The Dallas Cowboys will face off against the Seattle Seahawks tonight for their “dress rehearsal” preseason game. We probably couldn't have asked for a better team to match up against for the all-important third preseason game.
We all know that the Cowboys pride themselves on their high-powered offense, while the Seahawks are on the opposite end of the spectrum, relying heavily on their defense. It's a strength against strength matchup that should be really entertaining to watch.
I can almost guarantee that these two teams will be at each other's throats from the beginning and it will be a hard-fought battle to the bitter end. Both teams want to come out and set the tone early as being the more physical team, but only one can come out on top.
This is really the first chance we will get to see the starters for an extended amount of time, although we still don't know how much playing time they will receive. Minus some of the injured players that won't be suiting up (Bryant, Crawford, and Scandrick) this could be the team we see take the field Week 1 against the New York Giants when the 2016 season kicks off.
Let's talk some football and discuss some of the key matchups worth watching in tonight's third preseason game.
Dallas Cowboys Offense
The battle in the trenches:
The battle in the trenches:The Dallas Cowboys have arguably the best offensive line in the entire NFL and are no strangers to imposing their will on opposing defenses. The Seattle Seahawks however have players along the defensive line that could create matchup problems for the Cowboys OL.
Michael Bennett in particular has had success against the OL. It will be interesting to see how they approach this particular matchup.
I will be paying particularly close attention to Chaz Green, especially if Tyron Smith doesn't play.
Running game vs. Seahawks defense:
It's common knowledge that the Cowboys want to run the ball and it looks as if we might finally get to see what the running game will look like for the 2016 season. Ezekiel Elliott has a good chance of making his NFL debut and we have a really good opportunity of seeing exactly why the organization invested so highly in him.
The running game has been impressive in the first two preseason games with Alfred Morris, but everybody wants to know what we have in Elliott. There will definitely be a lot of eyes on the young RB.
Brice Butler vs. Seahawks secondary:
I'll be honest and say that I'm a little disappointed that Dez Bryant won't get to match up against Richard Sherman. When the two players square off against one another, you can almost guarantee that there will be some entertaining banter back and forth between the two.
I am however excited to see Brice Butler and how he performs against the Seahawks talented secondary. I also want to see if Butler has developed a chemistry with Tony Romo. The two didn't really get to build a bond last season because of injuries, so hopefully that changes in 2016.
Dallas Cowboys Defense
Pass rush vs. Russell Wilson:
Pass rush vs. Russell Wilson:The Dallas Cowboys defense is getting some important pieces back from injury and they should make their NFL debut against the Seahawks.
Benson Mayowa, Maliek Collins, and possibly Charles Tapper should help improve the Cowboys pass rush and they have a steep test ahead of them in containing Russell Wilson, who is known to use his legs to extend plays. All three players are virtually unknowns with the Cowboys, so I'm really interested to see how they perform against the mobile QB.
Cornerbacks vs. Seahawks WRs:
The Cowboys secondary has performed well over the first two preseason games, but the Seahawks wide receivers present a different challenge. The Seahawks WRs are more the shifty slot receiver type and the Cowboys CBs will have to cover them all over the field, while knowing full well that Russell Wilson can buy extra time with his legs.
I will be paying particular close attention to how Anthony Brown plays out of the slot since Orlando Scandrick is expected to sit out with a sore groin muscle.
Linebackers vs. Seahawks running game:
With the exception of Sean Lee, the other two linebacker starting spots might be up for grabs. We haven't seen much of Justin Durant so far, but he is capable of playing any three of the linebacker positions.
I'm really interested to see who lines up where with the starters and how they perform against the Seahawks, who are known to depend on the running game. I think it will be Sean Lee on the weak side, Anthony Hitchens at MLB, and Justin Durant on the strong side as the starting linebackers.
Are there any matchups that you will be paying attention to that weren't mentioned?
Please feel free to use the comments section below to share with everyone your thoughts and opinions or the matchups you will be paying attention to against the Seahawks.
