Dallas at Tampa Bay

How ‘bout them Cowboys?!? If I told you at the start of the season that this matchup would feature a struggling team clinging to .500 versus the number one defense in the league, you wouldn’t have been surprised. If I told you that killer defense would belong to the Dallas Cowboys, you would’ve had me committed. Here we have an awesome situation. A well-rounded 5-1 team is visiting a 3-3 team that has lost its’ identity. The 5-1 team is brimming with confidence but isn’t overconfident due to their coach’s style. The 5-1 team has one of the best coaches in NFL history and does a great job at keeping his teams hungry, even when they are winning. Despite the Bucs record, the Cowboys won’t be taking them lightly at all (they are still the World Champs). The Bucs defense has been shredded by both the run and the pass this season. Dallas’ Quincy Carter is playing nearly flawlessly and as good as any QB in the league. And, this 5-1 Dallas team is GETTING nearly a touchdown! I’ll take those points to the bank. Not that Quincy Carter has needed any help, but in addition to TB corner Brian Kelly being out, safety John Lynch is doubtful for this game. My Matchup Power Ratings indicate that this game should be closer to a pick-em and there are no reasons (injuries, trends, etc) that I can see to refute that. Take Dallas to keep it close with an excellent chance to win the game.