giants, the Cowboys invested 50 million in bringing cornerback Brandon Carr and moving up in the draft to get LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. That should bring some stability to one of the league’s worst defenses against the pass. Defensive Coordinator now has players who can cover long enough for him to call more blitzes. Demarcus Ware is the best pass rusher in the game, but he is going to need help. I believe Anthony Spencer will get better this year and help moving attention away from Ware. To stop the Giants, they need to get their pass rush going. Eli Manning has too many weapons to use if he has time in the pocket. The Giants have a suspect offensive line as well and that could help Dallas too sack the qb. This Defense has to step up and do a better job than last year.

Special Teams:

Both teams seem to be equal on the special teams front. Both have reliable kickers and punters. Return teams might favor Dallas as they have some great return guys in Felix Jones and Dez Bryant. The Giants really don’t have any big time returners. I’ll give it to Dallas, but just an inch.

Analysis:

I think this game is going to be a defensive slugfest. By looking at both sides, I can tell both offenses will struggle as they both have weak O-line play and are facing some elite pass rushers. The key is going to be the running game, especially since it will rain a lot during the game.  The team that rushes the ball well, I think wins in the end.

Prediction:

This is tough, but I see the Cowboys loosing this game. The Giants are just better right now. I don’t have any confidence in the offensive line protecting Romo. Hopefully I am wrong on this, but I have the Giants winning 24-17.