Cowboys vs. Seahawks preview
October, 10, 2014
By Terry Blount and Todd Archer | ESPN.com
So much for thinking this would be the easy home game on the Seattle Seahawks' October schedule. The Dallas Cowboys come to CenturyLink Field on Sunday as the hottest team in the NFL, winners of four consecutive games.
The Cowboys also have the league's leading rusher in DeMarco Murray, running behind a young offensive line that is playing like some of the great Dallas lines of past glory and Super Bowls remembered.
The Cowboys may be the most surprising team in the NFL so far, but Sunday's game against the defending Super Bowl champions will be a stern test and an indication of just how good this Dallas team really is.
ESPN NFL Nation Cowboys reporter Todd Archer and Seahawks reporter Terry Blount preview the game and answer key questions about the matchup.
Blount: Todd, I guess the obvious question right off the bat is what everyone up here wants to know. Are the Cowboys for real? They've won four in a row, but those wins have come against teams with a combined record of 7-12.
Archer: I'm still on the fence a little bit but coming around. The past two wins against the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans were different than the ones against the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams. I'm not sure we'll see the Titans and Rams win many more games. I expect the Saints and Texans to contend for a playoff spot. I've had a hard time buying in because of the Cowboys' defense. While they have been better than anybody really could have imagined, I think some of it is smoke and mirrors. They don't rush the passer well. They've had run defense issues. They have not allowed as many big plays through the air, but I think the lack of a pass rush will eventually catch up with them as the offenses they face get better.
Offensively, the Cowboys can compete with the best in the NFL, so if they can continue to dominate the time of possession, then they can really help the defense.
Terry, no team has repeated as a Super Bowl winner since New England in 2003-04, so there isn't a good recent history here. How have the Seahawks dealt with attempting to repeat as Super Bowl champs so far? Has it been a burden?
Blount: On the contrary, I think it has inspired them, but it's the first question everyone asks. Will the success and all the accolades spoil them and will they become complacent? It just ain't happening. The Seahawks still are a young football team with a lot to prove. What they have learned is that every opponent is going to give them their best shot, hoping to knock off the champs. But the Seahawks seem to thrive on a challenge. Tell them they can't do something, like win back-to-back Super Bowls, and they make it their mission to prove they can.
Todd, the Cowboys made a big commitment to improve their offensive line in the draft and it looks like it's paying off. Has the O-line play been a key to their success?
Archer: Without question. They have invested in the offensive line with three first-round picks in Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith in three of the past four years. They haven't been this good up front since 2007 when the Cowboys were 13-3 and had three Pro Bowlers in Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis. Those guys had some wear on them. Martin, Frederick and Smith are just 24 years old. Scott Linehan came to the Cowboys with a passing reputation but people forget how well the Minnesota Vikings ran the ball when he was in charge of that offense with Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss. DeMarco Murray leads the NFL with 670 yards on 130 carries. I'm not sure he can continue at this pace but he has been terrific, in part, because of the guys blocking for him.
Terry, the Cowboys are trying to pattern some of their defensive philosophy on what the Seahawks do, especially by rotating guys on the defensive line. We just talked about the Dallas offensive line, but what stands out about the Seahawks' defensive line?
Blount: First, the D-line has a lot less experience than it had a year ago. Defensive ends Chris Clemons and Red Bryant are now in Jacksonville, and defensive tackle Clinton McDonald signed with Tampa Bay. Between the three of them, they accounted for 19 years of experience. They also totaled 90 tackles and 11.5 sacks last season. Aside from adding veteran defensive tackle Kevin Williams, they've been replaced by younger, less experienced players such as rookie defensive end Cassius Marsh and second-year defensive tackle Jordan Hill. So far, they haven't been as productive as a unit as last's season group. Defensive ends Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril are playing a lot more snaps. They've all played well against the run, which will get tested this week by Murray, but they haven't been as productive as pass rushers.
Todd, there were a lot of concerns about the Cowboys' defense entering the season after seeing DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher leave, and losing linebacker Sean Lee for the season to an injury. But it has held three of the first five opponents to less than 20 points. Who has been a big surprise for them on defense?
Archer: If you go back to my first question, you'll see that I'm scratching my head on just how they are doing this. But there's no question the biggest surprise is Rolando McClain. He wasn't in football last year and retired twice since his last game with the Oakland Raiders in 2012. He has brought a presence with him that this defense lost when Lee injured his knee in the spring. If he can't play this week, then that is a major blow for the Cowboys. It also speaks to how tenuous things are for Dallas that a guy who retired twice and hadn't played since November 2012 is their central figure. In the secondary, Orlando Scandrick has played well since coming back from a suspension, so much so that the Cowboys don't miss 2012 first-rounder Morris Claiborne, who is out for the year with a knee injury. The guy who deserves a ton of credit is coordinator Rod Marinelli. He's doing a lot of magic with glue, in my opinion.
Terry, I remember when the Cowboys played up there a few years ago, Russell Wilson was mostly a caretaker quarterback. How has that evolved, or is this still a run-first team that relies on Wilson to keep drives alive?
Blount: Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, it's a run-first team, but make no mistake about it: This is Wilson's show, plain and simple. Anyone who sees him now as a "game-manager" just hasn't been paying attention, especially the past two games. You could argue they wouldn't have won against Denver or Washington without him. He led the team on an 80-yard, game-winning drive in OT to beat Denver. And Monday night, despite an awful night for the offensive line, he rushed for a Monday-night record 122 yards and threw two TD passes. As I've said all season, I honestly believe he's the best quarterback in the league. Wilson won't put up the gaudy numbers because the Seahawks don't throw the ball as much as most teams. What he will do is find a way to win, often in the most difficult of circumstances.