MVN: Most Valuable Network

 

Another wild card here is Ladell Betts.  He will be back from injury this week, but all indications are that he is still missing the burst that he needs to be successful. If he can get healthy by Sunday, we should actually be able to run out pretty much the same game plan we always would.  Betts is not quite the explosive force that Portis is, but he can do everything Portis can do just a little bit worse.

 

Assuming the stadium is the normal home game for us, the key is forcing the Cowboys into being one dimensional.  The last game against the Boys, they abandoned the run early themselves.  The problem with playing defense against the Cowboys when they are clicking is that you have to play your base defense or you have to disguise when you are selling out against the run or the pass because if you put 8 men in the box they'll kill you with the pass.  If you back off for the pass, they'll kill you with Barber.

 

Of course, all of this is moot if Romo's finger is worse than reported.  My dream scenario is Romo plays with pain and throws three INTs and TO and Romo are yelling at each other on the sidelines.

 

My prediction?  Honestly, I think there is a 50-50 chance we're going to lose depending on how rusty Romo is and whether Portis can be himself.  If both of them play, we'll win a close one 23-20.

Three questions with Matt of Know Your Dallas Cowboys:

1. It's Monday, December 29th and the NFL regular season has just come to an end.  What do the NFC East standings look like?

The Cowboys have a long history of finishing seasons strong (e.g., Super Bowl years in 1970, 1971, 1978, 1991, 1992, 1993). The Cowboys also have a recent history of falling apart in December. I do not have a great deal of confidence that this team can start a run, but I don't think the wheels have come off just yet. I expect a 5-2 finish for the Cowboys and a number six seed in the playoffs.

I think the Eagles may struggle after losing in the manner they did to the Giants. I also think the Redskins could have trouble down the stretch. The Giants are likely to run away with the East.

My forecast:

N.Y. Giants: 13-3
Washington: 10-6
Dallas: 10-6
Philadelphia: 9-7

It will be tough for Dallas to finish ahead of Washington, even if the Cowboys win on Sunday night. Washington has a 5-2 conference record compared with the Cowboys' 3-4 record.

2. Is Wade Phillips the right man to be coaching this team?  What's your assessment of his future with the organization?

I don't think Phillips has a long future with the Cowboys, but I put more of the blame on Jerry Jones than on Phillips for the team's problems. The Cowboys have drafted poorly for a number of years, and though the team has compiled some talent recently, the team currently lacks chemistry. This problem falls more on Jones than anyone else. We also have some evidence now that Tony Sparano may have had more to do with the team's offensive success last year than was originally thought. Moreover, we know with some certainty at this stage that the offensive line was better under Sparano than is the case with Hudson Houck, who was Jones' selection as offensive line coach and was not Phillips' selection. There were certainly problems on defense early in the season, but I think the team really started sinking when the offensive line started falling apart. Given the team's $3 million offensive coordinator, I don't think this problem falls on Phillips' shoulders.

Since Jerry the owner is not going to fire Jerry the G.M., though, it is easier to blame Phillips for all of the team's problems. To be sure, the defense that Phillips was brought in to install has not paid dividends this year, and this problem may provide enough justification to let Phillips go. But I do not believe that firing Phillips by itself will resolve much of anything. Jason Garrett or any other coach would still have to deal with Jerry, who apparently still doesn't realize he's not a true "football guy."

3. What is the single-biggest key to Sunday's game for the Cowboys, and what is your predicted final score?