GDT Cowboys @ Vikings

[Mav Addict]

GAME SET
WHAT: Dallas Cowboys (1-3) at Minnesota Vikings (1-3)
WHEN: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
TELEVISION: FOX (Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver)

BIG ISSUE: The Cowboys have seen this situation before. Three weeks ago, they were staring down the big, bad Texans and an 0-3 start. But with their backs against the wall, they came out victorious. Now, they're facing another must-win situation. This time the Cowboys have to beat the struggling Vikings and their loud stadium to avoid a disastrous 1-4 beginning.

The Vikings need this one just as bad as the Cowboys. They're a team that had Super Bowl dreams and started out 1-3 as well. Their only victory this season came against the 1-4 Detroit Lions, but in their three losses, their average margin of defeat is six points. So Sunday's game should be one of the most competitive of the season - the loser's year could be over before the calendar changes to November.

NUMBERS, PLEASE: The Cowboys and Vikings have more similarities than just their 1-3 records. For one, both teams really struggle with turnover ratio. In the Cowboys' three losses this season, they are a minus-7 turnover team. In the Vikings' three losses this season, they are a minus-6 turnover team. Both squads struggle to intercept opposing quarterbacks, too - the Cowboys and Vikings only have two interceptions each in four games played.

The biggest reason for the Vikings' turnover ratio is Brett Favre. He had a monster season last year. He completed 68.4 percent of his passes, threw for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns and only had seven picks. This year, however, he has fallen back to earth. The Vikings quarterback has already thrown seven interceptions, is completing only 56.5 percent of his passes and has a 67.0 quarterback rating. He's also lost three fumbles, averaging nearly 2 1/2 turnovers per game on his own.

ONE-ON-ONE: The Vikings defense has only posted six sacks in four games this year. Against the Cowboys in last season's playoff game, the Vikings had six sacks by the fourth quarter. The Cowboys offensive line will have to block Jared Allen, Kevin Williams and Ray Edwards much better this weekend if they even want to have a chance at turning their season around.

For the second straight week, the Cowboys are going to see a running back who can claim he is the league's best. Adrian Peterson has quietly had a dominant year, rushing for 480 yards and three scores on 5.5 yards per carry. The Cowboys defense has struggled to stop elite running backs this season, letting the Texans' Arian Foster rip off 106 yards on 17 carries and Tennessee's Chris Johnson pile up 131 rushing yards on 19 carries. The rush defense has to be more stout this weekend against the bruising Peterson.

SUPPORTING ROLE: The Cowboys' defense wasn't consistently effective on Sunday, but one play by rookie linebacker Sean Lee in the fourth quarter really stood out. He knifed into the backfield and brought down the slippery Johnson for a 3-yard loss in an important drive. If that play was a sign of things to come, he might have a breakout game against the Vikings, and could finally become that linebacker the Cowboys are looking for to spell starters Keith Brooking and Bradie James.

Favre will likely play this weekend. He's listed as questionable with an elbow injury, but the future Hall of Famer has started 289 consecutive games and has played with injuries a lot worse than elbow tendinitis. Still, if he somehow can't start, or needs to leave the game early, the Vikings will turn to Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson hasn't been the most consistent quarterback in the NFL, and he's certainly not Favre. The last time the Cowboys and Vikings met in the regular season in 2007, Jackson was just 6-for-19 for 72 yards.

HEADSET GAMES: The Cowboys defense should have one goal on Sunday: Get to Favre. In last season's playoff game, they couldn't do that consistently, and he made them pay to the tune of 234 yards and four touchdowns. This year, in games he's been sacked more than once (three), he's turned over the ball nine times. Do that, and they won't have to worry about receivers Randy Moss or Percy Harvin in the secondary.

The Vikings will likely try to do the same thing against the Cowboys. Even though running back Felix Jones posted 109 rushing yards on 15 carries last weekend, the Cowboys season average of 95.2 rushing yards per game ranks 24th. The Cowboys are third in the league with 326.2 passing yards per game - but if the Vikings can somehow stop quarterback Tony Romo, they can load up against a running game that featured primarily Jones last weekend.

HEALTH WATCH:

Cowboys
Questionable: WR Dez Bryant (ribs)
Probable: FB Chris Gronkowski (groin), S Alan Ball (shoulder), TE Martellus Bennett (ankle), LB Bradie James (knee), DE Igor Olshansky (knee), C Andre Gurode (knee)

Vikings
Out: T Chris Degeare (ankle)
Questionable: CB Chris Cook (knee), QB Brett Favre (elbow, ankle), C John Sullivan (calf)
Probable: DE Brian Robison (ankle), S Jamarca Sanford (back), TE Vinsanthe Shiancoe (hamstring), S Madieu Williams (shoulder)

[Mav Addict]

Maybe they can turn it around, what better time than now

Maybe the mojo from the last winning GDT will follow me here

[Male30Dan]

God I hate how dumb we are. It is so very hard to be a fan of this team. I want them to win so bad but I watch them play and it is like I want it more than they do. Just so dumb.

[Male30Dan]

Roy is playing as good as he ever has this year. Talk about turning it around and now holding onto the ball that eluded him so much in the past... He might actually make the Pro Bowl this year.

[fluid.forty.one]

Maybe Romo just looked so good because everyone was comparing them to Bledsoe.

[Windmill360]

Two things should be learned from all of this... You can never predict how a season will turn out.... And the previous season always means squat.

[dalmations202]

Originally Posted by Male29Dan

God I hate how dumb we are. It is so very hard to be a fan of this team. I want them to win so bad but I watch them play and it is like I want it more than they do. Just so dumb.

I totally agree.

[Underdog]

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Anyone surprised? Im certainly surprised by the season, but not by this game. The "gee golly" coaching approach isn't working....

[fluid.forty.one]

Someone has to get fired... right?

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by Male29Dan

Roy is playing as good as he ever has this year. Talk about turning it around and now holding onto the ball that eluded him so much in the past... He might actually make the Pro Bowl this year.

dude I know. He has been playing out of his mind. He's catching balls, no drops, running good routes. Blocking, he isn't being a cry baby, etc. He's making key plays in the game too.

If he would have played like this when he got traded to the cowboys, everyone would be loving him. Hopefully, he can keep this up, and maybe he'll remain a cowboy in the future.

[tcat075]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

Maybe Romo just looked so good because everyone was comparing them to Bledsoe.

No.

Its easy to blame the QB, but Romo is not the problem. At all. He's not the best of the league, I'm not saying that, but he's an excellent QB who can and usually does make every throw. He does things that 31 other QB's don't...little things, like pass fakes to wideouts on draw plays, but they add up...and I've heard national media members say that same thing.

If his fluke interceptions continue, then maybe he is doing something wrong, but so far, his interceptions are just that: flukes or tipped balls from his own players or garbage time throws. I mean, if Bennett caught that ball against the Titans, everyone is talking about how Romo could not have thrown a better pass. It was right were it needed to be, up in the air so the defenders couldn't get it, and it just had an unfortunate bounce.

In this game, can Romo really be blamed for Doug Free not even getting out of his stance? Not even Free being beat off the edge...no, the rusher had a straight line without being touched at Romo, forcing him into an poor throw on the move which again, took an unlucky bounce right in the air.

Again, he's not perfect. That second interception was a bad read, and he has to start to realize that Witten is being blanketed on third down. Still, considering the ineptitude of this offensive line, offensive coordinator, and defense/special teams in getting them good field position, Romo is playing way better than he should be.

edit: and don't take offense, I'm not attacking you; I realize your post never really said you thought Romo was awful or needed to be replaced or something. I just wanted to give my opinion on Romo.

[FINtastic]

Originally Posted by tcat075

No.

Its easy to blame the QB, but Romo is not the problem. At all. He's not the best of the league, I'm not saying that, but he's an excellent QB who can and usually does make every throw. He does things that 31 other QB's don't...little things, like pass fakes to wideouts on draw plays, but they add up...and I've heard national media members say that same thing.

If his fluke interceptions continue, then maybe he is doing something wrong, but so far, his interceptions are just that: flukes or tipped balls from his own players or garbage time throws. I mean, if Bennett caught that ball against the Titans, everyone is talking about how Romo could not have thrown a better pass. It was right were it needed to be, up in the air so the defenders couldn't get it, and it just had an unfortunate bounce.

In this game, can Romo really be blamed for Doug Free not even getting out of his stance? Not even Free being beat off the edge...no, the rusher had a straight line without being touched at Romo, forcing him into an poor throw on the move which again, took an unlucky bounce right in the air.

Again, he's not perfect. That second interception was a bad read, and he has to start to realize that Witten is being blanketed on third down. Still, considering the ineptitude of this offensive line, offensive coordinator, and defense/special teams in getting them good field position, Romo is playing way better than he should be.

edit: and don't take offense, I'm not attacking you; I realize your post never really said you thought Romo was awful or needed to be replaced or something. I just wanted to give my opinion on Romo.

Bingo. Given how atrocious his blocking has been, I'd say that Romo's play has been one of the few bright spots this year.

I also can't believe how cursed he's been with some of these flukey interceptions. I have to believe we'll see a regression to the mean with regards to the interception issue. And he hasn't fumbled the ball once this season that I can recall, which is a very welcome development considering how much trouble that was two seasons ago.

[tcat075]

Originally Posted by FINtastic

Bingo. Given how atrocious his blocking has been, I'd say that Romo's play has been one of the few bright spots this year.

I also can't believe how cursed he's been with some of these flukey interceptions. I have to believe we'll see a regression to the mean with regards to the interception issue. And he hasn't fumbled the ball once this season that I can recall, which is a very welcome development considering how much trouble that was two seasons ago.

People don't realize this, but Romo is completing 69.4% of his passes. That's 2nd best, behind Brees's 70.6%, and nearly two whole percentage points better than the third QB.

Romo is ridiculously accurate. He hardly ever misses easy throws, and when he does, it stands out. He's matured, and very rarely forces passes. In fact, if we were actually winning games, his percentage would likely be over 70% because he wouldn't have those garbage time incompletions that he's accumulated. He's really having an outstanding season, and its too bad that balls bouncing off of receiver's hands and left tackles who don't get out of their stance are causing people to form false opinions of him.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by tcat075

Romo is ridiculously accurate. He hardly ever misses easy throws, and when he does, it stands out.

Yep, just like when Dirk misses a jumper - he's so automatic that his humanity is magnified whenever he isn't on.

[tcat075]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Yep, just like when Dirk misses a jumper - he's so automatic that his humanity is magnified whenever he isn't on.

Not quite the same, because Dirk is obvious >>> than Romo, and that's simply because of how amazing Dirk is, but yes, that's the concept right there.