NFL Season Opener: Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Preview

After a long offseason, it is finally back. The NFL Football season kicks off and features a game that many people will be tuning in to watch. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will start their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions against Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, who will look to get back to the playoffs as Prescott returns from a gruesome injury. Let us take a dive into the important aspects of this game and predict who will come out on top.

The Offenses

If projections are correct, this game should not be short of any offense as both teams have star power everywhere on the field. Starting with Tampa Bay, they will virtually have the same offense as last season led by Brady. The Bucs top strength of their offense is the receiving core featuring Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Scotty Miller. They also have TE’s Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard to support as well. Upfront, Tampa Bay has one of the best offensive lines in football, led by second-year standout Tristan Wirfs. If there was a weak spot on this offense, it would be the running back room. Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette will get the bulk of the carries, with veteran scatback Giovani Bernard factoring in as well. This offense is complete, explosive, and just flat-out good. They will be very tough to bring down when clicking on all cylinders.

On the other sideline is the Dallas Cowboys, who are poised to be an offensive juggernaut when everyone is healthy, which they will not be on Thursday night. All-Pro G Zack Martin will miss the game due to COVID-19, weakening the Cowboys offensive line in a big way. Despite this, the Cowboys offense is flooded with talent on the offensive line led by former all-pro T Tyron Smith. On the receiving end, Dallas features a trio of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup, who are all capable of having a big game. In the backfield, RB Ezekiel Elliott will look to bounce back from a down season but will have help in the backfield with second-year player Tony Pollard. In the TE room, Blake Jarwin will look to bounce back from an injury and Dalton Schultz will provide a spark as well. Both offenses have a ton of firepower and are as equally matched from a talent perspective as you can be.

The Defenses

With the offenses being close to equal, the defenses are not so much, with Tampa Bay having a fair advantage over the Cowboys on paper defensively. Brady and the offense get a ton of praise, but the Buccaneers defense is elite and can shut down even the best offenses. Led by LB’s Devon White and Lavonte David, the Bucs are lighting fast and swarm to the ball. Pass rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett are the pass rushers, with Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh clogging the middle. In the secondary CB Carlton Davis is the top corner, while Antoine Winfield is the “centerfielder” of the group, playing safety for the bunch. The Buccaneers are the best team in the NFC because of their defense, not only their offense.

While the Dallas offense has a lot of firepower, their defense leaves a lot to be desired. The Cowboys defense struggled mightily in 2020 and will look to rebound with new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn running the show. The Cowboys defensive line is led by DE’s Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory. Outside of them though, their line is a question mark. On the back end, the Cowboys have a solid unit with a good mix of veterans and young players. The starting corners are Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown, and the safeties are Donovan Wilson and Damontae Kazee. It is not the greatest, but growth may lead them to more success. The Cowboys strongest defensive unit is their linebacking core. The room includes Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Keanu Neal, and prized rookie Micah Parsons. Parsons has a chance to become a captain on the defense very early and could be a massive spark for the Dallas defense.

The X-Factors

The obvious players like Brady and Prescott will play pivotal roles in their team’s success, but every game includes an x-factor as well. The x-factor of this game is OL Connor McGovern. McGovern, a usual backup, will be sprung into an important role with Zack Martin missing the game due to COVID-19 protocols. It is a tall task for McGovern, but if he can hold his own, it might make the difference in keeping Prescott upright and putting points on the board. It is not the most glamorous pick, but his impact on this game can make a world of difference.

Game Prediction

With the first game of the year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will defeat the Dallas Cowboys 35-24. The Buccaneers offense will be able to put up points and with Dak playing his first game back from injury, there will be some growing pains along the way. The Buccaneers are a Super Bowl contender for a reason and will show that in Week 1 on Thursday night.

Info from nfl.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas