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The 2018 NFL Playoffs continue today with an NFC Wild Card game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys.
The 10-6 Seattle Seahawks come into tonight’s game on a roll, winners of six of their last seven. The dominant defense that led the Seahawks to a couple of Super Bowl appearances earlier in the decade is long gone. Today’s Seahawks team has an average NFL defense. However, the Seahawks now feature a mature Russell Wilson, a sublime NFL quarterback who makes the Seattle offense dangerous against any opponent. Like most teams, the Seahawks struggle on the road, with just a 4-4 record away from Seattle this year. Against playoff teams the Seahawks were 0-2 on the road, so they have their work cut out for them against the Cowboys today.
The Dallas Cowboys come into this game with a 10-6 record, champions of the NFC East. Like the Seahawks the Cowboys are on a roll, winners of seven of their last eight games. The Cowboys are a team built on defense and running the ball. They have an anemic passing game that picked up the last half of the year after they acquired Amari Cooper from the Oakland Raiders. Even with the addition of Cooper, however, the Cowboys aren’t really built for a shootout. They scored more than 30 points only three times all year, while they scored 17 or less seven times. This is not an offensive juggernaut, primarily because the quarterback, Dak Prescott, is mediocre. However, the Cowboys have a good running attack led by Ezekiel Elliott and an excellent defense which held opponents to 24 points or less in 14 out of 16 games. A fast, hard hitting defense, a top running attack led by a star running back, and a conservative offense led by a young quarterback that scores just enough to win; the Seahawks should recognize their own formula for success from earlier in the decade in these Cowboys. The Cowboys have been very tough at home, winners of seven out of eight contests in Dallas.
It’s the Seahawks and the Cowboys on Saturday Night in NFC Wild Card action.
Enjoy the game everybody.