Meeting Enemy Bucs; Cowboys Injury Update
With just one day before the Dallas Cowboys take the field in the NFL season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, anticipation is through the roof with football fans.
The Cowboys have been handed one of their biggest tests of the season right off the bat with a road challenge against Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is set to return for the first time since fracturing his ankle last October, and - even perhaps without Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin - the Cowboys are hoping to shock the NFL.
The full Injury report for both teams:
Zach Goodall from AllBucs stopped by Cowboy Maven to answer some questions about the impending matchup.
1. The last time the Buccaneers played a football game, they became Super Bowl champions. What is going to be the biggest challenge for the team in their quest to repeat?
The typical answer would be avoiding complacency, right? Luckily for Tampa Bay, Tom Brady has been in this position before and came out on the historical end of it, which should help the Buccaneers accomplish that.
From an Xs and Os perspective, my concern lies with the Bucs' secondary. The unit was hit or miss in 2020, ranking 21st in passing yards allowed per game, and wasn't cohesive until the final four games of the season and the playoffs. The unit is pretty thin and depends on a couple of players with versatility - which is a great thing! - but if one starter goes down, specifically at cornerback, Tampa Bay's pass defense could be in some trouble. The Buccaneers' deep and talented pass rush will certainly help, though.
2. Last year, it was always unclear who would receive the bulk of the carries between Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. This year, you add Giovani Bernard into the mix as well. How will those three backs be utilized?
I think Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette will split the early-down load pretty evenly as they did a year ago, when Jones earned 132 carries compared to Fournette's 114 in the games they played together fully. Jones has the speed to break off on big runs in between the 20s, while Fournette is an ideal bruiser who can convert short-yardage situations and at the goal line.
However, there's no reason why either of the co-starters should be on the field on third downs and in obvious passing situations after Giovani Bernard signed in April. Bernard is the far superior receiver and pass-blocker of the three, areas that both Jones and Fournette have struggled with in the past. Brady has found success with pass-catching backs in past such as James White, Danny Woodhead, and Kevin Faulk - Bernard can offer a similar skill-set to those backs that Jones and Fournette can not.
3. Which matchups do you like in the Bucs' favor against the Cowboys, and vice versa?
Tampa Bay's offense against a new-look Dallas defense is vastly in favor of the Buccaneers. I'd imagine the unit will improve with Dan Quinn at defensive coordinator and an injection of young talent across the unit, but the Cowboys couldn't have been handed a tougher test in Quinn's debut with the team. The Buccaneers own a receiving corps that rivals Dallas with one of if not the best starting trios in the NFL in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown, a three-deep running back room as we discussed before, another three-deep room at tight end including Rob Gronkowski, a solid offensive line featuring second-year star Tristan Wirfs, and of course, Brady at quarterback.
If Dak Prescott can return to form quickly after returning from a major ankle injury and his preseason shoulder issue, he could give the Buccaneers secondary trouble. Prescott got off to a hot start last year by throwing for over 400 yards in three of his four full games, meshing nicely with the trio of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Pair Prescott's arm talent with his top-tier mobility - again, so long as he's recovered completely from the ankle injury - and there's a chance he can evade the Bucs' threatening pass rush to make big plays through the air.
READ MORE: LISTEN: Can Cowboys Slow Down Tom Brady?
4. Who is someone that is flying under the radar that is expected to have a successful season?
A first-round pick doesn't usually fly under the radar and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka certainly didn't this preseason, but considering that he won't start with Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul wreaking havoc as starters, he's my pick here. In the preseason, Tryon-Shoyinka put together two sacks, a forced fumble and six quarterback pressures with a third sack called back for roughing the passer. He'll certainly fill in on passing downs and when Barrett and/or Pierre-Paul need a breather.
5. What is your prediction for this game and why?
SI Betting lists Tampa Bay as the 7.5-point favorite over Dallas on Thursday with the over/under set at 52. While I think the Buccaneers will cover the spread, I think the Bucs defense will be able to hold the Cowboys to two field goals on drives in scoring position with big plays on third down. To keep the Tryon-Shoyinka hype rolling, I bet he records a sack in one of those situations. Give me Tampa Bay 31, Dallas 20.
CONTINUE READING: 'Last Dance,' Cowboys Style: Michael Gallup Reveals WR Trio's Thoughts on Likely Breakup
