Posted:
#1
YTD: 4-0
CASHED PLAYS TODAY
HOUSTON +9
BALTIMORE +1
MINNESOTA +9
SAN FRAN -6
TONIGHT:
This game should be a fun contest to watch as Jets' head coach Rex Ryan grapples with his brother Rob Ryan's defensive scheme for Dallas (and vice versa). You know that both teams will be pumped up for this opener with the added spice of a brotherly spat going on. Shonn Greene has taken the torch from LaDainian Tomlinson this preseason, and Greene looks like the much stronger back at this stage in his career - he's been featured extensively by the Jets in practices and games, and looks like he'll see plenty of work during the coming season. Greene posted 11/42/0 rushing and 2/7/0 receiving out of four targets during the starters' time on the field vs. the Giants in the third exhibition game, while Tomlinson posted just one rush for zero yards. Bilal Powell may move up the depth chart this year if Tomlinson doesn't get his engine going now that the games count (Tomlinson has rarely played during preseason in the past, however, so don't count him totally out just yet).
The Cowboys' rush D was so-so during 2010, averaging 108.6 yards allowed per game, with 11 rushing TDs given up. This season, Rob Ryan was brought in to retool the unit in the wake of Wade Phillips' departure at the 2010 mid-season. The results from the contest up in Minnesota during week three of preseason weren't encouraging, as Adrian Peterson and company rolled to 27/175/1 rushing on the day (Peterson averaged 5.8 yards per carry with 14/81/0 on the ground).
The Cowboys remade their running back stable during the truncated free agency period, allowing Marion Barber to depart for Chicago and adding DeMarco Murray in round three of the 2011 NFL draft. Unfortunately, Murray missed most of training camp due to a hamstring injury, though he did play in the third preseason game on August 27th (he led the team with 7/32/0 rushing and had 1/7/0 receiving). Tashard Choice was hampered by a calf injury for much of training camp as well. All the injury woes behind Felix Jones led him into the featured role for Dallas - what Jerry Jones talked about doing in 2010 seems to be finally happening in 2011, with Felix Jones earning the top job full-time down in Dallas. One thing to watch on the offensive line this week - longtime C Andre Gurode was let go on cut-down day, so second-year center Phil Costa and rookie Kevin Kowalski are a very young, shallow portion of the Cowboy's offensive line opening the season. The Jets will likely test the center of the O-line during week one given the new personnel there.
The Jets' rush D finished 2010 as the third-ranked unit in the league, averaging 90.9 rushing yards allowed per game, with 11 rushing TDs given up over 16 weeks. The Giants managed 25/105/0 rushing during the Jets' 17-3 victory in the third preseason game - the 'dress rehearsal' for regular season - it appears that the Jets' rush D is strong entering September 2011. Jones has a large role in the Dallas attack entering 2011, but the Jets won't hand him a hall pass during their home opener. This looks like a tough matchup for the visiting Cowboys.
0
.....Dallas -3 23-20
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