Football analyst Bryan Broaddus tackles three pressing questions for the Cowboys as they prepare for the biggest and most important game of the season.
With the NFC East on the line Sunday night in Washington, Broaddus talks about a rematch with RG3, possible weather conditions and the psyche of a Cowboys team that has been here before.
1. Do you think Rob Ryan/Cowboys will have a better feel for Redskins offense now that they've seen RG3 in action, or is that offset because Griffin now also has a better feel, too?
Broaddus: There is no doubt that Ryan and this defense as a whole will have a better feel for what the Redskins might try and do to them in this game. I went back and studied that game and there is clearly some adjustments that Ryan can make to try and shore up some breakdowns they had. Where Ryan is at a disadvantage is Bruce Carter and Josh Brent played in that game and he will have neither this time. Against the Eagles last week, Kyle Shanahan didn't run as much read option with him to expose that knee. Ryan knows when you play Griffin III you have to be ready to defend the entire field and that will be his challenge.
*2. This is the fourth time in five years the Cowboys have played a crucial game in the season finale. While they've only won one of those games, can they learn from that experience and make it a positive? *
Broaddus: It's a team that has fought through so many issues and heartache this season, that is what they are going to draw from. They are going to draw from that strength and not from the team that went to the Meadowlands to end last season. Jason Garrett did say on Monday with the media there are things preparation wise he might look at to get his team ready. This Redskins team is one that they have had success with before in years gone by, it's not like they are playing the Eagles or the Giants who have traditionally given them problems to end the season. This team's will to win has been impressive all season and they will have to find a way to do it one more time to win this NFC East.
3. You've seen plenty of film now on both teams. If the weather turns cold, rain and downright nasty, which team does it affect the most?
Broaddus: This is a great question because I am a big fan of both DeMarco Murray and Alfred Morris but the team that could run the ball better if they had to would be the Redskins. I give you that answer because I believe that Dallas would have more of a difficult time stopping the run than the Redskins. It's really not so much about the offenses but how would the defenses react if one team just loaded up and tried to run the ball down after down. The last time these two clubs met, there was no Murray for the Cowboys but they did have Carter and Brent inside, well that has now flipped. The Redskins still like to run those zone or boss plays where they stretch you thin, then Morris makes the cut. I just don't see the Cowboys missing players in the front seven that could keep the Redskins from running the ball successfully.
