(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Most of the time, I'm going to side with my favorite propane salesman ever. But this week, Mr. Hank Hill, I'm going to have to turn on you and your team for my Dirty Birds.

A trip to Dallas would have had me sweating two years ago, even last year (as long as we'd met them this early in the season), but it's becoming more obvious by the day to me what the Cowboys are: a ground-bound bunch that needs to pray for some other teams to trip up if they want a Wild Card.

On the positive side for them, though, it looks like "America's Team" isn't easily blown out either. I doubt anyone out there has been floored by victories over the Chiefs (you really needed OT?) and this year's iterations of the Bucs and Panthers, but coming within two points of the Giants and a touchdown of the Broncos says a lot.

The Dallas running game lends itself to slower-paced ball. While I don't pretend the Falcon defense can dictate the tempo while they're on the field, at the same time the Atlanta Offense will have all the say when they get out there under the bright lights in the new stadium.

Still, it would be wise for folks like me to keep this in mind: Should the Cowboys win, both clubs will be locked at 4-2, second in their divisions, with early schedules looking mighty similar.  The future, however, appears much rockier for us than our competitors (which you best believe includes the 'Boys).

Dallas Rush Offense v. Atlanta Rush Defense

Not all that often you see a pro team with this much balance in the backfield, but I've pinched myself hard enough to know it's no dream. Three guys over 200 yards already, and all of them have been used to score. Worse yet, Marion Barber, Tashard Choice, and Felix Jones (who's questionable for Sunday as I write this, but still...) have diverse skill sets, making them much more difficult to prepare for and successfully counter.

Then again, take a look at how bad we shut up Matt Forte - 1.5 yards per carry - last week, and I don't know that the disadvantage is as big as it could possibly be. In other words, we're still going to give up some serious yardage on the ground, but there are worse teams in the league at stopping the run.

I hate how many times per game we have to rely on Mike Peterson and Curtis Lofton to grab the ball carriers. Whether or not it's how the linemen are handling their blockers, the angle opposing backs are taking, or just straight-up player error, that's something for me to analyze as I watch this game. The point is this: Jonathan Babineaux hasn't had a significant wrap-up of a runner since the Dolphins game, and John Abraham is obviously concentrating on getting his pass rush to where it was last year.

The blocking the Cowboys are doing is largely getting overlooked, as most blocking typically does, but the fact that stars like Jason Witten and Roy Williams are throwing themselves into the fray in order to provide protection for this rush attack should be mentioned. In reality, it's only because of their work that exists.

OK, that and Barber's outright distaste for being tackled.

I would suggest to my own guys that we take a containment approach; I'm far less afraid of Tony Romo, even with time in the pocket, than the trio of tailbacks. Backing off a blocker at the line after initial contact to ensure that a stop gets made - even three, four yards into the run - might be wiser than motoring it all afternoon.

Atlanta Rush Offense v. Dallas Rush Defense

Looks like "Dirty Doubter" (check an old DDDB ) is winning out: Michael Turner is not going to be among the top five running backs in the league again this year, let alone will he have 1,700 friggin' yards. Not that that makes him any less valid of a player, but you'd be blind to not see that we're leaning on the pass game more and more.

I don't think it's so much about the blocking, and it's certainly not about the Burner's skills. He still moves like he's got tank treads for legs and churns way after contact. He has the exact same mentality he did last season; he doesn't care if he's small, and he doesn't care if you're going to stack three guys on him for a stop, he'll charge just the same.

But teams are better prepared for him now. He's not the underestimated former backup anymore. And unlike the last two teams we've faced, Turner will not be getting to the second level automatically. That's not because the Cowboys line is that great, but because the linebackers are just that good.

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