Miami vs. Dallas

Canton Ohio will once again be the site of the curtain lifting for the 2013 NFL preseason. The Cowboys seem to show a perennial optimism toward a great season with a playoffs run. But for the Cowboys, it's more disappoint than elation in recent year. They had issues on the offensive line a year ago and continued to suffer inconsistent play at quarterback. They addressed part of that issue by using a first-round draft pick on center Travis Frederick. Coach Garrett pledges to run the ball more, and take some of the pressure off Tony Romo. The problem is that despite the fact that Demarco Murray is a quality back, there is no proven runner behind him, and he has had issues getting through a 16-game season. The primary reason I like Miami here is that the Cowboys have made it clear they just want to get out of this game quickly, and with no injuries. Tony Romo and Kyle Orton will see no action. Murray and the starting offensive line will get limited reps. And with a lot of holes to fill, the rest of the time for Dallas in this game should resemble a science experiment. The Dolphins went "all in" during the free agent signing period. They added quality at wide receiver, tight end, and at offensive tackle, as well as a pair of linebackers for an immediate upgrade. They also traded up to No. 3 in the draft to get help on the offensive line by adding Dion Jordan. If nothing else, they added better starters in vulnerable places, leaving them with better depth than we see from Dallas. In a game that is going to challenge quality of depth, as these early games always do, Miami gets the nod. Joe Philbin showed no desire to win in the preseason last season but that often has a see-saw effect. Teams that do poorly in the preseason the prior year facing a team that did well the year prior, are good bets in the preseason. Take Miami here.