Today I will break down both teams’ offensive lines and running backs vs. defensive front sevens. As the week progresses I am getting more and more excited about this game and wish I played for the Dallas Cowboys. This game cannot come soon enough.
The Vikings offensive line has talent but will be tested against the ferocious Cowboys’ front seven. Running back Adrian Peterson arguably is the best running back in the league. Personally I would choose Tennessee running back Chris Johnson as the best overall. He was just named Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. Peterson has a penchant for fumbling the ball. Being a young player in the league, Peterson still does not protect the ball well enough and fights for every inch he can get- exposing the football for defenders to swat out of his hands. Chester Taylor is a solid if yet unspectacular change of pace back that gives Peterson a breather every now and then. He is a good receiver though.
Vikings’ Rookie right tackle Phil Loadholt and left tackle Bryant Mckinnie will have their hands full with Dallas Cowboys’ OLBs DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. Both Ware and Spencer have been on a recent tear the past 4 games. Spencer has bloomed this season and hitting his stride at the right time. Earlier in the season he was a little bit late getting to the Quarterback. He has 7 sacks this season playing opposite Ware. Teams often have double and tripled teamed Ware to prevent him from causing havoc in the backfield. Offensive coordinators can no longer double team All- Pro Ware and disregard Spencer. It is a pick your poison situation. Least we cannot forget All Pro defensive nose tackle Jay Ratliff either. Ratliff provides an intense rush up the middle playing the run as well as rushing the QB. Viking’s Center John Sullivan will be in for a long day if he does not get help from his line mates Anthony Herrera or Stephen Hutchinson. The battle in the trenches will be fun to watch.
The Cowboys defensive Ends Igor Olshansky and Marcus Spears are stout against the run. Their jobs playing in the 3-4 defensive scheme calls for them to occupy opposing offensive lineman and let the linebackers make plays. What sets these two apart is they play the run very well and get off their blocks and stop the running back. They are not called upon to rush the passer but they do not necessarily have to since Ware and Spencer are so good at it. DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer play the run and cover running backs and tight ends on passing downs too. Inside Linebackers Keith Brooking and Bradie James are very good run stuffers as well. If the Vikings try to run Peterson up the middle he will be met with a formidable defense. I just do not envision Peterson and the Vikings having a good day rushing.
Jared Allen is the most fearsome pass rusher for the Vikings. He has been one of the most dominant pass rushers the past several years in the NFL. Defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams are considered to be ranked in the top 5 at their positions in the league. Ray Edwards is a young defensive end that is the least known of the 4. Cowboys’ left tackle, Flozell Adams will be matched up against Jared Allen. He is deaf in one of his ears, and the fan noise in the Metrodome could cause Adams to jump offside’s anticipating the snap count. Flozell will be expected to handle Allen one on one for the majority of the game. Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, and Leonard Davis will be able to handle Willamses in the middle. Right tackle Marc Colombo returned to the starting line up last week after missing several games with a leg injury. His nastiness was missed a little during his absence. Back up tackle Doug Free performed admirably, stepping up his play and showing he will be a force in the near future on the Cowboys’ offensive line. If Adams struggles with Allen, Free might replace him on the left side, as he is more athletic than Adams.
I believe the Vikings’ defensive weakness is their linebacking corps. Their leader, EJ Henderson, was sidelined for the season recently. His replacement is a young guy named Jasper Brinkley. Ben Leber and Chad Greenway are the outside linebackers and are solid but will have trouble covering Cowboys’ tight ends Jason Witten, Marcellus Bennett, and John Phillips. They simply are not swift enough. Conversely, Ware, Spencer, and 3rd down linebacker Bobby Carpenter can hold their own against Viasnthe Shiancoe. The Cowboys’ 3 headed rushing attack of Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice can have success against the Vikings’ front seven. They each bring a different running style with Felix being the explosive one; Barber the punisher, and Jones a combination of both.
Bottom line is I just don’t think the Vikings defense can stop the Cowboys’ running game and make Tony Romo beat them throwing the ball. The Cowboys are playing so good lately that the Vikings will be overmatched and just out muscled in the trenches.
Edge: Cowboys
2010 Divisional Playoffs :Cowboys vs. Vikings
Today I will break down each team’s wide receivers and defensive backs. Both teams have game changers in the passing game with Tony Romo and Brett Favre tossing the pigskin to them. Away we go…
The Minnesota Vikings had one of the most explosive passing attacks this season with Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian, and Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin as their top 3 wide outs. Brett Favre came out of retirement a second time so he could play catch with this good trio of receivers. Sidney Rice really blossomed this year and made a name for himself. Rookie Percy Harvin did not disappoint this year being able to stretch the field as a wide out. He also provided a good punch on special teams being a dual threat as a punt returner. Rice and Berrian have good size and speed while Harvin is a smaller but faster weapon. Besides these three they do not have much depth at the position. Greg Lewis, Jaymar Johnson, and Darius Reynaud are the 4th-6th wide outs on the roster. Not exactly household names.
The Dallas Cowboys counter with a formidable secondary. Veteran cornerback Terrence Newman and 2nd year man Mike Jenkins proved to be a very good duo as starters especially from the 5th game onwards. Nickel corner Orlando Scandrick had some growing pains playing the slot this year, but he recently picked up his play during the Cowboys defensive dominance the past 4 games. All three corners are good tacklers and are also very good playing man-to-man as well as zone coverage. Having DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, and Anthony Spencer pass rushing opposing QBs so well it helps out the secondary immensely. Free Safety Ken Hamlin is excellent aligning the defense up and making proper adjustments. It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys will match up with the Vikings receivers. My bet is Jenkins will play the bigger Rice and Newman will blanket Berrian. The x- factor will be if Scandrick can continue his solid play against the speedy Harvin. Strong Safety Gerald Sensabaugh has been a huge improvement over former SS Roy Williams. Sensabaugh was signed in the offseason from the Jacksonville Jaguars and has proved himself to be very good in covering wide receivers and tight ends. Alan Ball, the 4th cornerback has really come on this season too providing excellent depth as a defensive back and special teamer along with Pat Watkins.
The Vikings secondary is a solid group but not a spectacular one. Antoine Winfield is their best cover guy but is not 100% healthy. He will have some difficulty covering. Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams are the starting safeties. Karl Paymah and Benny Sapp are young corners who still have a lot of learning to do in the NFL. Cowboys’ wide outs Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, and Kevin Ogletree should have success against the Vikings secondary. I expect Minnesota to play a cover 2 zone coverage scheme to try and limit the Cowboys’ big plays. Romo will be able to read the coverage fast and get the ball to the open man early and often.
Bottom line is the Cowboys have a slight edge in the secondary and the both wide receivers are just about even.
Special teams will play a role in this game, but I don’t foresee any big punt or kickoff returns. Cowboys’ kickoff specialist Buehler will boom kickoffs into endzone resulting in touchbacks effectively limiting Harvin’s return ability. The Vikings do have an edge between field goal kickers with Ryan Longwell compared to Shaun Suisham.
My prediction is the Cowboys will start off strong and build a 14-point lead and Favre’s luck will run out again. Final score will be Cowboys 31 Vikings 17.
Posted by mparagas on January 16, 2010 at 03:39 PM in Cowboys, Commentary | Permalink | Comments (0)