MIAMI DOLPHINS @ DALLAS COWBOYS 
Vegas Line: Dolphins + 7
Rob’s Line: Dolphins + 6.5
This matchup, coming on Thanksgiving as it does, takes me back exactly 18 years and serves up the wonderful memories of Leon Lett. I will tell you no more, but Dolphins/Cowboys on the fourth Thursday in November will forever be remembered for this. For all you fans out there unaware of this little gem, I urge you to look it up.
What just three weeks ago would’ve been a game hardly worth talking about (who am I kidding? all NFL games are worth talking about) has now become an intriguing contest. Since then, both of these teams have gone three games unbeaten, each one on their longest winning streak of the season; yes, in Miami’s case, they’re only winning streak of the season. I have the Dolphins at 16th in my weekly Power Rankings and have been stating their case ever since they went down by just a field goal in New York to the Giants four weeks ago. I watched that game and that wasn’t an 0-7 team so their renaissance was on the cards. An interesting little stat from Miami’s run is that they’ve held each of their last three opponents to single figures so their defense has stiffened somewhat, something that’ll be required again in Dallas this Thursday.
However, despite allowing so little scoring recently, the Dolphins still rank only 25th in defending the pass so a hot Tony Romo could have a little fun at their expense. Over his last three games, Romo has 8 TDs, 0 INTs and QB ratings of 112.2, 148.4(!!) and 113.8. He’ll once again be without receiver Miles Austin, but with stats like those, he’s hardly missed him. Romo’s form has gone largely unnoticed of late (quite the sin) due to the emergence of rookie running back DeMarco Murray.
Murray’s been a headline hoover since bursting on to the scene with 253 yards rushing against the Rams in Week 7, in the process breaking the Cowboys’ single game rushing record; that this isn’t held by Tony Dorsett or Emmitt Smith is a travesty. However, Miami may inadvertently be facing Murray at the right time.
Fullback and lead blocker Tony Fiammetta didn’t play in Washington last week and both Murray and the fit again Felix Jones both struggled. I love this…not that Dallas struggled running the ball, but that the little known guy is such an important cog. It’s why I’m all for the spotlight falling upon a guard or center…or the little known fullback. This game is won and lost in the trenches and it’s why, down the years, quarterbacks aren’t slow in treating their offensive line to dinner when the occasion suits.
Fiammetta has one carry for zero yards this season, but that’s not his job and he’s clearly the ultimate unsung hero. In addition, here’s something else to bear in mind, related directly to that: the Dolphins haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown in their last five games (and they’re 3-7???) and they rank seventh in the league defending the run so Fiammetta’s absence could prove even more crucial this week.
It would be churlish of me not to mention Miami quarterback Matt Moore here and he was simply sensational in the wins against KC and Buffalo and, while Dallas has a solid secondary, they’ll be without cornerback Mike Jenkins for this one, which does make it easier for Moore. How much easier without an elite receiving corps remains to be seen, but I definitely lean towards the Dolphins overall here. Being the road team on the shortest of weeks is far from ideal so, buyer beware, but I do love Miami’s momentum more than Dallas’s injuries and take the Fish and the touchdown start.
http://www.sportingopinions.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment