NFL
By: Greg Rector
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys 8:20 PM Sunday
It’s finally here. The NFL season starts Thursday night and our long wait for NFL football will end. All the work has been put in and now it’s time for 32 teams to play the games that count. The Dallas Cowboys will face the same team they opened the 2021 season against, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This time the game will be played at home. Both teams have had busy offseasons and will both want to get off to an excellent start to the 2022 season. Let’s look at the matchup.
Dallas Offense vs Tampa’s Defense
The questions so many Cowboys fans have had all offseason will not all be answered in the first game. With oft-injured left tackle Tyron Smith likely out until December the fanbase has been clamoring for a veteran left tackle and the wish should come true Monday when they sign Jason Peters. The huge question mark with that is whether can Peters step in right away or not. We simply don’t know. Peters has said he’s been keeping in shape and as a veteran, if he says he’s ready to go does that happen Sunday night? The other option as of now is to start the left tackle of the future Tyler Smith and hope for the best against a strong Buccaneers defensive unit. meaning Conor McGovern would play at left guard. Uncertainty is never a good thing and at one of the game’s most high-profile positions, that is definitely true. Of course, the other focus for Dallas will be can Dak Prescott lead what many feel is a weaker group of receivers who will not have veteran Michael Gallup and have a new number one option in Ceedee Lamb, along with a group of unknown players led by third-round pick Jalen Tolbert. Dalton Schultz and two rookies TEs in Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot will open the season as a unit. We will have to wait and see. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers’ defense returns to being healthy, especially in the secondary that dealt with many injuries last season starting with last year’s week one game against Dallas. Vita Vea is simply a space-eating obstacle in the middle for Tampa and then you have to deal with very fast linebackers, especially for his age (32) Lavonte David is a menace against the run. That leads to another controversy for the Dallas Cowboys offense the usage of Ezekiel Elliott and the more explosive Tony Pollard, and how many touches each will have. OC Kellen Moore has that problem to deal with. I don’t take sides in that battle so many fans partake in. You all know my philosophy is only about the results the team has over picking and choosing individual battles. For me, this game has so many question marks because of the offensive line situation. I really think this Dallas offense will play differently in the passing game and they damn well better use a variety of running plays versus most of last season seeing Elliott going with A gap runs was not enjoyable nor effective. The key though falls back to Prescott. if things aren’t going well or a play simply breaks down will Dak take off or change the play calls on his own more often? With a full offseason unlike last season and in apparent great shape now is the time for Prescott to lead this offense that has so many question marks and is counting on plenty of rookies. The veteran Tampa defense is going to be chomping at the bit to attack and rattle the Cowboy’s offense.
Dallas Defense vs Tampa’s Offense
Yes, he’s back for season number 23. Tom Brady returns at age 45 to take one more swing at winning a Super Bowl. The Bucs offense has a loaded receiver group led by Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and added veteran Russell Gage as the slot receiver. Brady won’t have his safety valve though as Rob Gronkowski retired. Leonard Fournette, might not be considered a top-end running back but in the Tampa offense, he has been effective. Like the Cowboys though the questions for Tampa are along the offensive line. The injury to center Ryan Jensen certainly will affect the Bucs. Jensen has been the leader physically and emotionally of that unit. This group still has weapons and will face a Dallas defense that appears ready to prove 2021 was no fluke. Yes attack Trevon Diggs all you want for giving up yards, bottom line was 11 picks was impressive. Oh, and when you lead games by big numbers the other teams have no choice but to pass the ball to catch up, which means a lot more targets for any cornerback. Look closer at his numbers against the opponent’s number one receivers including Evans in last year’s opener. No, I am not declaring he’s elite or the best at his position. Again I focus on wins and losses. Then there’s also season number two for the DROY Micah Parsons. Parsons has been impressive in practices and the scrimmages, to say the least. A healthy Demarcus Lawrence and a deep group of defensive ends on the other side led by Dorance Armstrong will be coming for Brady with bad intentions. The key will be for the interior group to be as aggressive, especially against the run. Neville Gallimore and Osa Odighizuwa both need to be in attack mode Sunday night. No quarterback fares well when someone can get pressure up the middle let alone a not very mobile 45-year-old. Not to mention all preseason the Cowboys’ defense was focused and succeeded in limiting the rushing yards.
Prediction
This game has a ton of question marks all driven by the offensive lines. Which group has the better game will determine the outcome in my opinion. The Cowboys have had their usual attention paid to them. The feeling around Frisco has been different. !7 rookies are on the roster and between the last two drafts this team has been trying to replace the days of being happy to be a Cowboy and not getting the job done on the field. I don’t expect a shootout type of game at all. Consistency and continuity on the offensive lines are so important and neither team has that to begin the season. I believe that this game comes down to which defense has the better night. If Dallas does get to Brady it will be a very close game just as last year was. If Tampa’s defense limits the Dallas rushing game and forces Dak to rely on his young receiving corps it might go the Buccaneers’ way. Finally, special teams will also factor into this one, and if KaVontae Turpin, breaks a return as he did in the preseason the Cowboys might win the field position battle. The pressure is on the Cowboys and led by their defense I think they avenge last year’s game. Dallas 24 Tampa Bay 20 is my prediction.
As always you can find me on Twitter @GregsCowboys
Comments 4