Cowboys vs. 49ers; this isn’t the '90s, so this isn’t a league-wide marquee matchup.
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However it is still a game that carries a fair deal of intrigue with it. The 49ers got the win last week, but the score flattered them greatly. Without Ted Ginn Jr. finally proving Cam Cameron’s post draft comments about him to be correct, it was a game that could have been very different. The offense was pedestrian at best, and the defense, whilst very solid, benefitted from facing a Seahawks’ offense that somehow managed to play worse than their own.
On the other side of the country the Cowboys were busy getting up to their old tricks again (though the self-destruction usually comes late in the season not in week one). Yet again Dallas got themselves into a good position but frittered it away at the end of the game, with much of the blame falling on the shoulders of Tony Romo on his return from injury.
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Consequently the question for the Cowboys is simply how they finish rather than whether they can get themselves into a winning position. They showed an ability to move the ball on offense as well as some quality on defense. They will be confident of winning this game, but if the 49ers can turn this into a low scoring scrap, the pressure will mount on the Cowboys again. Will they cope or will they crack? Here’s three things to focus on that could dictate the outcome of the game.
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1. How Do You Solve a Problem Like Dez Bryant?
He looks good doesn’t he? Before picking up a knock that limited his impact, Dez Bryant (+1.8) had plays where he made both Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie look rather mediocre. That he can do this to one of the better cornerback pairings in the league should put the 49ers on notice as to what he can do to them.
The 49ers aren’t likely to put a man on him, with Carlos Rogers lining up over him when he’s on the right side and Tarrell Brown when he’s on the left, so it could be a case of apportioning blame if they can’t get to grips with him. Rogers had a good start to life as a 49er, but the Cowboys are going to present him with a very real challenge. Last time Rogers played the Cowboys he gave up a touchdown and earned a -2.0 coverage grade, so he’ll need to improve on that otherwise it could be a long day, with Bryant and Miles Austin always ready to take advantage.
2. Keeping Justin Smith quiet
Is there a more consistent performer in the NFL than Justin Smith? He is without a shadow of a doubt the best 3-4 end in the league and since Week 5 last season he has had an overall grade of +1.5 or above 11 times. That includes a +6.3 grade which he earned for his performance against the Seahawks last Sunday.
As ever Smith was a nuisance (to put it mildly) for the opposing quarterback and the pressure will be on Doug Free and Bill Nagy to raise their game to give Romo a comfortable pocket to throw from. Smith is capable of dominating tackles and guards with two of his pressures and one of his sacks coming against Russell Okung, one pressure on Max Unger and the rest on LG James Carpenter. So both men will need to be at the top of their game. Free had a strong 2010 season overall but that came largely from some exceptional work in the run game. He yielded no pressure against a Jets defense that lacks a stud pass rusher, so this will provide his first real test of the season. Nagy (-5.3) simply has to play better than he did against New York, otherwise it could be a very long day for the 49ers rushing attack.
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3. Keeping tabs on DeMarcus Ware
Whilst Smith makes life difficult for Romo and co. on one side, DeMarcus Ware is sure to being bringing the heat when the 49ers are on the field. As ever he was moved around on defense last Sunday night and Rob Ryan was able to play the game we expect to see from his brother, getting impact plays from the left, from the right and through the middle whilst using his defensive star.
Now, the major burden for keeping Ware quiet will fall on Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. Staley has performed well in recent seasons, at times, and should relish the test to show that he can step up and be one of the better left tackles in the NFL, but as with last week against the Jets, the matchup that Ware and Rob Ryan should be focusing on is the encounter with the RT. Davis had a solid day last Sunday yielding only two pressures to Seahawks’ pass rushers, but memories of a rookie season in which he gave up 11 sacks, 11 hits and 37 pressures are still fresh and raw. Ware should be pressing Davis hard to see if those performances can be consigned to rookie troubles or whether they will re-surface in his 2011 sophomore season.
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So there’s your three to focus on? Feel free to let us know what you’ll be focusing on in the comments section, or at our Official Twitter account.
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