NFL Fact or Fiction: Dallas Cowboys Will Face Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl

The Dallas Cowboys and the Tennessee Titans are both 3-3 and in second place in their respective divisions. Both have had up-and-down starts and unpredictable performances, but there is plenty of time left for each team to get in a groove and make the postseason.

The Cowboys are a talented bunch, but they are far from flawless, and many question their ability to close out games against tough opponents.

Tennessee is a team that has a rare opportunity to make a splash in the AFC South with the Colts out of the picture. However, a surprisingly woeful running game and unspectacular quarterback have hindered them.

Will these two clubs square off in Indy in February? Let's take a look.

Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware

Dallas' defense might not be the very best in the league, but it always have a chance to play at a high level with DeMarcus Ware on the field.

Ware has continued wreaking havoc on opponents in 2011, as he has already registered eight sacks for 46 yards lost. His best game thus far was against New England, when he had five tackles and sacked Tom Brady twice.

Recently, Ware played through some back spasms. Keep an eye on this injury because Ware is by far Dallas' best pass-rusher, and his fate is crucial to the team's defensive success.

Titans: Chris Johnson and the Running Game

In order for Tennessee to even think about making the playoffs, it needs to drastically improve its running game. Right now, they're dead last in the NFL in rushing.

Chris Johnson's numbers have plummeted. He is averaging 2.9 yards per carry and has hit pay dirt just once this season. Maybe Johnson doesn't have his best stuff right now, but most of the blame should go to the inept offensive line.

B/R writer Sam McGaw explained in a recent article how the Titans' interior offensive linemen have been missing assignments and failing to clear holes for Johnson. Unless head coach Mike Munchak can solve this issue, there are big limitations on how well the offense can perform this season.

Cowboys: Sean Lee

Sean Lee has emerged this season as a phenomenal asset to the Cowboys.

The second-year pro out of Penn State has become a tackle and turnover machine. He leads the team in tackles with 51, has three interceptions and has two fumble recoveries.

Lee was the key playmaker in the Cowboys' Monday Night Football win against Washington with his interception of Rex Grossman and late fumble recovery to seal the deal. He was the NFC Defensive Player of the Month in September.

Not everything about the Cowboys is Super Bowl worthy, but Lee sure is.

Titans: Receiving Corps

Through the first four weeks of the season, the Titans receivers put up some respectable numbers.

Then they faced a playoff-caliber defense. Then Kenny Britt tore his ACL.

Without Britt, the Tennessee passing attack is feeble. Now their top two receivers are Nate Washington and Lavelle Hawkins.

The Titans need to prove something against Indianapolis this week, and if they can't, they need to trade for a playmaking pass-catcher. Otherwise, they can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.

Cowboys: Tony Romo and the Aerial Attack

When Tony Romo and Dez Bryant are in sync, and when Romo efficiently uses Jason Witten, the Cowboys are an elite NFL team. But sometimes he throws the ball to the wrong team at the wrong time.

In six games, Romo has thrown for more than 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns. Statistically, the Cowboys are the fourth-best passing offense in the NFL. When he utilizes the weapons around him, he can march down the field against good defenses.

So, why are the Cowboys 3-3?

Romo threw away Dallas' chance to win the Jets game, his poor decisions allowed Detroit to make a stunning comeback, and the Cowboy's coaching staff was hesitant to allow him to throw it late against New England, allowing for a Patriot comeback.

If Romo can prove he can work efficiently during crunch time, the Cowboys can make a deep playoff run, maybe even a Super Bowl run.

Titans: Defending Playoff Teams

If Tennessee wants to snag a wild-card spot, it have to buckle down defensively.

It might sound good that the Titans have held their opponents to a respectable 233 passing yards per game, and they've had four games where they held opponents to 20 or fewer points.

Unfortunately, those solid defensive games came against mediocre or poor offenses. When they finally faced proficient offenses, they failed miserably. Pittsburgh put up 38 on them, then Houston lit up the scoreboard for 41.

Jason McCourty and Jordan Babineaux are a few of the only bright spots on the defensive side of the ball.

Cowboys: Inconsistent Running Game

DeMarco Murray tore up the St. Louis Rams on the ground Sunday, but we need to examine the entire body of work of the Dallas running game.

Murray looked great Sunday, but the way the banged-up St. Louis defense was playing, almost anyone could have run for 200 on them.

Dallas rushed for a measly 64 yards in Week 1 and 45 in Week 2. Then it broke out for 125 against Washington and 113 against Detroit. Then it regressed to 77 yards against New England. In that New England game, Murray rushed 10 times for 32 yards.

Felix Jones' health and Murray's level of consistency will dictate how balanced Dallas' offense can be.

Titans: No Super Bowl Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck has had a fine career, but he is no longer a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback. Unless the talent around him magically gets better, he will not be able to lead this offense to the Super Bowl.

He has 10 touchdowns and has completed 62 percent of his passes this season. Both are decent marks, but most of his highlights were made when Kenny Britt was a part of the offense.

Hasselbeck's subpar production the past two weeks (two touchdowns and three interceptions without Britt) has Tennessee fans worried about their playoff hopes.

Cowboys: Killer Instinct?

It's an ongoing question: Do the Cowboys have that killer instinct to win the Super Bowl?

If you tuned into Dallas' games against the Jets, Lions or Patriots, the answer is no. If you tuned into the 49ers or Redskins games, the answer is yes.

The fourth quarter against New England is the kind of sequence that makes me wonder whether they have what it takes. After failing to put together a couple of first downs and seal the deal, they gave Tom Brady the ball and allowed him to work his way down the field for the win.

Dallas has yet to play five of its six divisional games. How the Cowboys fare in those tight games will be an indicator of how they will perform in the playoffs.

FICTION

These two teams won't meet in the Super Bowl. Tennessee may not even make the playoffs. There are just too many question marks surrounding their skill position players.

Dallas, on the other hand, has a brighter future. It can control its own destiny with wins against NFC East opponents. Tony Romo has the potential for postseason success, and there are plenty of weapons on both sides of the ball to beat any team.

Neither club is halfway through the season, so a few tweaks or a key acquisition could change the complexion of their campaign.

Early-season outlook: I predict Tennessee will finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs, and Dallas will finish 10-6 and lose in the divisional round of the playoffs.