Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherlius: The Key Detroit Lions vs the Dallas Cowboys

In a game that features explosive offensive weapons like Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, Dez Bryant, Felix Jones and Jahvid Best, it will probably be a surprise to many that anyone would think that the game between the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon will be determined by two Lions linemen.

However, as the old maxim goes, the game is won or lost in the trenches, and this holds true even with the NFL morphing into a passing league.

Demarcus Ware is the reason why Cherlius and Backus will be so essential in Dallas. So far in 2011 he has recorded five sacks, the most in the league, in just three games against the tackle tandems of the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins. All of these teams have better offensive tackles than the Lions, yet they failed to stop Ware from getting to the quarterback and disrupting the passing game.

The pass rushing threat of Ware looks even harder to stop this year than in the past. Where under Wade Phillips Ware was used as a defensive end who stood up, in Rob Ryan's defense he has been moved around to increase confusion on the offensive line and get better matchups.

This has meant that Ware has been rushing the passer from the left, the right and blitzing up the middle. Sometimes he has even been isolated against a tight end. By moving him around, it will no longer be just Jeff Backus battling with him, but also out right tackle Gosder Cherlius.

Last week against the Vikings, Backus was dominated by Jared Allen, especially in the passing game. While this may not have been a huge surprise, the beatdown which was laid onto Cherlius by the breakout sack artist Brian Robison is more troubling.

While there are not many more dangerous pass rushers than Allen (Ware is one of them, though), Robison is hardly an elite defensive end. How will Cherlius cope if he has to do battle with Ware one-on-one for even just 10 snaps of the upcoming game? It will probably not be pretty.

If Ware can get the better of our left and right tackles on Sunday, it could derail Matthew Stafford and his lethal arm. In the first half against Minnesota, Detroit's offensive line was at its worst, and with our tackles surrendering pressure on almost every drop back the passing game was nonexistent.

This is an ill omen because the Cowboys have been the second-best team at stopping the run so far. With the Lions struggling to run the ball anyway, if the passing game is also compromised by Ware living in the Lions' backfield, then our explosive offense may never get out of first gear.

This is the reason why Cherlius and Backus hold the Lions' fate. If Ware can get to Stafford then the passing game will struggle like it did in the first half against the Vikings and the Tony Romo will record another gutsy win.

However, if they can hold their own and give Stafford time, then Calvin Johnson and the receiving corps will be able to victimize the fragile and injury depleted Cowboys secondary. If this happens, the Cowboys will not be able to keep up with Detroit's offense, and the Lions will be unbeaten going into their Monday Night meeting with the Chicago Bears.

So, there it is. The game is on the broad padded shoulders of Detroit's tandem of tackles. Let's hope they are up for it.