Game 13: Cowboys vs. Steelers

This game is going to be a great one. It's in Pittsburgh, who has a 9-3 record. The Cowboys have a 8-4 record and are winning games thanks to QB Tony Romo. I love this game since the teams have a great history against each other. The game will hopefully live up to the history, and most likely will live up to it with the likes of Romo, Ware, and TO against Roethlisberger, Ward, and Harrison. To say that it will be fun, edge of your seat fun, would be an understatement. And now that I have "billed it up", it will now probably be a yawner. Doubt it.

Steelers to Watch:

• Ben Roethlisberger: QB Rating - 80.0; 208-343 (60.6%) for 2,412 yards, 13 TDs and 12 Ints
• Willie Parker (Questionable): 142 carries for 572 yards with 4 TDs
• Mewelde Moore: 121 carries for 499 yards with 5 TDs
• Hines Ward: 59 catches for 755 yards and 6 TDs
• Santonio Holmes: 41 catches for 594 yards and 3 TDs
• Nate Washington: 27 catches for 446 yards and 3 TDs
• James Harrison: 80 tackles with 14 sacks and an Int
• Troy Polamalu: 54 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 15 deflections
• LaMarr Woodley: 48 tackles, 11.5 sacks and an Int

These guys are for real on defense. They not only come to play, they come to win. And they not only come to win, they come to inflict pain on the QB.

Cowboys to Watch:

• Tony Romo: QB Rating - 103.2; 192-300 (64.0%) for 2,559 yards, 21 TDs and 8 Ints
• Marion Barber: 215 carries for 870 yards with 7 TDs and 2 lost fumbles
• Terrell Owens: 52 catches for 816 yards with 8 TDs and a lost funble
• Jason Witten: 58 catches for 709 yards and 3 TDs
• Patrick Crayton: 31 catches for 409 yards and 3 TDs
• DeMarcus Ware: 62 tackles with 15 sacks (leads NFL in sacks)
• Jay Ratliff: 37 tackles with 6 sacks

They list DeMarcus Ware day-to-day, but I would totally expect him to play on Sunday. In fact, I would be shocked, dumbfounded, mind you, if he didn't play. For Christmas, it is his jersey on my Christmas list. You could say that I'm a D. Ware fan. BEWARE OF D. WARE!!!

Romo is the better QB between the two. This could go either way, in that it can be a high scoring game for both teams... Pittsburgh has scored over 30 points three times this season and is 3-0 in those games. They have not given up 30 points in a game this season. Pittsburgh has lost to Indianapolis, the Giants, and to Philadelphia. They are 2-2 when they give up 20 or more points, with the most yielded this season being 24 points.

Both teams have won their last three games. Dallas has given up 30 points or more four times this season and is 1-3 in those games. They have scored 30 or more four times, including the last two games, and are 4-0 in those games. The most points the Cowboys have scored this season is 41 points in week #2 against Philadelphia.

When Romo was missing, the Dallas defense got a lot more work to do, as the offense averaged just under 14 points a game for three games.

The Steelers defense have given up only 10 points a game in each of their last three games.Forecast: I think this is as tough as they get to call. Pittsburgh has the superior defense, while the Cowboys have the superior offense. When both are on the field, it will be a battle of skills. I guess the question is this: Can Dallas get 20+ points against the Steelers, who have lost to two NFC East teams? Simply scoring 20 points automatically gives them a 50% chance of winning. And scoring 30 points gives them a 100% chance of winning in my mind. They won't make it to 30 points, but they will to 20, or to be exact, Dallas scores 27 points on them. And they win it, 27-24. It's a nail biter.

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