SportDFW’s Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Predictions
After the way the Dallas Cowboys played last week in Seattle, you can imagine the type of emotions that were flowing from the pro-Cowboys SportDFW staff. It wasn’t so much that the Seahawks played better than we all expected, it was that the Dallas Cowboys played so horribly after their fantastic showing against the defending champion Giants in week 1. This week, they will face a young Tampa Bay Buccaneers team with a new coach, but they are a team that is talented enough to beat the Cowboys if they play poorly again. Here are the SportDFW staff’s week 3 Dallas Cowboys picks:
Sep 5, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Dallas Cowboys defeat the New York Giants by a score of 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Ben Fitzgerald:
This week I think the Cowboys are unlikely to repeat the same mistakes that cost them so dearly against the Seahawks. The Cowboys offense should pass the ball more effectively. They need to avoid any special teams gaffes. I think Rob Ryan would be wise to call a few more blitzes in an attempt to force turnovers. The defense should once again be solid facing a ball-control offense, with only one real deep threat in the form of Vincent Jackson. Cowboys 27 Buccaneers 21.
Greyson Jones:
I recently predicted the Cowboys to win 31-19, but that’s probably a little overconfident. I’ll adjust it to about 27-21. Josh Freeman has been about average, and if the Cowboys can sustain some drives they should score enough points to win. Granted, that’s what we all said about the Seahawks game, but I prefer to stay positive. Cowboys 27 Buccaneers 21
CowgirlCas:
Sept 16, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) rushes against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE
When I look at this game I see a tougher version of the Seahawks offensive line. Keep in mind that Seattle had 2 starters banged up. Tampa Bay’s OL is healthy and very stout. Carl Nicks is a road grader. I saw the Dallas Cowboys defensive line get overpowered by Seattle, so I see a big red flag when it comes to who Rob Ryan chooses to put across from Nicks. Mark my words, they will run Martin behind Nicks all day if there is no big strong Run Plugger in front of him. Lynch is tough, but he more of a straight ahead power runner. Martin has the ability to run between the tackles, but he also has the burst to break outside and the ability to catch passes as well. Once again, this game will have to be won in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The key will be containing Doug Martin. If this is another fiasco like last week with the OL not being able to open up holes for Murray or give Tony time to pass, it will be another beat down. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are very physical up front, therefore I don’t have any predictions for this week. I just hope the Cowboys play like they mean it. I just don’t see any nasty on this team. Like the old saying goes, nice guys finish last. I feel as though this team will continue to struggle until Dallas Cowboy Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones comes to the realization that he needs some nasty in the trenches. Carl Nicks won’t be out there to pussy-foot around on Sunday.
Erasmus:
After that fiasco last week, I will never trust a witch-doctor again. This week I travelled to a remote part of Mongolia to visit a Shaman who claims to be 33o years old. He assured me that the Dallas Cowboys will bounce back this week and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After imbibing a strange concoction made from roots and cacti, the Shaman described enchanting visions (I saw them too) of the world after the Dallas Cowboys win the 2012 Superbowl. For a full account of the the new world order read here.
Sept 16, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes under pressure from Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) during the first quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE
Justin Brumit:
I thought the Cowboys would handle business last week pretty easily and that just wasn’t the case. I don’t want to base my projection on just one game, but we’ve seen this before from the Cowboys and it hasn’t necessarily gotten better. I’m giving them one more week of optimism though. I believe the Romo-Witten connection is back this week and the O-line will give Tony just enough time to get the ball away. If the defense can find a way to slow down another good rushing attack (maybe use things they learned last week from Lynch going crazy), they can force Josh Freeman to throw the ball like they should have done with Russell Wilson. DeMarcus Ware and Brandon Carr show up this week to help the Dallas Cowboys take care of business at home. Cowboys 31 Buccaneers 17
Matt Barbour:
Sep 16, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. New York Giants defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-34. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
The Cowboys played far too much coverage defense last week against a young quarterback and paid the price after special teams mistakes had already put them in a hole. This week Dallas will be playing another young QB, but they’ll be at home and I don’t believe Rob Ryan will make the same mistake again. The defense we saw in the 1st quarter of preseason games and against the Giants will be back on display and it will hammer Josh Freeman anytime he goes back to pass. I still don’t have confidence in the ability of this offense to be consistent, though, because of the subpar line and Dez Bryant’s continued insistence on following in Martellus Bennett’s underachieving footsteps. This means that any more special teams gaffes will likely be very costly. If they can avoid those, the Dallas Cowboys should win. Cowboys 23 – Buccaneers 13
C. Joseph Wright:
Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE
After the debacle last week against the Seahawks, Jason Garrett’s Dallas Cowboys appear to one of those teams that are so inconsistent that they are capable of beating the best team in the NFL one week and then lose to one of the worst teams the next. If Garrett is going to impose his version of “The Cowboy Way” on to this franchise, he needs to have this team playing better and better every single week. If he is unable to start doing that this week, the fanbase and then eventually the players and the rest of the organization will start to lose faith in his ability to lead this franchise back to greatness. The Cowboys desperately need a victory, not so much because of the playoff picture or winning the division, but because they need to repair the psychological damage that they must have suffered last week.
In the offseason, I wrote a series of articles about the “Jason Garrett Effect” and how I thought he was bringing real change to the Dallas Cowboys. My faith has been shaken, but I still believe in Garrett. The Dallas Cowboys will beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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