The Dallas Cowboys will be without 27-year old RB Marion Barber for a couple of weeks due to a calf injury.  Barber has played in 11 games for the Cowboys so far this year and he has carried the ball 102 times for 313 yards (3.1 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He has also caught 11 passes for 49 yards (4.5 avg) so far this year.  26-year old Tashard Choice will be getting the carries that were going to Marion Barber.  Choice has played in 11 games so far this year and he has carried the ball 14 times for 38 yards (2.7 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 9 passes for 45 yards (5.0 avg) so far this year.  Choice is a pretty darn good back and he will be motivated to step up after being buried on the bench most of the year.

The Cowboys missed a long field goal at the end of this game that would have sent it to O.T. as they left everything they had on the field on Turkey Day.  Jon Kitna completed 30 of 42 passes for 313 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 5 times for 20 yards (4.0 ypc) yesterday.  Felix Jones rushed for 44 yards on 13 carries (3.4 ypc) and he also carried the ball 7 times for 69 yards (9.9 avg) yesterday.  Marion Barber had a rough time yesterday carrying the ball 10 times for only 19 yards (1.9 ypc) with a TD run.  He also has caught 2 passes for 8 yards (4.0 avg) in this game.  Tashard Choice only got 1 carry and it went for a 1-yard TD run.  TE Jason Witten (10 rec, 99 yards) and WR Roy Williams (5 rec, 83 yards) led the way for the Cowboys in the passing game yesterday.  WR Miles Austin only caught 3 passes for 25 yards in this game but he also had 1 carry and it went for a 60-yard TD.  The Cowboys finished up with 144 yards rushing on 32 carries (4.5 ypc) and they also completed 30 of 42 passes for 313 yards as they had possession of the ball for 34:41.

LB Bradie James (9 tackles, 1 QB hit), CB Terence Newman (8 tackles, 1 pass defensed) and safety Gerald Sensabaugh (6 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) led the way for the Cowboys’ D yesterday.  Backup linebacker Leon Williams also made a huge play with a fumble recovery.  The Saints finished up with 81 yards rushing on 21 carries (3.9 ypc) and they also completed 23 of 39 passes for 333 yards.  The Cowboys are now 3-8 on the year.

Both of these teams are running hot right now.  The Cowboys are 2-0 under new head coach Jason Garrett as they have outscored the Lions & Giants 68-39.  The Saints have won three games in a row by a combined score of 88-32.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game as something has to give:

When the Cowboys have the ball:  The Cowboys need to remain balanced in this game because Jon Kitna isn’t going to win a shootout with Drew Brees.  Felix Jones & Marion Barber have to give the Cowboys balance or the Saints are going to come after Kitna big time.  If the Cowboys have some success on the ground it will help them control the clock.  Jason Witten, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant will give the Saints’ secondary issues today.

When the Saints have the ball:  The Cowboys had better get after Drew Brees because if he has time to throw the ball they are in big trouble.  The problem with defending against the Saints’ passing game is that they use everyone, just like the Patriots do.  It makes it hard to double anyone on the Saints.  The Saints have used the passing game to get leads before grinding wins out on the ground.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 30, COWBOYS 24

The Cowboys scored 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to pull away for the Lions yesterday.  Jon Kitna was very solid in this game as he completed 18 of 24 passes for 147 yards with 3 TD passes and 0 INTs.  He also carried the ball 4 times for 40 yards (10.0 ypc) with a TD run.  Felix Jones led the way on the ground for the Cowboys in this game with 51 yards rushing on 11 carries (4.6 ypc) and he also added 3 receptions for 35 yards (11.7 avg).  Marion Barber pitched in with 36 yards rushing on 13 carries (2.8 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 15 yards.  TE Jason Witten led the way in the air for the Cowboys yesterday with 4 receptions for 48 yards (12.0 avg).  WRs Dez Bryant (3 rec, 8 yards, TD) and Miles Austin (2 rec, 7 yards, 2 TD grabs) also made big plays for the Cowboys in this game.  The Cowboys finished up with 134 yards rushing on 30 carries (4.5 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 24 passes for 131 yards in this game.

The defense and special teams were also solid in this game for the Cowboys.  LB Keith Brooking led the way for the Cowboys’ D yesterday with 11 tackles.  CBs Orlando Scandrick (6 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and 3 passes defensed) and Terence Newman (6 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) were also solid yesterday for the Cowboys.  DE Jason Hatcher was also busy in this game with 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 QB hit and 1 fumble recovery.  The Lions finished up with 75 yards on 20 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 32 of 47 passes for 263 yards.  Bryan McCann returned 2 kickoffs for 55 yards (27.5 avg) and 1 punt for a  97-yard TD so he had a huge impact in this football game.  The Cowboys are 2-0 under Jason Garrett as the head coach and they are now 3-7 overall this year.

The Cowboys might have won last weekend but that was on the road.  Now for new head coach Jason Garrett’s next trick….trying to get the Cowboys’ first home win of the year.  The Cowboys are 0-4 at home this season and they have been outscored 137-99 at the new Cowboys Stadium.  Lucky for the Cowboys that they are playing the Lions who are 0-5 on the road where they have been outscored 113-82.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Cowboys have the ball:  The Cowboys are likely going to keep running the ball more under Garrett than they did under Wade Phillips.  Felix Jones & Marion Barber will likely split the carries against a Lions’ D that is allowing 130.4 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry.  The Lions have 25 sacks this year so the Cowboys’ O-Line is going to be challenged this weekend.  The Cowboys have to make their blocks because when Jon Kitna gets pressured he makes big mistakes.  Dez Bryant will likely be Kitna’s top target in the passing game but Jason Witten, Roy Williams and Miles Austin will likely all get some action this Sunday.

When the Lions have the ball:  The Cowboys better hope that OLB DeMarcus Ware gets to Shaun Hill a lot in this game.  The Cowboys are allowing 232.0 yards passing per game and opposing QBs have a rating of 105.0 against them.  With that in mind, I look for Hill to come out passing early and often in this game.  Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew could all have big games for the Lions this Sunday.  Jahvid Best has been dinged up for weeks so the Cowboys likely won’t have much to worry about with the Lions on the ground.

PREDICTION:  COWBOYS 27, LIONS 23

26-year old RB Tashard Choice has been the forgotten man of the Cowboys despite Marion Barber & Felix Jones’ play slipping this year.  Choice has played in 5 games for the Cowboys this year and he has carried the ball 5 times for 11 yards (2.2 ypc) and he has also caught 7 passes for 31 yards (4.4 avg).  In his first two seasons with the Cowboys, Choice played in all 32 games and he carried the ball 156 times for 821 yards (5.3 ypc) with 5 TD runs.  He also caught 36 passes for 317 yards (8.8 avg) during his first two years.  Hopefully the Cowboys will be smart and give Choice some touches the rest of this season.

The Cowboys looked outstanding in Jason Garrett’s first game as the head coach.  Jon Kitna was great as he completed 13 of 22 passes for 327 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT.  Felix Jones led the way on the ground for the Cowboys in this game with 51 yards rushing on 14 carries (3.6 ypc).  He also caught 3 passes for 85 yards (28.3 avg) with a TD grab.  Marion Barber pitched in with 47 yards rushing on 8 carries (5.9 ypc).  WRs Dez Bryant (3 rec, 104 yards, TD) and Miles Austin (2 rec, 68 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys finished up with 103 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 13 of 22 passes for 324 yards as they only had the ball for 22:09. 

The defense gave up a lot of yards in this game but they also made a lot of big, game altering plays.  LBs Bradie James (13 tackles), Keith Brooking (10 tackles) and DeMarcus Ware (8 tackles, 1 QB hit) led the way for the Cowboys on D.  CB Bryan McCann picked off a Eli Manning pass in this game and he returned it 101 yards for a TD!  OLB Anthony Spencer (fumble recovery) and safety Alan Ball (interception) also made big plays for the Cowboys yesterday.  The Giants finished up with 107 yards rushing on 28 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 33 of 48 passes for 373 yards.  The Cowboys are now 2-7 on the season.

The Cowboys and Giants just played three weeks ago with the Giants winning 41-35 in Dallas.  This time the game is in NY with Jon Kitna under center and new head coach Jason Garrett calling the shots.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Cowboys have the ball:  It would be smart of the Cowboys to run the ball more than usual because if not Jon Kitna will be in danger.  Kitna played good against the Giants in the first matchup between these two teams after they knocked out Tony Romo.  But he has been awful the last two weeks.  The Cowboys would be smart to keep the passing game of the shorter variety to Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Jason Witten.

When the Giants have the ball:  The Giants are going to mix things up this weekend.  I see them running about half the time in this game with Ahmad Bradshaw & Brandon Jacobs against a Cowboys’ D that is allowing 123.9 yards rushing per game and 4.4 yards per carry.  The Cowboys need to get into Eli Manning’s face or it’s going to be a long day for the secondary.  Opposing QBs have a 109.1 Rating against the Cowboys this year.

PREDICTION:  GIANTS 34, COWBOYS 13

The Cowboys have lost 23-year old linebacker Stephen Hodge with a injury settlement.  He has had microfracture surgery on each knee in his first two years with the Cowboys.  He didn’t get into any games for them in his career.  Hodge was a sixth round pick of the Cowboys in 2009.  Maybe Jerry Jones shouldn’t be picking the players anymore.

The Cowboys have played rookie KR/S Akwasi Owusu-Ansah on the Injured Reserve List with a high ankle sprain.  Owusu-Ansah played in 7 games for the Cowboys this year and he returned 25 kickoffs for 543 yards (21.7 avg).  He also made 1 tackle this year.  He was a 4th round pick last April for the Cowboys.  23-year old CB Bryan McCann will replace Owusu-Ansah as the kickoff returner.  McCann has played in 1 game for the Cowboys so far this year and he has returned 5 kickoffs for 139 yards (27.8 avg) and he has 1 tackle.