NFL Picks Week 4: Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions

The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions both won in comeback last week. 

While the Lions are the surprise 3-0 team, the Cowboys stand at a fortunate 2-1 after their sloppy victory against the archrival Washington Redskins.

Six fumbles by the Cowboys—including four botched snaps by Phil Costa—clouded a heroic comeback by Tony Romo, Dan Bailey and Felix Jones.

Romo proved to be a hero again despite a fractured rib and a plethora of miscues by his receivers.

Cowboys fans must wonder whether Romo can pull it off again.

Several questions must be answered in order for the Cowboys to pull out a third straight victory.

Can the Cowboys defense cool the hot Matthew Stafford? 

Can Romo overcome the beastly Lions rush led by Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch? 

Will the Cowboys receivers pick up their play? 

Do the Cowboys defensive backs have any answer to Calvin Johnson? 

Can Dan Bailey continue his stellar play? 

Will Jones bring some more big rushes against the Lions? 

Moreover, can the Cowboys hand the upstart Lions their first loss of the season?

Tony Romo

Projection: 21-of-36, 243 passing yards, 2 TDs; 6 rushes, 19 yards

Romo will be harried by the Lions pass rush, especially by Suh.

The Cowboys offensive line has been dismal. That won't change on Sunday. 

Against Suh, a second-year player who already looks like the player of a generation, Kyle Kosier and Costa will struggle. 

Kosier will do his best. However, Costa will be agitated after his shameful performance on Monday.  Costa might do better on the snap, but he won't be able to help Kosier block Suh, which will be needed.

Romo will do his best to escape the rush.  Romo will have to scramble a few times.  He'll still have a pretty good game.  Mostly, Romo will be able to get the ball out. 

Suh, Bosch and the rest of the Lions defensive line can knock Romo around, but they can't keep him from nailing a receiver in the end zone.

Felix Jones

Projection: 15 rushes, 90 yards, 1 TD

Jones had one big 40-yard run against the Redskins that made his Monday night. 

On Sunday, his game will play close to the same way.  Jones will mostly be stuffed by the Lions inside front of Suh and Corey Williams. 

Despite being contained most of the game, Jones will break one or two big runs to make his day.

The big runs will make a difference for both Jones and the Cowboys.

Dez Bryant

Projection: 8 receptions, 140 yards, 1 TD

Dez Bryant has seen the beginning of his second season slowed by injury.

The injury bug won't hold him down as much against the Lions as it did in previous games. Bryant will feel less pain on Sunday in his thigh. The Lions secondary, which is hardly an NFL secondary, will do nothing to slow him, let alone stop him. 

Bryant will jump back on the radar of NFL observers, reminding them that he is a premier receiver.

Jason Witten

Projection: 7 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD

Jason Witten will face a Lions defense that has only allowed one touchdown by a tight end, which came on Sunday by Visanthe Shiancoe.

Increasing that total would be no challenge for Witten. Witten will break loose, getting a good share of the receptions. Romo will find Witten in the end zone. 

Once again, Witten will benefit from injuries—this week Miles Austin is out with a persisting hamstring injury—to attract extra attention from Romo.

DeMarcus Ware

Projection: 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass deflections

DeMarcus Ware has started the season at a roaring pace, with five sacks in the first three games.

Ware had a big role in stuffing Rex Grossman. Ware sacked Grossman and helped force him into bad decisions. 

On Sunday, Ware will dial up on Stafford, sacking him and hitting him a couple times more.

Also, Ware will get in the passing lane, knocking down a couple of passes.

Terence Newman

Projection: 2 tackles

Generally, Newman will be fresh for the first time this season. In his first game of the season on Monday, Newman struggled with his right groin injury, which had kept him out of the first two games.

Newman will likely get the call to match up against Calvin Johnson. No receiver changes games like Johnson does. Johnson burned the Vikings for two touchdown catches and will burn Newman for two more.

Healthy or not, Newman is no match for Johnson.

Dan Bailey

Projection: 3/3 FG, 3/3 XP

Bailey has been as clutch as any kicker in the NFL thus far this season.  He has two game-winning field goals in his first three games. 

Few rookie kickers get the chance to wear that mark after three NFL games. 

Bailey will be clutch once again, maintaining his high standing among NFL kickers.

Prediction

Prediction: Cowboys 30, Lions 28

The Cowboys will hold the proud title as the team that hands the Lions their first loss. 

The Cowboys defense will reasonably contain Stafford, managing to hold Stafford to fewer than 250 yards passing for the first time this season. 

Romo will lead the way in another exciting finish. In the final two minutes, he will direct another late game-winning drive. Once again, that drive will be capped by a field goal by Bailey.

This will be a tough game for the Cowboys, much tougher than they probably envisioned before the season.  Suh will be a menacing presence roaming in the Cowboys backfield.

Nevertheless, Romo will manage to fare well and lead the Cowboys to victory. Triumphing against tough defensive players is what premier quarterbacks do. Romo is starting to show that he is part of that group.

He will need the rest of the season to prove that he is among the elite, but this is the beginning.