Cowboys vs. Titans: What Are the Experts Saying About Tennessee?

It's easy to get excited about your playoff hopes after a season-opening win on the road, but the Tennessee Titans still have a lot to prove before we can say that they're ready to take the next step.

That next step would be beating a Dallas Cowboys team that they're actually better than. It's a game the Titans should win and need to win if they want to be in a good place to move past mediocrity in 2014.

More is at stake than you may think at this early stage in the season for the Titans. They need to show that they can win the games they're supposed to win. Getting a big win on the national stage for a home opener would be a great accomplishment.

This is what some of the experts are saying about the Titans as they sit at 1-0 with what looks to be a much more balanced roster with Ken Whisenhunt at head coach.

Paul Kuharsky: The Positive Impact of Ken Whisenhunt

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Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com talked about the impact Ken Whisenhunt has brought to the Titans: "He's very direct and the players respond well to his approach. Everyone coming off a mediocre year and a coaching staff change craves that clean slate and clear direction, and he’s offered both."

Whisenhunt has passed with flying colors so far in his first year as the Titans head coach. With that said, things can go the opposite direction in a hurry if this team goes on another extended losing streak like last season. The fans are starved for a playoff berth or at least some serious progress from several below-average years.

As great as the win over the Kansas City Chiefs was, it's important to not get too ahead of ourselves just yet. The Titans beat a team that's currently hammered with key injuries and had a suspension to Dwayne Bowe. It was still a win that I don't believe the 2013 version of the Titans would've been able to accomplish. The hostile environment at Arrowhead Stadium would've been too much for them to handle.

Adding everything up collectively since Whisenhunt first arrived in Nashville, it seems that this team is thriving off that freshness of a new start. It will be interesting to see if this can be sustained and if the Titans can beat a team they're supposed to beat in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

A culture change is the biggest difference I see in this team right now, and it will lead to more success against better teams.

Can you imagine the excitement that will be generated if the Titans can win their home opener against the Cowboys—a box-office team—even if they are currently bad? 

Mike Dyce: Another Strong Day from Jake Locker?

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Jake Locker might be primed for another efficient passing day against a weak Cowboys defense, per Mike Dyce's game preview on FanSided.com: "He’ll be playing a Cowboys secondary that is susceptible to being picked apart and a defensive front that only sacked 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick once. Locker could have a strong showing on Sunday."

We need to see another successful outing from Locker to feel comfortable that he's ready to carry this team through a full season. He's got the perfect opponent to do that.

Locker was extremely efficient against a very good Chiefs defense. His field vision was on point the entire game, and his decision-making was above par. He needs to roll that performance over to Week 2 to show that he can be consistent.

Who knows how far along Locker would be if he could have avoided a long-term injury last season? We could be having a completely different conversation about Locker.

Locker has a chance to really shine and take a step forward on the national stage if he can pull this win out for the Titans and get them to 2-0. He'll have to put up some points, because I expect the Cowboys offense to bounce back and put up plenty of points as well.

Matt Verderame: Titans Favored over the Cowboys

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Matt Verderame of SB Nation talks about how both teams have been recently in covering the spread: "Both teams have had issues covering the spread in recent times, with the Cowboys doing so only once in their last six games while the Titans have a 1-4-1 mark over that same span." 

The biggest area of weakness for the Cowboys is obviously their defense, and the Titans offense looks to be much improved from 2013.

However, this is a game I would stay away from in the betting world. It has all the makings of turning into a shootout, and who knows which team will catch fire and possibly blow the other one out. 

Tony Romo had one of his worst games of his NFL career in Week 1, and it wasn't just because of the three interceptions. He looked lost out there trying to read the field. I don't expect him to look anywhere near that bad against a Titans defense that is still finding its way.

Yes, the Titans defense played well in Week 1. It's important to remember that the Chiefs were missing Dwayne Bowe and don't have near the amount of offensive weapons that the Cowboys have.

I agree with the slight spread of three points in favor of the Titans—but not with much confidence. Too many crazy things can happen when the Cowboys are involved.

Jim Wyatt: A Chance at Inside Linebacker to Replace Zach Brown

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The Titans suffered their first major injury setback in Week 1 when they lost Zach Brown to a torn pectoral muscle. Zaviar Gooden will now get a chance to prove himself as a starter, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean: 

"

Zaviar Gooden prepared to step up at linebacker for #Titanshttp://t.co/OnCmBUENsA

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 11, 2014"

Gooden is in his second season with the Titans and has always been considered a player with a lot of upside. He's a former third-round draft pick from 2013, and it's a great opportunity for him to become the main guy alongside Wesley Woodyard. He'll get a stiff test against the Cowboys in only his second career start.

As for Brown, he was entering a season where he really had to live up to the hype he built during his rookie season. The Titans should be thankful that they made all of the offseason moves that they made after this injury. They would be in a lot more trouble without Brown if these moves hadn't been made.

Titans Official Website: Tony Romo Speaks on Titans

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Tony Romo had some good things to say about the Titans defense, including this one courtesy of the Titans' official website: "They looked good. They move a lot defensively. I think you see a lot of slants on their front while there are different things that get people to be very active. I think you see good secondary play. Ninety-nine, Casey, is a very destructive player. They’ve got a lot of things going for them."

Romo's rough game in a loss to the Titans in 2010 was also brought up. Both teams are obviously much different four years later.

Your guard can't be let down when dealing with a quarterback like Romo. Just when you think he's down for the count, he can suddenly morph into one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.

The Titans have to hope he stays in his funk if they want to get their first 2-0 start since 2008, which was the last time they made the postseason.

They'll have to plan for Romo much differently than they planned for the mobile Alex Smith. Containing Romo's ability to go deep will be critical, as well as getting constant pressure on him inside the pocket to get him to force those throws that he's become accustomed to.

Romo's streaky play is what makes this game so hard to predict, and it will be a true test for this revamped Titans defense. The limited Chiefs offense was just a warm-up.