1. Tony Romo is playing well » In the last four games, Romo has thrown eight touchdown passes and no interceptions. He’s also finished each game with a passer rating of at least 104 or higher. He’s improved his ball security and decision-making. Perhaps not having Terrell Owens around — and trying to force him the ball — has helped. Regardless, he’s only thrown seven interceptions this season; his previous career low is 13. And this has occurred despite facing more pressure as he’s been sacked a career-high 31 times. The Cowboys are tied for second in the NFL with 15 pass plays for 40 yards or more.
2. But the offense is inconsistent » Despite Romo’s improvement, the Cowboys’ offense has not scored as much lately. They averaged 26.4 points in the first eight games and have averaged 17.1 in the past six (though it’s 22.3 in the past four). For the season Dallas is ninth in the NFC in red zone offense, converting only 51.2 percent into touchdowns (the Redskins rank fourth at 57.1). Tight end Jason Witten has not been as involved in the red zone.
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3. Their outside linebackers are excellent » It’s not just DeMarcus Ware, though he’s a dominant outside linebacker. Ware (11 sacks) impacts a game with his presence alone, as teams must account for his strength and speed. Left one-on-one, he’ll usually win. But Anthony Spencer is an unheralded outside linebacker. He harassed the Redskins in the first game and is excellent against the run. Though he only has four sacks, he’s an improving rusher. Also, Washington’s tight ends struggled to help the run game in the first meeting because they could not block Ware and Spencer.
4. The run game is still effective » The biggest problem occurs when Dallas goes away from its run game. The Cowboys rank seventh in the NFL in rushing and only Tennessee averages more than their 4.9 yards per carry. But of the top 15 teams rushing the ball, only Green Bay has fewer carries. Marion Barber powers the ball behind a huge line; brittle Felix Jones and Tashard Choice offer explosion.
