Coming off a bye, the (2-2) Dallas Cowboys will head east to take on the (4-1) Baltimore Ravens. The Cowboys bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. After struggling to this point in the season, the bye week will allow the Cowboys two full weeks to recharge and prepare for a stout veteran Ravens defense.
When asked about his Cowboys (2-2) start, outspoken owner Jerry Jones couldn’t have said it any better. Jones told KRD-FM:
“We’ve got to play better…And if we play better or play where I think we’re capable of playing … I’m disappointed that we’re not putting more points on the board. I’m disappointed that we’re not getting the turnovers. All of that tells me that at 2-2, we’re in pretty good shape, considering the way that we’ve played.
For the Cowboys, there is only one direction they should go the remainder of the year – and it is up. After starting (2-2), they still possess a dangerous combonation of a high-octane offense and a tenacious defense.
With that being said, the Cowboys draw a Ravens team Sunday that usually strikes fear in the eyes of their opponents. However, the Ravens are coming off of a tough stretch of three games in fifteen days, including a Sunday and Thursday night game in the same week. In their last three games, the Ravens won all three games, but by a combined 11 points. There offensive production in the three games was: 31 points, 23 points, and 9 points. In other words, their offense seems to be fatiguing.
On the other hand, the Cowboys are coming off of a bye. Come this Sunday, they will have had two weeks to prepare for the Ravens and recharge. According to ESPN Dallas’ Calvin Watkins, the Cowboys expect four-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff to make his 2012 season debut. The Cowboys also expect defensive linemen Marcus Spears to also make his return. This should provide a boost for a team looking to stop Ray Rice, who leads the NFL with a 3.72 yard rushing average before first contact. When asked about Ratliff’s return, Spears told Watkins and ESPN Dallas:
“Getting Jay back is like getting three guys back in the nickel packages and the base packages, and teams actually gameplan for Jay Ratliff. So it will give other guys an opportunity to make more plays and have more success because he is in the game.”
Despite their record, expect the Cowboys to show up in Baltimore ready to play. They are coming off a bye week and facing a Ravens team that has played three games in fifteen days. For a team as talented as the Cowboys, it is only a matter of time before they start playing to their potential. On Sunday, look for them to take a big step in the right direction for their playoff aspirations.
