Running back Lance Dunbar was carried off of the field on Sunday night in New Orleans, having suffered an apparent knee injury.
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As for Sunday, Randle, McFadden and perhaps Christine Michael – he’s gotten first-team reps in practice this week – have a chance to make Murray appear more expendable when facing a Rob Ryan defense in New Orleans. The Saints are expected to face Brandon Weeden.
“Part of you has to trust your instinct in the evaluation”, Saints coach Sean Payton said.
PREDICTION: Dallas does enough early to hush the home crowd and QB Drew Brees’ physical limitations further hinder the New Orleans offense.
Dallas squares off with New Orleans sunday night. This is a good 40 yards per game less than they averaged last season. Brees sat out last week’s loss to the Carolina Panthers while backup Luke McCown filled in.
Witten, no longer the vertical threat Olsen presents, is an expert at getting free for the kind of throws over the middle that keep the chains moving.
Last Sunday, in his only his second start for the Cowboys, Weeden once again was on the losing end of the stick. “But he’s a real savvy route runner”. Tonight’s game has a primetime start time and airs on a national TV channel as well as being made available as a live stream online option. “He’s smart, tough, dependable”.
I jest, but this is actually fairly close to what is going on right now with the New Orleans Saints. Sure, the Saints went on to have a disappointing year in the weak NFC South, missing the playoffs for just the second time in the past six seasons.
Playing against Weeden could open a few options for the Saints.
The Saints need to find a new option. It will be interesting to see how this transaction will pan out for the Saints as it is a defense-for-offense transaction.
This marks the third straight year the Cowboys-Saints matchup has been featured on “SNF”.
If the Saints want to use a defensive back-heavy personnel grouping, rookie nickel back Damian Swann also is an option.
“I thought he did a good job for them last week”, Belichick said of Weeden. “Aside from just working the fundamentals and technique of catching the football, part of it is calming down and saying, ‘Listen, you do this, and not only do it, but do it well.’ That is kind of what went into the decision right after (the muffed punts) happened”.
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Dallas is going into the last game before linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive end Greg Hardy return from four-game suspensions – McClain for a substance-abuse violation, and Hardy for a domestic violence case.
