The Dallas Cowboys spoiled the Washington Redskins' playoff hopes a week ago, and they can do some damage this week to another NFC East rival -- the New York Giants.
|  | | Anthony Wright will be making his first NFL start against the Giants on Sunday night. |
What's dangerous about the 5-9 Cowboys is the uncertainty. The Giants can't be too sure what they will get from the Cowboys. They haven't played consistently well or consistently poor all season. Against Cincinnati or Cleveland, you know how they will play. Not so with the Cowboys. They are a more talented team than their record indicated.
How much will second-year quarterback Anthony Wright contribute to the Dallas offense? Are the Cowboys going to pound the ball, or will they mix some type of passing game in to give the Giants something to worry about? The Giants just don't know.
Wright, in for the injured Troy Aikman, presents problems because he's a mobile quarterback. He looks like he can be another Aaron Brooks. Against the Redskins last week, it was hard to tell how well he throws because the Cowboys chose to run the ball more. But Wright looks like a similar athlete to Brooks.
Earlier in the season, Cowboys coach Dave Campo said the coaches were encouraging Randall Cunningham to run more if he had the opportunity. So we may see Wright take off and run more Sunday night. I don't believe the Cowboys offense will have it as easy running the football as they did against the Redskins. Washington was a team in disarray.
The Giants need to beat the Cowboys to win the division. Since coach Jim Fassel guaranteed a playoff berth, they have been a different team, winning their last three games. Fassel took a lot of pressure off the players as individuals. He also took a lot of media attention away from the players so they didn't have to comment on anything.
The Giants get no respect. None. Even during their three-game winning streak, they beat Arizona, Washington and Pittsburgh. But the Giants received little credit, even though they beat teams they were supposed to beat. It's not their fault the other teams aren't playing well. Everybody talks about how good the Philadelphia Eagles are, but the Giants have to say, "What about us? We beat them twice." To a degree, the Giants have not done things in spectacular fashion. They don't have a quarterback who has rushed for more than 500 yards, like the Eagles with Donovan McNabb.
However, Kerry Collins is playing smart football. The Giants aren't necessarily a big-play offense, but they are finding themselves. They get great production out of the running game, particularly with Tiki Barber, who can provide the big play on the ground.. Amani Toomer is stepping up at the end of the season to be as productive as he was last year. Defensively, the Giants have allowed the fewest points in the NFC. Defensive coordinator John Fox is one of the best in the business. Keith Hamilton has played solid football, helping Michael Strahan. Middle linebacker Michael Barrow has added speed to the defense.
Nevertheless, Wright should be able to make some plays with his legs against the Giants defense, and the Cowboys are in a position to feel like they can make plays to win this game.
Here are the keys to Sunday night's game:
Three keys for the Giants
1. Run it: The Giants will test the Cowboys' ability to stop the run because the Cowboys are last in the league in run defense. Barber and Ron Dayne combined for 181 yards against Dallas earlier in the season.
2. Score early: Against the Cowboys' secondary, Toomer and Ike Hilliard could have huge days. The Cowboys will be trying to stop the Giants running game, so Collins should have some good chances to make big plays through the air. And getting a 14- and 17-point lead early will help the Giants defense take care of the next key.
3. All about Emmitt: Emmitt Smith proved last week that he is still capable of hurting a team on the ground. So the Giants will try to make the Cowboys a one-dimensional offense that relies on Wright's arm instead of Smith's legs.
Three keys for the Cowboys
1. Make Kerry carry the load: The Cowboys defense must somehow shut down the Giants running and force the game into Kerry Collins' hands and be willing to make the Giants go 10-12 plays. They can't afford to give up the big pass play. The Cowboys defense will be the key. They will have to shut down the run the best they can.
2. Big plays anywhere: The Cowboys need production out of every aspect of their game -- offense, defense and, in particular, special teams.
3. Wright stuff: Wright doesn't have to win the game. He just can't do something to lose the game. It's the same expectation you would have for a backup quarterback. He must let the players help him. The Cowboys have Smith and a huge offensive line. And receiver James McKnight looks much more comfortable in the offense. Wright needs to use his best assets.
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