NFC Divisional Playoffs: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

• Non

  

  Romo and the Cowboys vs. Favre and the Vikings
  
  winner to the NFC Championship Game
• Strapping Young Lad

  

  Should be a high scoring affair, IMO.
• trackandccrunner

  I think this should be a very good game I see the Cowboys winning it 27-24.
• hasbeen

  

  This will be a great game.
• pmoney25

  

  I am excited the Saints get the winner of the Packers/Cardinals game. I look for the Pack to win to set up a Saints/Cowboys rematch in NFC Title game
• hoops23

  

  Oh boy...
  
  I'll take the Vikings IF they make AP a focal point and not second fiddle to Favre... If they try to have Favre win this game, they'll be sitting at home for the rest of the postseason.
• Strapping Young Lad

  

  Well, when your O-line won't run block you can't make the running game your focal point. You can't just force the run if it's not there. The Vikings are undefeated at home and have done their winning throwing the ball out of necessity.
  
  They made the running game the focal point in the Chicago game , but it wasn't until they opened things up that they scored points. You gotta do what you do. Running the ball is overrated anyway. Some teams gotta let the pass lead to the run.
  
  Minnesota's problem facing the Dallas (and everyone) is that their secondary couldn't cover the Cowgirls if they had them on the loveboat. They'll nedd to find a way to get stops on D.
• hasbeen

  

  Strapping Young Lad wrote: Well, when your O-line won't run block you can't make the running game your focal point. You can't just force the run if it's not there. The Vikings are undefeated at home and have done their winning throwing the ball out of necessity.
  
  They made the running game the focal point in the Chicago game , but it wasn't until they opened things up that they scored points. You gotta do what you do. Running the ball is overrated anyway. Some teams gotta let the pass lead to the run.
  
  Minnesota's problem facing the Dallas (and everyone) is that their secondary couldn't cover the Cowgirls if they had them on the loveboat. They'll nedd to find a way to get stops on D.

  Running the ball is not overrated IMO. Look at Dallas' first drive tonight. Took 7:30 off the clock with a good running game mixed in with consistent short-medium range passes. The key to Dallas being successful is to establish their running game, especially against Minnesota because if they don't, Allen will eat Tony Romo...dipping him in the BBQ sauce.
• hoops23

  

  Can't run the ball, but AP averages 4.4 YPC?
  
  hmm..
  
  Nah, the problem is trying to make Favre happy by throwing the ball. Minny has a solid O-Line, but Favre is about himself right now with calling off running plays.
  
  Like I said, IF Minny wants to win this game, they'll do so by establishing the run. I also don't think running the ball is overrated, check previous Super Bowl winners...
• burt07

  Is there even a question what's going to happen in this game? BLOWMO IS PLAYING!!!!!!
• IggyPride00

  

  Nah, the problem is trying to make Favre happy by throwing the ball. Minny has a solid O-Line, but Favre is about himself right now with calling off running plays.

  They lost games because they weren't having Favre throw the ball. Childress himself finally realized that when Favre isn't being Favre, defenses just sat in the box and whooped on AP.
  
  Up until the Arizona game, and from the second half of the Bears game it was Favre first, run second, and the offense was world's more potent than when they were trying the balance for the sake of balance stuff.
  
  The NFL is a pass first league now. Three yards and a cloud of dust died with Woody Hayes. If the Vikings come out trying to run the ball on 1st down everytime they have zero chance of winning the game, and they realize this because they lost the games this season in which they played the game plan you are advocating.
  
  For what it is worth, the locker room was apparently 100% behind Brett Favre over Childress in terms of whether or not Favre should be over ruling play calls at the line. They saw like everyone else that a conservative game plan is a loser for them.
• hoops23

  

  I don't see how you can say the NFL is a pass first league..
  
  Pittsburgh and NY, the last two Super Bowl winners, were run first teams...
  
  Also, the Vikings ran into that skid when they were THROWING the ball all the time... That's why Favre was catching heat... smh..
• sjmvsfscs08

  Pittsburgh had a stellar defense and that won them the game. New York had a ridiculous defensive line that abused teams and they were the hottest team in recent history of the NFL.
  
  The NFL wants this to be a pass-first league. It provides more points and commercial time.
  
  I would also argue that with more and more talent being in the league and the number of teams not increasing at the same rate, just about every team can get the freak athletes needed to potentially dominate the line of scrimmage. 350-lb defensive tackles that can run that fast?! The ability to just be bigger and tougher than the other team is constantly being squeezed. That, and rule changes favor passing the ball.
• hoops23

  

  lol, the NFL doesn't care what kind of league it has, as long as it's successful, which it is...
  
  Pittsburgh (run first) beat Arizona (pass first) in the Super Bowl...
  
  NYG (run first) beat NE (Pass first) in the Super Bowl...
  
  The Colts FINALLY won a Super Bowl AFTER developing their RUN game and defense... (check how many yards Indy had in that game in terms of rushing)
  
  Pittsburgh (run first) beat Seattle (though Seattle was definitely a good balanced team as well)
  
  Hell, even the old Pats teams rushed the ball around 30 times..
  
  Tampa Bay, another run first team during their Super Bowl...
  
  Hell, this postseason alone, the Jets take care of Cincy... What are the Jets? A RUNNING team!!
• Strapping Young Lad

  

  Haha the Pats only went 18-1 that year. The Patriots have never won anything. Nor the Colts. How many gmaes have they won this decade??? Less than 30 if my math is correct. And the Eagles have had zero success. The Cardinals ran the ball right through the NFC last year.....Oh wait.
  
  Playing YOUR game is the key. I'd love to be able to hand the ball to Taylor and ALL DAY every play but the reality is, for what ever reason our O-line took a shit sometime during the last part of the season and they barely do any kind of blocking, let alone open holes to run through.
  
  To say the Viks will have to run the ball, well, that's not how they've had success recently. I hope to God they can run the ball, but if they can't then we'll have to go down firing. Hopefully that will lossen them up for the run.
  
  I'd like to see them use Tavaris Jackson kind of like PHI uses Vick. Run a Wilcat package with Jackson Peterson and Harvin. The run game is struggling and it needs a spark. I heard they worked on that a lil in the summer then Favre showed up. It'd be a nice wrinkle right now, IMO.
  
  Childress needs to get a little more creative and find ways to get the ball in the hands of AD and PH in less conventional ways. You could do crazy things with the weapons the has, but they're offense has struggled.....doesn't make sense to me.
• Strapping Young Lad

  

  Good example of rushing being overrated: 2008-09 season
  
  Rushing leaders: Giants, Falcons, Panthers, Ravens, Vikings
  
  22-Eagles, 23-Steelers, 32-Cardinals
  
  Cards knocked off ATL, CAR
  
  Eagles won at Minnesota, NYG
  
  steelers took out BAL
  
  Two teams at the bottom of the league in rushing meet in Super Bowl. You gotta win how you can win. as much as everyone wanted the Vikings offensive identity to be run, run, run and have the threat of Favre force teams to repsect the pass, that just hasn't been the case and some people can't let go of that idea. The line has been disappointing and the Vikings have become a passing team. If the Oline can get their shit together then we'll be really dangerous.
• DaBrowns41

  Strapping Young Lad wrote: Should be a high scoring affair, IMO.

  It really could go either way. Both teams have very stout defenses.
  
  If Minny wants to win, they need to get the ball into AP's hands more, however. If you make Favre do too much, he's going to turn it over.
  
  I am rooting for Minny in this one.
• Strapping Young Lad

  

  They need to get him the ball in non-traditional ways if the line won't run block. he needs to help himself and become part of the passing game. Favre has turned him into a 40 receptions back but he is still shaky. If they can get him the ball via screens/ short passes it'll help. The problem has been the O-line not being athletic enough to execute screens the way they need to.
  
  if we can get Harvin and AD more touches that'd be great.
  
  I see the girls moving the ball through the air as MN secondary is anything but stout. in fact, they suck. Hard. Mn will have to score points, in the 30's, to win,IMo.
• september63

  

  early line has Minn -2.5
• UA5straightin2008

  

  Minnesota 31 Dallas 17
• pbuck

  Vikes will win IMO I think they'll get AP rolling early & often then playaction off that & Favre will pick big D apart plus the dome will be rocking is gonna be a bonus for minnesota Vikes 34 Boys 23
• Ironman92

  

  Just like I said about the Jets/Chargers.......I have no faith in Norv Turner nor do I have faith in Wade Phillips......I think the Cowboys are possibly the most complete team out there.......and they may win the SB despite the coach.......but I'll believe it when I see it.
• justincredible

  

  I picked the Vikes to win but I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Dallas wins. This game was a tossup for me.
• Non

  

  Dallas is legit and hot right now and that will continue.
  
  Minnesota will rise up in the dome and play a good game.
  
  I think we're going to have a real clash here.
  
  Dallas 30
  Minnesota 27
• hasbeen

  

  Ill say it again: if the Cowboys are able to run the ball well enough to slow Allens pass rush up just a second them they'll win. If Allen gets to go after Romo without worrying about the run, Dallas will get shot out of the water.