Post by prossman on Dec 20, 2008 8:00:49 GMT -7
MySA.COM: Low-scoring affair expected for Texas Stadium finale READ
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Low-scoring affair expected for Texas Stadium finale
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
IRVING ¡X Don¡¦t expect the Dallas Cowboys¡¦ final regular-season game at Texas Stadium to be anything like the first.
The NFL landmark opened Oct. 24, 1971, with the Cowboys trouncing New England 44-21 behind Duane Thomas¡¦ 56-yard, first-quarter touchdown run.
Dallas will bid farewell to its 38-year home tonight against the Baltimore Ravens, who will be making their first and final trip to the stadium with the hole in the roof. Given that both teams possess top-seven defenses and are fighting for wild-card spots in their respective conferences, it¡¦s hard to imagine the final point total being even half of what it was in that first game.
Fifty-six-yard scoring plays? Not likely.
A 23-point margin of victory? Hard to imagine.
Both teams are 9-5. Vegas oddsmakers favor the Cowboys by 4, with an over/under total of just 39 1/2.
Playing in tight, hard-fought games is nothing new for either club.
In their past two games, the Cowboys have had to face two of the NFL¡¦s top six defenses in the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 1) and the New York Giants (No. 6). Led by Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis and Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed, Baltimore owns the league¡¦s second-ranked defense (257.5 yards per game) and third-ranked scoring defense (15.2 points per game).
Last week, the Ravens shut down the Steelers for most of the game. But Ben Roethlisberger drove Pittsburgh 92 yards for a TD with 43 seconds left to win 13-9.
The Cowboys, who are assured a playoff berth if they win tonight and at Philadelphia on Dec. 28, own the league¡¦s seventh-ranked defense (287.0 yards per game). In its past three games, Dallas¡¦ defense has yielded only one TD.
It¡¦s a matchup the Cowboys¡¦ Wade Phillips says melds perfectly with one of the tenets of his coaching philosophy.
¡§That¡¦s the way we challenge our defense, basically to outplay the other team¡¦s defense,¡¨ Phillips said. ¡§That¡¦s always been my approach: If they hold us to nine, we hold them to eight. .ƒ|.ƒ|. Our job defensively is to outplay the other team¡¦s defense.¡¨
Dallas, which is moving next season into a new $1 billion-plus facility in Arlington, has won four of its past five games largely because of a defensive surge keyed by the DeMarcus Ware-powered pass rush. The Cowboys lead the league in sacks with 53, with the Pro Bowl linebacker having a league-best 19.
Ware, who needs 3 1/2 sacks to tie Michael Strahan¡¦s single-season record, dropped the Giants¡¦ Eli Manning three times last Sunday in leading Dallas to a 20-8 win. With Ware wreaking havoc, the Cowboys have had 20 sacks over their past three games and forced nine turnovers.
Baltimore rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has been sacked only 25 times this season, but he¡¦s coming off his worst performance as a pro, completing 11 of 28 for 115 yards and two interceptions against Pittsburgh.
¡§We¡¦ve got to protect our quarterback,¡¨ Ravens receiver Derrick Mason told the Baltimore Sun. ¡§That¡¦s basically what it boils down to.¡¨
With Tony Romo still nursing the sore back he got when the Giants sacked him four times, the Cowboys have also made pass protection a priority.
¡§It¡¦s going to hurt, but it doesn¡¦t usually feel good when you get hit. I¡¦ll be fine,¡¨ Romo said. ¡§I throw it to the guy who is open, and hopefully good stuff happens.¡¨
COWBOYS vs. RAVENS
At a glance
When, where: 7:15 p.m. today @texas Stadium, Irving
TV/radio: NFL Network, KTKR-AM 760
Playoff scenarios
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Low-scoring affair expected for Texas Stadium finale
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
IRVING ¡X Don¡¦t expect the Dallas Cowboys¡¦ final regular-season game at Texas Stadium to be anything like the first.
The NFL landmark opened Oct. 24, 1971, with the Cowboys trouncing New England 44-21 behind Duane Thomas¡¦ 56-yard, first-quarter touchdown run.
Dallas will bid farewell to its 38-year home tonight against the Baltimore Ravens, who will be making their first and final trip to the stadium with the hole in the roof. Given that both teams possess top-seven defenses and are fighting for wild-card spots in their respective conferences, it¡¦s hard to imagine the final point total being even half of what it was in that first game.
Fifty-six-yard scoring plays? Not likely.
A 23-point margin of victory? Hard to imagine.
Both teams are 9-5. Vegas oddsmakers favor the Cowboys by 4, with an over/under total of just 39 1/2.
Playing in tight, hard-fought games is nothing new for either club.
In their past two games, the Cowboys have had to face two of the NFL¡¦s top six defenses in the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 1) and the New York Giants (No. 6). Led by Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis and Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed, Baltimore owns the league¡¦s second-ranked defense (257.5 yards per game) and third-ranked scoring defense (15.2 points per game).
Last week, the Ravens shut down the Steelers for most of the game. But Ben Roethlisberger drove Pittsburgh 92 yards for a TD with 43 seconds left to win 13-9.
The Cowboys, who are assured a playoff berth if they win tonight and at Philadelphia on Dec. 28, own the league¡¦s seventh-ranked defense (287.0 yards per game). In its past three games, Dallas¡¦ defense has yielded only one TD.
It¡¦s a matchup the Cowboys¡¦ Wade Phillips says melds perfectly with one of the tenets of his coaching philosophy.
¡§That¡¦s the way we challenge our defense, basically to outplay the other team¡¦s defense,¡¨ Phillips said. ¡§That¡¦s always been my approach: If they hold us to nine, we hold them to eight. .ƒ|.ƒ|. Our job defensively is to outplay the other team¡¦s defense.¡¨
Dallas, which is moving next season into a new $1 billion-plus facility in Arlington, has won four of its past five games largely because of a defensive surge keyed by the DeMarcus Ware-powered pass rush. The Cowboys lead the league in sacks with 53, with the Pro Bowl linebacker having a league-best 19.
Ware, who needs 3 1/2 sacks to tie Michael Strahan¡¦s single-season record, dropped the Giants¡¦ Eli Manning three times last Sunday in leading Dallas to a 20-8 win. With Ware wreaking havoc, the Cowboys have had 20 sacks over their past three games and forced nine turnovers.
Baltimore rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has been sacked only 25 times this season, but he¡¦s coming off his worst performance as a pro, completing 11 of 28 for 115 yards and two interceptions against Pittsburgh.
¡§We¡¦ve got to protect our quarterback,¡¨ Ravens receiver Derrick Mason told the Baltimore Sun. ¡§That¡¦s basically what it boils down to.¡¨
With Tony Romo still nursing the sore back he got when the Giants sacked him four times, the Cowboys have also made pass protection a priority.
¡§It¡¦s going to hurt, but it doesn¡¦t usually feel good when you get hit. I¡¦ll be fine,¡¨ Romo said. ¡§I throw it to the guy who is open, and hopefully good stuff happens.¡¨
COWBOYS vs. RAVENS
At a glance
When, where: 7:15 p.m. today @texas Stadium, Irving
TV/radio: NFL Network, KTKR-AM 760
Playoff scenarios