| Key to Cowboys getting to .500 |
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| Written by Navid Razi | |||
| Saturday, 09 October 2010 11:41 | |||
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Nobody saw the Dallas Cowboys getting off to a 0-2 start against the likes of a newly rebuilt Washington Redskins team and a Chicago Bears club with a wildly inconsistent quarterback. In fact, the Cowboys were a favorite to be the first team to host its very own Super Bowl, but an 0-2 start along with having one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL had local media and fans alike hitting the panic button. But all is well in Jerry World after the Cowboys bounced back with an impressive 27-13 victory over a red-hot Houston Texans team. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for a Cowboys team that desperately needed to find balance between the running game and an electrifying pass attack. Offensive coordinator came under great scrutiny in weeks one and two for not committing to running backs Marion Barber and Felix Jones and instead opting for the more visually appealing plays downfield to wideouts Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and yes, even Roy Williams. The Cowboys host the 2-2 Tennessee Titans Sunday afternoon and it's not a big secret what the Cowboys must do to get past the Titans. Stop the running onslaught by Titans running back Chris Johnson. Johnson rushed for 142 yards against the Oakland Raiders, 125 yards against the New York Giants and added two touchdowns in each of those games. In the Titans two losses against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos, Johnson rushed for a combined 87 yards and was without a touchdown. Titans head coach Jeff Fisher yanked quarterback Vince Young in week two against the Steelers after the former Texas Longhorn hero mightily struggled with protecting the ball, constantly throwing into double-coverage resulting in two interceptions. The Titans success rests solely in the legs of Johnson and once that powerful weapon is neutralized, the Titans offense comes to a screeching halt. On the defensive side of the ball, Tennessee does well against the run game, ranking 10th in the league in holding opponents rushing yards to under 100-yards a game. The Titans pass defense, however, is among the worst in the league, ranked 30th and the Cowboys should have no trouble exploiting the Titans secondary. The Cowboys are ranked 4th in the league in passing yards, averaging an impressive 311-yards-per-game and the matchup against the Titans should play right into the hands of an aggressive Cowboys offense. A win over the Titans will bring the Cowboys to 2-2 before the teams big showdown with the Minnesota Vikings and newly acquired wideout, Randy Moss, in week six.
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