Cowboys at Seahawks: Sunday injury updates, preview, and predictions

The (1-1) Dallas Cowboys travel to Seattle to take on the winless Seahawks this afternoon. Here’s what to watch and what to expect…

The Dallas Cowboys are looking to keep momentum going and to do that, they’ll need to find a way to win in one of the NFL least hospitable environments. Since Pete Carroll took over, the Seahawks have only gone 0-2 twice. And in both instances they won Game 3 at home. This is a true “backs against the wall” situation and things are not going to come easily for either team on offense.

Seattle’s offensive line is a disaster and their receiving corps, sans Doug Baldwin, is a joke. Dallas’ situation isn’t much better. Their aerial attack is feared by no one, and their running game has yet to regain the dominance they once had.

Defensively both teams are wildly underrated. Seattle may not have the Legion of Boom anymore but they defend the deep pass well and have no problem shutting down the run when they want to. Dallas’ D is the youngest in the NFL, ranked in the top 5, and quickly developing the most feared pass rush in the league

Injury Update: Seattle’s O-line was already in shambles but C Justin Britt may miss the game along with G Ethan Pocic. S Earl Thomas is expected to play for Seattle.  WR Cole Beasley, WILL Sean Lee and  RDE Randy Gregory are all expected to play for Dallas. DT Maliek Collins has been ruled out and FS Xavier Woods should be making his debut. 

Reid Hanson Prediction

People will say under Pete Carroll the Seahawks are undefeated at home in September. They also will point out Russell Wilson is 3-1 against the Cowboys. But what they fail to point out is how much churn both rosters have endured lately, and that both teams are vastly different from whom they were only a year ago. So basically, Wilson is 3-1 against a bunch of guys who used to wear Cowboys jerseys.

What is undeniably real is the degree of home field advantage CenturyLink Field offers. The Seahawks may only be an average NFL team in talent (probably below average if we’re being honest), but at home they are champions. On a neutral field the Dallas Cowboys win this one easy, but at Century Link – I’m not so sure.

Both defenses are good and both offenses are struggling. Even though Seattle’s offensive line stinks, they have one of the best QBs in the NFL back there making plays. If one of these teams cracks 20 points, they’ll likely come out the victor. But 20 points aren’t going to be easy for either.

Since Seattle can’t protect Wilson, they’re going to have a tough time sustaining drives. Because of this, the big-play is going to be critical to their attack. Dallas has been great in this regard, only allowing one explosive play this season, but they haven’t faced Wilson…

Since Earl Thomas is now expected to play, Dallas is going to have a tough time going deep, placing all the pressure on the running game and short passing attack. They’ll do enough to make this a contest of field goals

Dallas 19 Seattle 10

Dink Kearney Prediction

In another must-win game, the Dallas Cowboys take on the 0-2 Seattle Seahawks in the NFL’s game of the week. The Cowboys need to come out on offense and attack the Seahawks defense with a heavy dose of Ezekiel Elliott. They also need to sprinkle in a few designed runs for Dak Prescott, and throw the deep ball with play action. The play action plays deep balls should target Tavon Austin and newly signed wideout Brice Butler.

The sooner the Cowboys score the better off it’ll be for the defense. And the defense will dominate the Seahawks pathetic offensive line and sack Russell Wilson at least six times (like it did poor Eli Manning).

Dallas Cowboys: Three keys to victory Week Three

The Dallas Cowboys will take on the Seattle Seahawks in one of the most interesting Week Three matchups. Let's take at three keys to a Dallas victory.

The Seahawks are a desperate team and will come out playing hard. That’s why the Cowboys need to score first and dominate on both sides of the ball. I expect them to do exactly that and win this game in dominant fashion. The Cowboys offense will score more than 20 points and the defense will continue its surprise as a top defense in the league.

Cowboys 35 Seahawks 10