NFL Week 8: Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

High octane offense vs. Tampa-2 defense in pivotal Week 8 game with playoff implications

Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Overview:

The NFC South and NFC East are arguably the two best divisions in the NFL and more than likely contain a Super Bowl team in their numbers. Two of the top teams in these divisions are the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets are anxiously awaiting news on QB Tony Romo and hope that he will be ready to play after an embarrassing loss to the St. Louis Rams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a starting QB in Jeff Garcia and are coming off a drumming of the Seattle Seahawks that earned them a 5-2 record

Dallas Cowboys Offense:

The arrival of WR Roy Williams from the Detroit Lions gives the Dallas Cowboys another weapon is the passing game. WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten are two of the top players in the game as well. The only question that fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets have about the game-breaking offense is who the quarterback will be. Veteran QB Brad Johnson stepped in against the St. Louis Rams and promptly threw three interceptions. QB Tony Romo will try to play but is fighting through a finger injury. Either QB will be lucky though thanks to barbaric RB Marion Barber and the huge Dallas Cowboys offensive line.

Dallas Cowboys Defense:

Dallas Cowboys tickets feature a 3-4 defense that did little to stop the run of St. Louis Rams RB Steven Jackson and adjustments must be made. OLB DeMarcus Ware has become a true superstar and has racked up at least one sack in 10-straight games. Coming of a three-sack performance against the St. Louis Rams, DeMarcus Ware will be hungry for Jeff Garcia. NT Jay Ratliff has been a monster in the middle but played poorly against the St. Louis Rams. The losses of Pacman Jones, Terrance Newman, and Roy Williams have hurt the elite secondary.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offense:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense may not be loaded with any big-name talent, but they do get the job done. QB Jeff Garcia has reclaimed his starting job, and his performance makes fans wonder why he lost it in the first place. WR Antonio Bryant has come out of nowhere to become a talented threat. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have also maximized their talent by moving RB Ernest Graham to FB. This allows Ernest Graham and Warrick Dunn to be in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers backfield at all times and gives them a lot of flexibility.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense:

Like the 3-4 scheme of the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa-2 defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has gained a lot of notoriety and for good reason. The speedy front seven of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is led by DE Gaines Adams, MLB Barrett Ruud, OLB Cato June, and future Hall of Fame OLB Derrick Brooks. The Tampa-2 scheme forces a lot of turnovers in the secondary and cuts down on big plays. Starters like Ronde Barber and Jermaine Phillips have played exceptionally well but nickelback Aqib Talib has been an interception machine.

Dallas Cowboys Keys to Victory:

Even with all the talent at WR, the Dallas Cowboys will focus on the ground attack. The weakness of the Tampa-2 is the direct power run and RB Marion Barber is perfect for this role. With almost 2,000 pounds of offensive line in front of him, Marion Barber and the Dallas Cowboys offense should wear down the small Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. TE Jason Witten will also help out by cutting through the zones in the flats. Fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets might have to wait a week to see the fireworks of Terrell Owens and Roy Williams unless Tony Romo gets healthy.

Stopping the two-headed monster of Warrick Dunn and Ernest Graham is the No. 1 priority of the Dallas Cowboys defense. The weakness against the run has cost the Dallas Cowboys dearly in the past few weeks so they know the run is coming. Clogging the run game also allows for the exotic blitzes of the 3-4 to be unleashed. Jeff Garcia will have nightmares all week about being chased by DeMarcus Ware, and the Dallas Cowboys must make this a reality. The Dallas Cowboys have to also capitalize on all turnovers.

Tampa Bay Bucs Keys to Victory:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line may not tip the scales like the Dallas Cowboys, but they are maulers all the same. G Davin Joseph has been the key to the running game thus far and will be in charge of doubling NT Jay Ratliff and getting to ILBs Bradie James and Zach Thomas. FB Ernest Graham not only has to be a big running threat but also needs to block well to spring Warrick Dunn. Jeff Garcia just needs to manage the game and protect the ball. The Dallas Cowboys secondary and the Tampa Bay receiving corps are both devastated so high-scoring heroics are unlikely.

Tampa-2 defenses always have a tough time against the run and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will certainly face that. With a running back that likes to crush defenders and an offensive line the size of Stone Age beasts, the Dallas Cowboys are built to attack the Tampa-2. Blitzes in the Tampa-2 are uncommon, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must bring help to their undersized front seven. With either an injured Tony Romo or Brad Johnson behind center, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can have faith in their zones against Roy Williams and Terrell Owens deep, with Gaines Adams providing pressure.

Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Outlook:

Fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets expected their team to be undefeated or nearly unblemished going into the middle of the 2008 NFL season. Key injuries and off-the-field problems have cast a cloud over the Dallas Cowboys, and all three of their losses have been to inferior teams. At a 5-2 record, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have played above expectations and have handed defeats to teams with more talent but lesser schemes and heart.

Scheme vs. scheme, the Dallas Cowboys have an advantage. The power and size of Leonard Davis and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line is perfect to attack the Tampa-2 defense. The injury to Tony Romo is a big story to watch, and fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets will be hoping and praying all week that he can start. Either way, with weak run defenses, great offensive lines, and steady running backs, neither quarterback should factor in much as the running game rules the day. Marion Barber and his line give the Dallas Cowboys the advantage in this war of attrition.