DALLAS COWBOYS
This Year:
The Cowboys are 12-4, winners of the NFC East and the second seed in the NFC playoffs
Statistical Leaders for Cowboys:
Passing:Tony Romo: 69.9 CMP%, 3705 YDS, 34 TD, 9 INT
Rushing: DeMarco Murray: 392 ATT, 1845 YDS, 4.7 AVG, 13 TD
Receiving: Dez Bryant: 88 REC, 1320 YDS, 15.0 AVG, 16 TD
Defense: Barry Church: 97 TACK, 0 SACK, 2 TFL, 2 INT, 6 PD, 1 FF, 1 REC
Cowboys Injuries:
Out: none
Doubtful: OT Doug Free (ankle)
Questionable: OLB Anthony Hitchens (ankle), DT Tyrone Crawford (illness)
Probable: DT Josh Brent (calf), OLB Bruce Carter (knee), DT Nick Hayden (shoulder), SS Jeff Heath (thumb), OG Zack Martin (ankle), MLB Rolando McClain (knee/illness), RB DeMarco Murray (hand), QB Tony Romo (back), DB C.J. Spillman (groin), OLB Dekoda Watson (hamstring).
Inactive:
QB Dustin Vaughan, OT Doug Free, OT Donald Hawkins, S Jakar Hamilton, LB Kieth Smith, LB James Anderson, and DE Kenneth Boatright
The Detroit Lions
This Year:
11-5, 2nd place in the NFC North, and sixth seed in the NFC Playoffs.
Statistical Leaders for Lions:
Passing: Matt Stafford: 60.3 CMP%, 4257 YDS, 22 TD, 12 INT
Rushing: Joique Bell: 223 ATT, 860 YDS, 7 TD
Receiving: Golden Tate: 99 REC, 1331 YDS, 4 TD
Defense: DeAndre Levy: 151 TACK, 2.5 SACK, 15 TFL, 1 INT, 5 PD
Injuries:
Out: OG Larry Warford (knee)
Doubtful: Nick Fairley (knee)
Questionable: none
Probable: WR Calvin Johnson (ankle), DE Darryl Tapp (non injury), Ezekial Ansah (toe).
Inactive:
QB Kellen Moore, CB Josh Thomas, OG Larry Warford, DE Larry Webster, WR Ryan Broyles, DT Caraun Reid, and DT Nick Fairley
The Game
Location: AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas
Weather Forecast: Dome with retractable roof. 37 degrees outside with 0 percent chance of rain.
Time: 4:40 PM ET
Broadcast: FOX and the Lions Radio Network (97.1 FM the Ticket is flagship out of Detroit)
Detroit Starters:
Offense:
QB: #9 Matthew Stafford
RB: #25 Reggie Bush
FB: #45 Jed Collins
TE: #87 Brandon Pettigrew
WR: #81 Calvin Johnson
WR: #15 Golden Tate
LT: #71 Riley Rieff
LG: #67 Rob Sims
C: #51 Dominic Raiola
RG: #64 Travis Swanson (r)
RT: #77 Cornelius Lucas (r)
Defense:
DE:#91 Jason Jones
DE: #94 Ziggy Ansah
DT: #90 Ndamukong Suh
DT: #9 C.J. Mosley
OLB: #54 DeAndre Levy
MLB: #59 Tahir Whitehead
OLB: #56 Ashlee Palmer
CB: #23 Darius Slay
BC: #31 RaShean Mathis
FS: #27 Glover Quin
SS: #32 James Ihedigbo
Dallas Cowboys Starters:
Offense:
QB: #9 Tony Romo
RB: #29 DeMarco Murray
FB: #44 Tyler Clutts
WR: #88 Dez Bryant
WR: #83 Terrance Williams
TE: #82 Jason Witten
LT: #77 Tyron Smith
LG: #65 Ronald Leary
C: # 72 Travis Frederick
RG: #70 Zack Martin (r)
RT: #78 Jeremy Parnell
Defense:
DE: #99 George Selvie
DT: #96 Nick Hayden
DT: #98 Tyrone Crawford
DE: #92 Jeremy Mincey
OLB: #54 Bruce Carter
OLB: #59 Anthony Hitchens (r)
MLB: #55 Rolando McClain
CB: #39 Brandon Carr
CB: #32 Orlando Scandrick
SS: #27 J.J. Wilcox
FS: #42 Barry Church
The Majors Detroit Pregame Analysis:
A Matthew Stafford lead Lions team on the road against a team with a winning record is 0-16 all time. Today is a prime day for that to change, however it doesn’t look likely to happen.
Why?
1. Matt Stafford hasn’t taken the next step forward to becoming what you expect the number one overall pick to be. Stafford’s supposed to be elite by now but is nothing more than average. Tony Romo is no where as physically talented as Stafford and has similar talent around him and has done so much more. Throwing 12 interceptions on the season is a very acceptable number for a guy who threw over 600 passes, however only 22 touchdowns with the weapons Stafford has is flat out unacceptable. It’s not like the Lions have 20 rushing TD’s to go with Stafford’s 22 passing TD’s, they have 11.
2. The Offensive Line has been pathetic, even when healthy. Now the Lions are on their fourth right tackle on the year and third right guard. The two guys that are starting in the role are a 3rd round rookie and a undrafted free agent rookie, neither of which are known for their physical strength. The Lions will struggle to run the ball, which won’t open up the passing game. Dallas doesn’t really get after the QB, notching only 28 sacks on the year and allow a very pedestrian 102 yards per game on the ground so this could hide this deficiency, however I’m not confident.
3. Matthew Stafford’s inability to hit secondary targets is a major problem. After using the tight end in the passing game at nauseam for several years, the Lions have effectively forgotten that they exist. After collecting 68 receptions in 2013 and 118 in 2012, Lions tight ends have had 41 receptions in 16 games, which is only 2.6 receptions per game. Dallas isn’t that good in the secondary so they will shift their coverage heavily to try to take out Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, so the other guys will be open and Stafford will have to hit them.
Prediction: Dallas 27 – Detroit 21
