Week 1 of the 2015 season boasts a bitter rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. What are the five keys for the Cowboys?
Tony Romo and the Cowboys were one of the top teams in the NFC last season, although they had one player in particular last year that they don't have this year. DeMarco Murray was a huge part of their offense last year, but he chose to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles this past offseason. It was a crushing blow to the Cowboys, but they are hoping that one of their running backs or a combination of them can replace him.
It was a very dramatic offseason for the Cowboys with star wide receiver Dez Bryant as well. He threatened to sit out the regular season unless he was given a new contract, which is exactly what ended up happening.
Looking ahead at Sunday night, there are quite a few question marks that Jerry Jones' Cowboys are going to have to answer. What are the main five keys for them if they want to come away with a big season opening division win?
1. One of the Running Backs Must Step Up
Perhaps the most obvious key for the Cowboys is the fact that they need one of their running backs to step up in a big way. Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle and Christine Michael could all see playing time, but one of them has to figure out a way to step up as the starter. If the Cowboys can find a legitimate starter at the running back position, they will be just fine for the 2015 season.
2. Dez Bryant Must Dominate the New York Secondary
One of the biggest advantages that the Cowboys have this season is the superstar talent that Dez Bryant has. New York doesn't have anyone in their secondary capable of covering him one-on-one, which should give Romo favorable situations to target him. Bryant has to come through with a big game and the Giants know that Dallas will look to him early and often on Sunday night.
3. Put Pressure on Eli Manning
Eli Manning has been known to fold under pressure the past couple of seasons and has had a bit of a turnover issue. Dallas must find a way to get past the Giants' offensive line and force Manning to make quick decisions and force a couple of turnovers. If they can do that, there is a very good chance that the Cowboys will be able to come away with a win.
4. Tony Romo Must Take Care of the Football
Dallas is going to have some offensive issues in Week 1, but they are expecting Romo to step up and take a big leap forward in 2015 as a leader. Taking care of the football is what they need him to do first and foremost, which is one of the major keys against the Giants. If he can be a game manager for the Cowboys and make one or two big plays through the air, the Cowboys will be in a very good position against the Giants.
5. Offensive Line Must Live Up to the Hype
All offseason long the talk has been about Dallas having the most dominant offensive line in the entire NFL. It will impact whether or not one of the three current running backs can have a big year and Romo needs to stay upright and out of injury issues. If Dallas wants to knock off the Giants on Sunday night, they need their offensive line to live up to the hype that they have been given all offseason.
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