Thanksgiving Football 2011: 3 Things Cowboys Must Do to Beat Dolphins

The Dallas Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving is a tradition nearly as old as Thanksgiving itself.

Okay fine, maybe it's not that old, but the Cowboys have definitely been playing on Turkey Day for a while now. It's impossible to imagine the holiday without them.

This year, the Cowboys have a pretty favorable matchup on their plate, as they will be taking the field against the 3-7 Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have done a fine job of turning things around lately, winning three in a row after starting 0-7, but they're a team the Cowboys should be able to beat.

To beat the Dolphins, I figure there are three things the Cowboys must do.

Don't Lose Sight of Reggie Bush

Say what you will about Reggie Bush's ability or inability to be an every-down back, but I think we can all agree that the dude is a pretty dangerous playmaker.

This is true now perhaps more than ever before. Bush has scored four touchdowns in Miami's last three games, and he's consistently racked up good chunks of yardage both running and catching the football.

I don't think the Cowboys should be worried about the Dolphins putting too many points on the board, but Bush is a guy who could kill them if the game is close. He only needs to get loose on one play, and the Dolphins could end up with seven crucial points. 

Those seven points could be the difference between a win and a loss for the Cowboys.

Don't Underestimate Matt Moore

As far as quarterbacks go, Matt Moore is no Aaron Rodgers. 

However, Moore is no slouch either. His numbers are halfway decent, and he has two games this year in which he's thrown three touchdown passes and no interceptions. He's not nearly as helpless as his reputation suggests.

As such, what the Cowboys need to do is treat Moore like any other quarterback. This is to say they need to bring the heat, putting pressure on Moore to play above his level.

My guess is that the Cowboys don't need to be told what do to. But hey, we're talking about a team that just made Rex Grossman look like a Pro Bowler. 

Pass, Pass, Pass

If there's one thing the Dolphins do well, it's stuff the run. The Dolphins currently boast the league's seventh-ranked rush defense, and have allowed just one 100-yard rusher all season.

While I have no doubt that the Cowboys will make a point of forcing the issue with DeMarco Murray, they're probably better off airing it out. The Dolphins rank 25th in the league against the pass, and we've seen a number of upper-tier quarterbacks have their way with them this year. 

Besides, the Dolphins have had it pretty easy in the last three weeks against Matt Cassel, Rex Grossman and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tony Romo will represent an entirely different challenge, and let's not overlook the fact that Romo is pretty hot right now. 

The Cowboys would be wise to take advantage of that reality as often as they can.