Inconsistency, turnovers and potential are three words that could be used to sum up the 2012 Dallas Cowboys season to this point. At times, they have dominated, yet turnovers and mental mistakes have cost them games. Despite their terrible mental lapses in losses to Baltimore and New York, they have shown their potential. This Sunday night, the Cowboys will look to turn that potential into success against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons.
Sunday night’s match up with Atlanta will not be an easy one. The Falcons are undefeated and boast one of the most prolific passing offenses in the NFL. They are led by quarterback Matt Ryan, an MVP candidate who has the third best passer rating in then league. In addition, the Falcons possess arguably the best receiving tandem in the NFL with Roddy White and Julio Jones. The two receivers have combined for 1,090 yards and 9 touchdowns this season, and we’re not even at the midway point yet.
If the Cowboys are going to head back to Dallas victorious, they will have to stop the dynamic duo of White and Jones. One way for Dallas to do so is by playing press coverage. In two games against the New York Giants, the Cowboys defensive backs were able to shut down the duo of Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks by playing press coverage. According to ESPN Dallas, in week 1 against the Giants, Dallas played press coverage 42 times. Last week Dallas played press coverage 49 times. In both games, the Cowboys were able to hold Cruz and Nicks to 81 and 84 receiving yards and no touchdowns.
In addition to shutting down White and Jones, the Cowboys will need to drastically limit their turnovers. In their three wins this season, the Cowboys have turned the ball over 5 times. On the other hand, in their 4 losses, Dallas has turned it over 14 times – yes 14 times. It is not rocket science, but the Cowboys can’t afford to turn the ball over at their current rate if they expect to beat the Falcons.
Despite the (3-4) record and plethora of turnovers, Dallas has a chance to get the monkey off their back with a win in Atlanta. Not only would a win silence critics, but it could jump-start a winning streak. Of the remaining teams left on the Cowboys schedule, only the Pittsburgh Steelers have a winning record. A win in Atlanta may just be what the doctor ordered to get the Cowboys back on track.
