It Isn’t Dez Bryant vs. Calvin Johnson

This seems to have bristled Calvin Johnson a little bit. Earlier this week he suggested that Dez Bryant does not exactly run clean routes. Media in both cities are asking players and coaches who is better of the two. Players and coaches in both cities are also trying desperately to steer the questions in other directions. To his credit so far Dez has not engaged Calvin yet in the mini rivalry. Unless of course you consider his vocal goals to be the gauntlet thrown down for Calvin to pick up. Maybe it was.

The two will not face each other head to head on the field unless the game comes down to a Hail Mary heave by one of the two very effective in 2013 Quarterbacks. If the game comes down to that one single play the Lions have used Megatron as a Defensive Back and he might be trying to out jump Dez for a desperation heave. I tend to doubt that will happen though. Would the Cowboys use Dez similarly? They haven’t to this point that I recall, but they might. After the game there is little doubt these two will meet on the field to exchange smiles, slaps on the back and pleasantries. Right now, they are probably the two most talented WRs in the NFL. Each has 6 scores on the season and is the favorite target of their franchise QB.

Tony Romo and Matthew Stafford are tied for 2nd behind Peyton Manning for the most TD passes in the NFL this year with 15 each. So not only are the two top WRs even in scoring, so are the two QBs. Each is also doing a good job keeping INTs down. Stafford has only thrown 4 and Romo only 5 on the season so far.

Both teams come into the game with 4-3 records and looking to stay above the .500 line. The Cowboys have scored 200 points on the season while the Lions are not far behind at 186. The Lions have given up 167 points this year, and the Cowboys are just slightly ahead at 155 points allowed. In other words this is a fairly even matchup. Historically the series has been fairly evenly contested as well. The Cowboys own a 12-10 advantage in the series all time. The post season series is tied at 1-1. The home team has enjoyed the advantage in the series for the most part. The Cowboys are 7-3 at home and 5-7 in the Lions back yard. They are 2-2 at Ford Field.