Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys: Complete Wild Card Game Preview for Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys are set to face off against the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium Sunday. The Cowboys need this win to get the critics, who say they can't win when it matters, off their back.
The Cowboys are coming off a dominating 44-17 win against the Washington Redskins. Nearly everything that could go right did go right for the Cowboys, who they carry a considerable amount of momentum into the playoffs.
The Lions are coming off a 30-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers, where they missed their chance to get a bye week in the playoffs.
The Cowboys have lost their last two meetings against the Lions in devastating fashion. They hope to reverse that trend on Sunday.
The Cowboys will have a tough task on both offense and defense, as the Lions are an extremely talented team that presents matchup problems in every phase of the game.
Read on for some news and notes, injury information and players to watch on Sunday.
Cowboys' Week 17 Recap
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The Dallas Cowboys ended the regular season on a high note, as they dominated the Washington Redskins, 44-17. The Cowboys look primed to make a postseason run as their offense and defense are playing at extremely high levels.
The Cowboys improved their road record to 8-0 and enter the playoffs on a four-game winning streak. Along with the Seattle Seahawks, the Cowboys are playing as well as anyone else.
Tony Romo put together another great performance, which should further cement his status as a contender for the MVP Award.
Dez Bryant has really come on as of late and has cemented himself as one of the top two receivers in the NFL. He is a physical freak who brings a dynamic playmaking ability on every play.
The defense continued its solid play as of late, as it stymied the Redskins for most of the game.
The Cowboys now look forward to the playoffs, where they will face the Detroit Lions at home.
News and Notes
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Suh Wins Appeal
Ndamukong Suh was initially suspended for this game; however, he won his appeal and only has to pay a fine, per ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer.
It would have been great for the Cowboys if the Lions were without their most dominant defender; however, Suh shouldn't alter the game plan.
The Cowboys establish the run and use the passing game to take advantage of when defenses load the box to stop the rushing attack. This shouldn't change, as the Cowboys look to impose their will on others.
Getting Payback on Tate
The Cowboys still remember the cheap shot that Golden Tate, then with the Seahawks, laid on Sean Lee and vow to get retribution, per ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon:
"That was the dirtiest shot I've ever seen," Church said during his weekly radio show on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "We were talking about it on the way back from Washington, me and Sean. He was just like, 'Man, I wish I could play so bad in this game just to give a little payback for what he did in Seattle.'
"Obviously he can't play, but we're definitely going to keep our radar out for [Tate] because that was a dirty shot. We're looking forward to seeing him. We'll definitely get him back after that, but it will be within the rules, within the rules.
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It is great to see Barry Church stand up for his teammate, but he has to be careful that he focuses on doing his job and not just getting a hit on Tate.
Melton to IR
The Cowboys placed defensive tackle Henry Melton on injured reserve this week, per Archer. Melton suffered a bone bruise to his right knee against the Washington Redskins, and the Cowboys needed his roster spot.
This may be the conclusion to Melton's time in Dallas, as there is almost no chance that they pick up his option this offseason. The best-case scenario is that the Cowboys and Melton restructure his deal to significantly lower how much money he counts against the cap going forward.
Normally, the loss of Melton would be a huge blow to the defense, but the emergence of Tyrone Crawford, who has played better than Melton this season, will lessen the blow.
Injury Report
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| Josh Brent (calf) | DT | Questionable |
| Tony Romo (back) | QB | Probable |
| Rolando McClain (knee) | LB | Probable |
| Zack Martin (ankle) | OG | Probable |
| Jeff Heath (thumb) | SS | Probable |
| Dekoda Watson (hamstring) | LB | Doubtful |
| Doug Free (ankle) | OT | Questionable |
| DeMarco Murray (hand) | RB | Probable |
| Bruce Carter (knee) | OLB | Probable |
| Anthony Hitchens (ankle) | OLB | Questionable |
| C.J. Spillman (groin) | DB | Questionable |
All injury information comes from the Cowboys' official team website.
The Cowboys are relatively healthy as they enter the playoffs with only two significant contributors who are questionable to play. Anthony Hitchens has emerged as a good "Will" linebacker, especially for a rookie, and Doug Free is a solid right tackle as well.
If Hitchens is unable to play, Bruce Carter will likely move over, and Kyle Wilber will take over as the "Sam" linebacker. If Free can't play, he will continue to be replaced by Jermey Parnell, who has played well in Free's absence.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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Ndamukong Suh vs. Zack Martin/Ronald Leary
Ndamukong Suh will be the interior offensive line's second toughest assignment of the year; the first was J.J. Watt back in Week 5. The Cowboys desperately need a similar performance from Ronald Leary and Zack Martin this week.
Suh is such a disruptive force because he combines impressive quickness with incredible strength, which allows him to dominate and take over games at times.
Zack Martin has been one of the best guards in the NFL this year; therefore, the Cowboys shouldn't be worried about how he will hold up against Suh.
The player they have to worry about is Ronald Leary, who has been up-and-down throughout the season. Leary did a great job against Watt, but Fletcher Cox dominated him on multiple occasions. Leary needs to remain balanced and not overextend to try and compensate for Suh's strength.
If Leary can hold up against Suh, the Cowboys offense should have a big day. If not, the Cowboys' dream of a deep playoff run may be over quickly.
Calvin Johnson vs. Cowboys Secondary
Everyone remembers Calvin Johnson's 14-catch and 329-yard performance against the Cowboys last year. This is the secondary's opportunity to get revenge for that embarrassing outing last year.
The Cowboys will likely use a wide variety of looks against Johnson on Sunday. Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will likely bracket Johnson on most plays with a cornerback and a safety. However, there will be times when the Cowboys play zone and will have to rely on the linebackers and secondary to work seamlessly together.
Orlando Scandrick (5'10", 195 lbs) is the best cornerback on the Cowboys roster, but he doesn't have the size to cover Johnson for a significant stretch of plays.
Brandon Carr (6'0", 210 lbs) has the size to match up with Johnson, but he lacks the foot quickness to stay with Megatron on any slants or crossing patterns.
Sterling Moore (5'10", 202 lbs) has the ball skills to challenge Johnson at the catch point, but his size and speed aren't ideal either.
It will take a team effort between the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties for the Cowboys to limit Johnson's effectiveness Sunday. It may seem likely an unlikely task, but the defense has been proving doubters wrong all year.
X-Factor of the Week: Barry Church
Barry Church has been one of the most consistent players on the Cowboys roster this year. He has been a sure tackler who has made significant improvements in coverage. He will have a great deal of responsibilities against the Lions, and his performance will go a long way toward showing how the defense holds up against the Lions offense.
Church will likely play a significant amount of snap as the deep safety, where he will have to make sure the Lions' deep threats, Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson, don't make big plays down the field. On top of that, he will have to do a good job in run support when he plays down in the box.
The Lions offense is built around making big plays down the field in the passing game, and Church will be the man tasked with making sure that doesn't happen.
Prediction
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This wild-card playoff matchup will be a dogfight between two of the best teams in the NFC. The Lions bring an explosive offense and run-stuffing defense that gets after the quarterback, while the Cowboys bring an efficient offense that dominates the ball and an opportunistic defense.
The one big question mark in this game is Matthew Stafford. He is capable of playing at an All-Pro level, but in the same token he can play like someone who doesn't belong in the league. This game's outcome will have a lot to do with which Stafford shows up in Dallas.
Like any other game, the Cowboys defense needs to get pressure on the quarterback, but especially so this week. Stafford has awful tendencies when he is faced with pressure, and the Cowboys will have multiple turnover opportunities if they can get in his face.
Overall, the Cowboys have the winning formula to beat explosive offenses like the Lions. They have to run the ball and dominate the clock, while Romo picks apart the secondary. If the defense can come up with a couple of turnovers, this game will go in the Cowboys' favor.
Prediction: Cowboys 28, Lions 17
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