Average Analysis: Dallas

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

Ok, I'll try to make this short and sweet here. Welcome to week three! Wait...only week three? Yep, just week three. And here I was thinking that our season was ruined and all was lost. Silly me. In any event, Cowboys on Monday night. Let's start this party right!

Special Note:

Intangibles. I hate that word. For some reason though, this game is hopeless in most eyes only because its MNF in Dallas in front of the new largest crowd in football. Please...quit yer bitchin' now. The crowd won't be a factor because, well, this is the Carolina Panthers, the team who plays in front of a home crowd that is usually too dumb to realise when the offense is on the field is generally a good time to shut up. The officials might be a factor, but that can't be predicted or analyzed. I put little stock in intangibles.

Offense:

Picture if you will...watching a team get shut down because of a flagrant failure of a passing game allowing the opposistion to stack against the run quite effectively. Now imagine that same team played against a divisional opponent the very next week looking incredibly capable in both passing and rushing offense. Now imagine that your own defense has done well against either the run or the pass, but never both. Quite a conundrum there, and I imagine that Wade Phillips is feeling a little unsure of his gameplan here. Expect Dallas to stack against the run, and have a little confidence in Delhomme. He'll more than likely be able to make them pay for that this week (after all, he hasn't had a week off since his last game). Once the adjustment is made to treat the Carolina air game more seriously, look for the run game to put up some big numbers.

Defense:

Marion Barber walked all over New York last week, and barring limited effectiveness due to injury or an amazing performance by our super scrub DT's, that will probably continue. Yay if you've got him on your fantasy team. Meanwhile, Tony Romo is a decent challenger to Jake Delhomme for the title of most inconsistent QB in the league except he comes with a lot more hype and expectation. While I don't think the Panther defense will look much better this week (especially against a suprisingly stout Dallas offensive line) I also don't expect the Dallas offense to look much better.

Special Teams:

For the love of God, if this Panther unit wasn't flogged religuosly for days after that failure in Atlanta, then I don't know what to think. The kick returners in Dallas are definately good at what they do, and missed assignments will equal complete heartbreak regardless of what any other unit does on Monday. Conversely, let Mike Goodson run a few this week because the Dallas blockers look equally inept so far.

In conclusion:

Both these teams need a win, both these teams are looking pretty bad at this point, both these teams have the potential to be great but are being held back by major glaring flaws. All in all, the stadium will be huge, the beer will be overpriced, the game will be somewhat related to american football, and Panther fans will be high all next week after a hard fought win on national television (don't get cocky, though...bye week coming up...)

Prediction:

Carolina 31 - Dallas 27

[The Link]

Meh.

Dallas - 34

Carolina - 24

I hope to be proven wrong, because I hate Dallas with a passion.

[PhillyB]

good analysis. i think this game is going to set the tone for the rest of the season, however it plays out.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

good analysis. i think this game is going to set the tone for the rest of the season, however it plays out.

Win or loose, I don't expect the overall rhythm of this season to be dictated until after the bye week.

As a side note, I trimmed down my Atlanta posts to help the server as well as I can. Mods don't hate me, please!

[Brooklyn Bully]

I remember the last time Romo played us after having a horrible game. Yeah. BUT I also remember us in Must Win situations. But then I remember how we fare versus against the Boys in the regular season. BUT then I remember they haven't faced our current RB threat of doom. But then I remember our DTs blow chunks. BUT then I remember Barber may not play and I don't trust Felix Jones.

Fun times ahead.

[rayzor]

I remember the last time Romo played us after having a horrible game. Yeah. BUT I also remember us in Must Win situations. But then I remember how we fare versus against the Boys in the regular season. BUT then I remember they haven't faced our current RB threat of doom. But then I remember our DTs blow chunks. BUT then I remember Barber may not play and I don't trust Felix Jones.

Fun times ahead.

Manic depression is a frustrating mess

[pantherj]

Dallas - 27

Panthers - 20

Sluggish offense, and our defense has no pass rush. No reason to expect to win.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

A few side notes/predictions:

Come hell or highwater, Peppers will have at least one sack in this game and I would bet on him having more than that.

This may be the first week that Jon Beason outtackles Thomas Davis.

At least one Carolina running back will break the 100 yard mark.

Steve Smith records his first TD of the season. If he doesn't, it's because he got hurt early in the game.

One member of the Carolina secondary will look like a future HOF'er in this game.

Wouldn't at be at all suprised if Delhomme doesn't throw even one interception this week.

Marion Barber will consist of 75% of the Dallas offense.

Three calls (at least) by the officials will spawn 15 threads on here that each have thirty or more responses.

At the end of the day, it won't be how well Carolina plays but how poorly Dallas plays. Get ready to stay under the radar.

[PhillyB]

A few side notes/predictions:

Come hell or highwater, Peppers will have at least one sack in this game and I would bet on him having more than that.

This may be the first week that Jon Beason outtackles Thomas Davis.

At least one Carolina running back will break the 100 yard mark.

Steve Smith records his first TD of the season. If he doesn't, it's because he got hurt early in the game.

One member of the Carolina secondary will look like a future HOF'er in this game.

Wouldn't at be at all suprised if Delhomme doesn't throw even one interception this week.

Marion Barber will consist of 75% of the Dallas offense.

Three calls (at least) by the officials will spawn 15 threads on here that each have thirty or more responses.

At the end of the day, it won't be how well Carolina plays but how poorly Dallas plays. Get ready to stay under the radar.

i like most of those, but i'm not sure barber will be playing... did you mean felix jones?

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

Nah, I ment Mary. I don't think that injury is gonna keep him out of the game, and I don't think it'll affect his numbers too much.

If it does, though, then the Panthers have gotten the luckiest break of any team this season.

[CLTPanther]

Dallas is 3rd in passing yards given up and have not yet sacked the QB. While that's likely to chagne during this game, their D has been nothing to brag about, nor has ours.

[Wither]

A few side notes/predictions:

Come hell or highwater, Peppers will have at least one sack in this game and I would bet on him having more than that.

This may be the first week that Jon Beason outtackles Thomas Davis.

At least one Carolina running back will break the 100 yard mark.

Steve Smith records his first TD of the season. If he doesn't, it's because he got hurt early in the game.

One member of the Carolina secondary will look like a future HOF'er in this game.

Wouldn't at be at all suprised if Delhomme doesn't throw even one interception this week.

Marion Barber will consist of 75% of the Dallas offense.

Three calls (at least) by the officials will spawn 15 threads on here that each have thirty or more responses.

At the end of the day, it won't be how well Carolina plays but how poorly Dallas plays. Get ready to stay under the radar.

You're on to something.

[KARASMATIC444]

I remember the last time Romo played us after having a horrible game. Yeah. BUT I also remember us in Must Win situations. But then I remember how we fare versus against the Boys in the regular season. BUT then I remember they haven't faced our current RB threat of doom. But then I remember our DTs blow chunks. BUT then I remember Barber may not play and I don't trust Felix Jones.

Fun times ahead.

i couldnt have said it better myself.