Stopping The Cowboys
December 15th, 2016
“Bullish” on Bucs.
Interesting discussion from Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller on the Bucs-Cowboys game Sunday.
The SiriusXM NFL Radio co-hosts of “Movin’ the Chains” took their act to Kirwan’s fantastic website, RealFootballNetwork.com, to see how the Bucs might be able to stop the Cowboys.
Kirwan thinks it is a mistake for the Bucs to mirror the Giants in trying to stop Dallas. Kirwan’s theory is rooted in personnel: Unless a team has the same personnel to copycat the Giants, that philosophy often blows up. However, Kirwan thinks if the Bucs just play Bucsball on defense the way they have been, they don’t need to copycat anyone to stifle the Cowboys.
“I am kind of bullish on Tampa right now,” Kirwan said. “You look at their five-game winning streak, they beat Alex Smith, Russell Wilson, Philip Rivers and Drew Brees. Not only did they beat them, they gave up a total of 64 points. So this defense has come alive.
“What is more impressive than averaging 13 points against and really giving Winston all the time to win the game, they have forced – forced! — 14 turnovers and 13 sacks. That is pretty darned good when you go up against those kind of quarterbacks. Ten interceptions, four forced fumbles and 13 sacks. That is good defense.
“They could [beat Dallas] because they are playing pretty well, come into Dallas and give them a hard time.”
This is an interesting theory by Kirwan. If the Bucs do what they do — they have been doing it rather well of late — then they should be able to hold down Dak Prescott.
What scares Joe more than Prescott is Ezekiel Elliott. Hopefully, that rookie wall catches up to Elliott in a hurry.
December 15th, 2016 at 8:05 am
I’m with you Joe. I fear their hogs are just too stout. Zeke could be unstoppable. Regardless, I still think we finish the season with two more wins and are playoff bound!! Go Bucs!!!!
December 15th, 2016 at 8:06 am
We are going to have to score some points to beat the Cowboys, so let’s hope we find our offense. Go Bucs!
December 15th, 2016 at 8:15 am
Bucs will beat the Cowboys. 23-17.
December 15th, 2016 at 8:59 am
The Cowgirls are not as good as their record, they beat Green Bay when they were struggling with injuries, shootout game versus Big Ben (408 yards passing) with a poor defense, and Baltimore n Minnesota with poor offenses, still impressive, but now there is tape on Prescott, and their defense benefited from the ball control running game they have, with they way our defense is playing, the Cowgirls aren’t a team the Bucs should fear
December 15th, 2016 at 9:07 am
24-13 Bucs. We continue to hold teams to 12-13 ppg in our SIX-game winning streak, and we expose the soft underbelly of the Cowboys defense…. As we march into Dallas and show them what a real “big D” looks like.
December 15th, 2016 at 9:16 am
Every time Elliott, all the Bucs involved should keep laying on him, forcing him to use more strength getting up. By 4th quarter he should be pretty spent.
December 15th, 2016 at 9:17 am
Am I the only one that thinks Dallas is highly overrated?
Their schedule has been a cakewalk and they have struggled against better teams. Barely beating the skins, Vikings, and steelers and losing to the giants twice. It takes time for teams to have a sufficient amount of tape on a rookie and to game plan for them. I think we are at that point.
I do believe Zeke is going to go off on us. I also think that will be the extent of their success. There is conflict in Dallas. A qb controversy is brewing and they are nervous. If they lose this game, all hell could break loose on their championship hopes. Let’s be real, a rookie is not going to do much damage when the games get serious in the playoffs and does Tony still have it?
Our defense has the ability to shut them down. I sincerely believe this is the best any defense has been performing all year long and Dak is going to get an eye opener. Their defense is also average and with Hump and Sims back, we could return to form on that side of the ball.
As confident as I am I would not be surprised by any outcome unless they blew us out. The world is still sleeping on us. ESPN almost unanimously took them to win. I love being the dog though. I hope we end the cowboy love fest because their fans are pretty much laughing at the fact that anyone believes we could beat them.
Yes we’ve been winning but this W could be a game-changer.
December 15th, 2016 at 9:18 am
The key to this game is getting our offense playing better, sustaining drives and scoring tds, not field goals. The Cowboys will want to ground n pound us, so its best to just keep them off the field.
December 15th, 2016 at 9:43 am
@eric I think Dallas is overrated too yes there O is looking good but look at it like this last year they had a hard schedule they had to play the NFC south and the NFC west with the same oline they had this year they played the bad NFC north teams at the beginning of the season & the browns the ravens, bangles a banged steelers. Team, everyone saying that the cowboys are a great team but now they are playing teams that are in playoffs contention which is not easy for them Carolina had it easy last year they did not have to play playoff contending teams around this time I do believe we will beat Dallas heck I ever think we will go 11-5
December 15th, 2016 at 9:49 am
Going to require GREAT play from our DB’s. Dallas’ O line w/ Elliot could be unstoppable.
December 15th, 2016 at 9:50 am
I have always hated the Cowdungs. Same goes for Jerry Jones. The Bucs will be playing in the Jerry Jones Coliseum, and that makes me pause. May the best team win, and fingers are x’ed that it will be Tampa Bay. 🙂
December 15th, 2016 at 10:02 am
Scared of zeke why??? If I recall correctly we faced this o line last season, don’t recall them rushing for a 150 yards. I see a good young rb in I don’t Adrian Peterson in his prime. Its simple we winning Sunday night.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:06 am
And I’m willing to bet anyone on here zeke doesn’t rush for a 100 yards on Sunday. Someone anyone holla at me.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:08 am
Geez Louise!!!!
Anybody who thinks the “cowboys aren’t as good as you think they are”………..you guys are smoking something!
If the bucs don’t bring their “A” game on offense or defense, the Bucs will not win.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:14 am
You people get caught up in regular season records. Did the same thing wit cats last season. cboys have an average D,a QB that is marginal from the pocket,a star WR with 38 receptions this season because he is a avreage route runner and teams are taking away the back shoulder throw. Go re-check they’re scedule weak if you ask me. They’ve beatin historically good teams that have fallen off this season. I’m not buying it. My squad will show you that in which I speak come Sunday.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:21 am
“I’m scared of zeke” I’m 😨.. Man please the run game is they’re main offense he suppose to look like a little he did come from a big time program. You can’t rush the ball 50x wit one player. Me persnally I’m not worried about him at all. You see I have this thing called “Nightmare”.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:30 am
Our offense absolutely cannot string together a bunch of 3 and outs the way they did against the Falcons.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:36 am
If they beat Dallas.
Then they’ll likely win out.
Like I said a few weeks back. I’m done predicting this team for the season.
This team is a tad bit ahead of schedule as far as being good and it’s thrown off my game.
I predicted a Super Bowl for Jameis within 3 years of entering the NFL no matter what team drafted him. It just happened to be our Bucs. Things are coming together now. The prediction was a GIANT reach to many. Those that have followed Winston since his FSU days know, it wasn’t that big of a reach at all.
Let’s see how things play out…..I know I’m damn close.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:45 am
NOS…I almost want to take that bet.
Betting against the Bucs in any form ain’t going to happen though.
December 15th, 2016 at 10:56 am
Gotta force Dak to beat you and hopefully capitalize on his mistakes.
The Bucs’ establishing the run is HUGE in the game. Gotta win the ToP against the Cowboys.
Let’s go!
Go Bucs!
December 15th, 2016 at 11:42 am
Zeke is definitely the guy to stop. I would go as far as selling out to stop Zeke and force Dak to beat us with man coverage.
December 15th, 2016 at 11:55 am
@Eric
Good points about Dallas being overrated. I do not disagree. But they are one of the better teams in the NFL that’s for sure.
It seems this is really the year for parity…we say that every year but usually there are 3-5 teams that are truly SB possibilities…this year that is all out the window.
New England is the closest thing to a “best team” in the league. Seattle..Pittsburgh…Giants…Washington…Green Bay…KC…Denver…these teams are hard to read this year. The “cream of the crop” this year is more like 2% or even skim milk. I simply do not see that many unbeatable teams.
But no doubt Dallas is among the best of this year’s crops…what we are going to find out in the next three weeks is if the Bucs are also in the group of the best.
December 15th, 2016 at 11:57 am
87 and C my belief is coach Smith is reminding his troops all week that the main focus of that offense is to run the ball. I really feel collectively as a unit they all will be tuned into slowing they’re run game. Sort of like when manning and colts won the superbowl. They werent a good run stopping defense during season but shut all runners down during that playoff run. 87 lets do it bro,it can be something simple like a round of beer.
December 15th, 2016 at 12:01 pm
I too think they overrated,same sentiment I had about an stated on many occasions last season about carolina. I said often his passer completion percentage of passes 20 or more ysrds down field was the worse in the league. Folks read my post and figured me crazy and told me so. Look at clark kent now.
December 15th, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Just a funny feeling but.. the wheels to the Cowboys bus are about to fall off. This will be an ugly game…for them… Bucs 23-Cowboys 6.
I see the Cowboys offense as very similar to the Seahawks. Young mobile QB with a strong arm, plays better outside of the pocket, they try to run the ball and usually do it well. Russell Wilson is definitely better than Prescott, Elliott is definitely better than whomever the Seahawks can put out there at RB… that being said… this D has been playing better and better, the Cowboys have been playing very close games against teams that are not even close to the caliber of teams the Bucs have been beating. This looks like a perfect storm.
December 15th, 2016 at 12:09 pm
NOS…no bet in any form.
Not even for a candy bar or a lolly pop.
🙂
December 15th, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Cowboys 20-10
Dallas held a better offense (NYG) to 10 with better weapons so I have zero confidence in the Bucs offense to score
Defense is out strength right now but unless they score or keep getting turnovers the Bucs don’t win this game
December 15th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
I agree that the biggest challenge for the Bucs will be limiting the Dallas rushing attack. If we allow them to gouge us for 5 plus yards and are making tacles all day in the secondary, then it will be a long night. This does scare me because of the Cowboy’s stout OL and Elliot’s abilities. We had trouble with Melvin Gordon a few weeks ago and if this defense has an Achilles heel it is the run defense.
Winston and the offense is going to have to be hitting on all cylinders but this is a winnable game if we perform well in all phases of the game. I wish Stocker will play to give our own run game a boost, but I have not heard his status. I do know one thing though, if we go 9-5 I will be one happy camper. Regardless though, I am very proud of this team’s accomplishments to this point even if we do not get into the post season. I predicted 7-9 to 9-7 before the season and playoffs was not a part of my prediction, so they are exceeding most of our expectation I think it is fair to say.
December 15th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
I remember me and 87 raving about Jameis when he was a redshirt frosh at FSU.
Feels good don’t it, hermano???
December 15th, 2016 at 12:23 pm
Wrong dallas didn’t hold the gmen in check eli held the gmen in check. And 87 I got you bro☺.
December 15th, 2016 at 12:29 pm
LWD…I’m of course still pretty damn excited about this kid as every one can see from what’s left of the time I still get to post here. Mostly Jameis-related. lol
I continue to think about that FSU-Buc fan that sat in the stands with me in 2013 when we both had season tickets. How I used to tease him with the thought of Jameis Winston being in OUR huddle.
Pointing down to the field at the Schiano-led Bucs huddling up I’d tell him : ” Imagine Jameis freaking Winston in that huddle.” His eyes would light up, he’d wave his hand at me like yeah right, stop teasing me.
I did that to him throughout the 2013 season. I sooooooooo want to run into THAT dude at RayJay again someday. Perhaps next season as season tickets are set to be bought VERY soon!
December 15th, 2016 at 12:32 pm
@stpetebucsfan
I completely agree. Great points. This is our biggest test in the past decade in my opinion. They are a great team. Let’s be honest though, they’re great because of the o line and Zeke. Jameis would be undefeated in Dallas.
That Giants Cowboys game is not a good determination of either team’s performance. The weather was terrible and Eli was uncharacteristically bad. The giants have better receivers but our rb’s are much much better. If they all play to their maximum potential, we have one of the best rb groups in the league. They are a recipe to beat Dallas.
I get being skeptical, considering our history but we will stop Dak. Their game is in Zeke’s hands.
December 15th, 2016 at 12:34 pm
“what’s left of the time I still get to post here”
Did I miss something??
December 15th, 2016 at 12:44 pm
That’s what I was thinking LWD..
December 15th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
lol I mean left of the current time.
Been busy lately and can’t post as much…lol
December 15th, 2016 at 1:34 pm
The Giants have shown (twice now) how to attack and beat this Cowboys offense….and I think Mike Smith and our defense can even turn it up a notch! I think this is a huge game for Jameis and Mike Evans! Bucs get 2-3 Dallas turnovers and hold off a late Dallas rally to win this one 24 – 20!
6 in a row!
December 15th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Got ya!