December 2, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis (42) runs for a short gain during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

1. It appears running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis has been on a tear for the last three games. Do you see him going for another 100+ rushing yards this Sunday? And what was the reason(s) for his slow start?

JM: I do assuming your stud nose-tackle, Jay Ratliff is out due to his strained groin. The Cowboys have been gashed in the running game this year, and the Bengals are on a roll due in large part to their renewed dedication to establishing the run game. Earlier in the year, they were breaking in three new starting offensive lineman, including rookie guard Kevin Zeitler and rookie undrafted center Trevor Robinson. Slowly they have developed into one of the NFL’s better offensive lines, and only seem to be getting better every week.

2. What did you think of Guard Nate Livings while he was with the Bengals, and now that he is on the Cowboys’ O-line?

JM: With the Bengals, he was a bit of an enigma. He had flashes of greatness at times, followed by moments that made you wonder how he was a starting NFL lineman. He seems to have found himself in Dallas, as he is the 15th-rated offensive guard according to Pro football Focus, though he has allowed six sacks this year. I don’t know if that’s in part due to Tony Romo holding the ball too long to look for the big play, or he’s still a major liability at guard. Either way, I see defensive tackle Geno Atkins having a big day against whoever lines up at that spot.

3. How well has Terence Newman transitioned onto the Bengal’s defense since moving over from Dallas last season?

JM: He got off to a rough start this year, but as the season wore on and he learned the system better, his play has significantly improved. A lot of that also has to do with the front seven playing better and getting more pressure on opposing QBs and not leaving Newman on an island. It will be interesting to see how he plays this week, as the Cowboy’s receiver corp of Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, as well as tight end Jason Witten, he’ll be tested against his former team. I don’t see him holding up against Bryant and/or Miles if the Bengals can’t get pressure on Romo.

4. With Mohamed Sanu out for the year, who will replace his recent offensive production?

JM: Rookie receiver Marvin Jones was actually ahead of Sanu on the depth chart foressentially all of the preseason and the regular season until he injured his knee on a kickoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game he was set to get his first career start in. Once he went down, Sanu was thrown into the lineup and played very well. With Sanu out last week, Jones got his first career start, accounting for two receptions on three targets for just 20 yards. The coaching staff believes in him and thinks he’s ready to breakout any week now. Hopefully it’s this week.

5. What is your prediction for Sunday’s match-up?

JM: This game will be close throughout. Neither side will lay down with their playoff lives on the line. This essentially is a playoff game, as it will be hard for the loser to bounce back with a difficult remaining schedule and make the postseason. I think the Bengals defensive line is too much for the Cowboys’ offensive line to handle, and keep Romo contained.
On offense, The Bengals will look to attack the Cowboy’s weak front seven and allow Green-Ellis to have another big day while also controlling the clock and keeping Romo off the field as they win a hard-fought 20-17 game.

Going into the offseason one of the glaring questions up for debate was who would man the vacancy left by departed surprise player Laurent Robinson? The consensus decision seems to say that Kevin Ogletree has officially been dubbed the heir to the position which is more than likely true. However if we have learned nothing else this preseason I think we can say that the plethora of unknown receivers we have might be just a little bit more talented than most of us expected.

Aug 25, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Kevin Ogletree (85) congratulates Dwayne Harris (17) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the St Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE

I’ll speak for myself regarding that subject. I honestly thought that past Miles Austin and Dez Bryant was nothing but a gaping hole but I will say I have been pleasantly surprised. From Dwayne Harris’ and Cole Beasley’s huge single game performances to Danny Coale’s diving, one-handed catch against the Dolphins. Heck even Andre Holmes showed a few signs of flash early on even though he did fade quite a bit in the last couple of games. What looked to be a weakness now seems to be a strength, or at least has that potential. The surprise here is there may not be enough spots to keep all these guys. Hopefully we hold on to the right ones.

Well that’s the good news. Another concern was the offensive line. The additions of Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings were moves expected to bolster and strengthen what was a big weakness for the team last year. Unfortunately the string of injuries that attacked the team seemed to have an eye out for the big boys this year. So many injuries may have left us with the same questions we started with as to what we can expect from the line this year.

Fortunately though, the acquisition of Bill Callahan may have been just what the doctor ordered. The game against the Raiders was nothing short of pathetic which was a huge cause for concern. The following games though the line seemed to improve significantly, providing the quarterbacks with the opportunity to make plays. Obviously it’s up in the air as to how they will perform when the real games come along, especially since the Boys didn’t face anything compared to the arsenal the Giants have in their fold, but it does offer a glimmer of hope.

Aug 15, 2012; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys guard Mackenzy Bernadeau (73) and guard David Arkin (62) at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Then there’s good ol’ Dez. I think it’s safe to say that he’s a man among boys as far as potential but discipline has never been his ally. Things started off great, reports were coming out about his focus, determination and even his increased work ethic. Then trouble found him again. Long story short, it now looks like he’s got some pretty strict guidelines to follow. Hey, if he’s cool with it and it keeps him out of trouble then I’m all for it. One question though. Am I the only one wondering if somehow Dez has slipped through the chokehold discipline system Roger Goodell has implemented? I’m not complaining by any means, I guess I just expected some kind of suspension. Hopefully that’s not a surprise to expect in the future.

Well prep time is over. It’s time to strap on the gear and embark on this journey that we all expect to be our return to glory. Let’s just hope we haven’t been fooled again by media hype and advertising.