Dallas Cowboys have easiest possible path to Super Bowl LIII
Being America’s Team means the Dallas Cowboys feel at home on the road. Now, with two possible home playoff games, the road to SB LIII couldn’t be easier.
The road to Super Bowl LIII (53) couldn’t be better for the Dallas Cowboys. Reviewing the teams in the NFL playoffs, there were a few teams and cities that I would like for the Cowboys to avoid. After the first round, Cowboy Nation should sigh in relief, because the Monsters of the Midway – aka – the Chicago Bears were on that list.
I’m not going to be an Cowboys historian and mention that on November 27th, 1960, the Chicago Bears beat the Cowboys 17-7 and almost 20 years later, former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was born. I could easily tie all of that together and make it relevant to this Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, but I will pick the low hanging fruit and take the easy route.
This season, Cowboy Nation has seen this group of individual players become a solid team. While it’s fun to second guess the personnel decisions, it’s time to give some credit to general manager / owner Jerry Jones and the front office. Despite this team’s losing regular season road record (3-5), they are designed to win away from AT&T stadium.
Traditionally, teams with the following have success in away games: a strong rushing attack (10th), the NFL’s leading running back Ezekiel Elliott with 1,434 yards; the 7th ranked defense – led by future Hall of Fame safety Jeff Heath – in both yards allowed per game (299) and points allowed per game (20.3).
Selfishly, I enjoy traveling to cities with warm weather, so my nightmare scenario featured a playoff game trip to Chicago in late January. That’s the science and logic behind it. There’s also the small fact that the Chicago Bears were ranked 1st in points allowed per game during the regular season.
Now, of the remaining teams, the Cowboys have the best ranked defense in points allowed on the NFC Championship Playoff bracket. That’s a strong advantage for the Cowboys. One glaring team weakness is that the Cowboys don’t score a lot of points (ranked 22nd with 21.2 points per game). When an offense doesn’t score a lot of points, the defense can’t allow a lot of points. – Genius, I know. I amaze myself daily.
There’s one other city that I want the Dallas Cowboys to avoid – New Orleans. After the 13 – 10 defeat the Cowboys handed the New Orleans Saints earlier this season in Dallas, the Saints in Mercedes-Benz Superdome would be the purest definition of a hostile environment. Saints head coach Sean Payton definitely studied the Cowboys because you learn more from defeat than victories. #Message
Against the Los Angeles Rams however, it will feel like a home game. The Cowboys will get smothered in California Love like Tupac after he signed with Death Row Records! If still you’re wondering if I like the Cowboys’ chances in L.A., please refer back to the previously mentioned home game record. So, cheer for the Cowboys to handle their business and defeat the Rams (after all, the Eagles did it).
Next. Cowboys at Rams: 6 things Dallas must do to win. dark
Afterwards, cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles to defeat the Saints this weekend. If it makes things any easier, don’t think of it as fearing a trip to New Orleans. Cheer for the Cowboys to have one more home playoff game. We all want that.
#GoCowboys