NFL leading rusher DeMarco Murray is expected to play in Sunday’s game after undergoing surgery on his left hand earlier in the week. (Getty)
The Dallas Cowboys moved one step closer to the NFC East title and they didn’t even play a game.
Thanks to the Eagles’ 27-24 loss to Washington Saturday, the Cowboys need to win just 1 of their final 2 games to clinch the division and make the postseason.
At 10-4, Dallas hosts the Indianapolis Colts Sunday with a chance for its first NFC East crown since 2009.
One small problem, NFL leading rusher DeMarco Murray underwent surgery on his broken left hand earlier this week.
Murray, who has 1,687 yards, broke his hand in last weekend’s win over the Eagles. He is expected to play but how effective he will be remains to be seen.
#Cowboys nervous how DeMarco Murray will hold up in pass-blocking. But don’t be surprised if he & others sit out next week if in playoffs
The Colts (10-4) have already clinched a playoff berth by winning the AFC South title.
Here’s what you need to know about the Colts-Cowboys game:
The Basics
Who:
Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys
When:
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Eastern
Channel:
CBS
Where:
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Line:
Cowboys (-3) – Line provided by bovada.lv
Last Meeting:
Cowboys 38, Colts 35 (OT), Dec. 5, 2010, Indianapolis
Scouting Indianapolis
You think Colts, you think quarterback Andrew Luck. His 578 attempts, 4,492 yards and 38 touchdown passes lead the league. The MVP candidate, coming off arguably his worst 2 games of the season, could be without his top 2 targets, Reggie Wayne (a possible rest game) and T.Y. Hilton (hamstring). Hilton is 4th in the NFL with 1,495 yards on 82 receptions.
If that’s the case, Indy could be in trouble. The running game is, well, not in the best shape. Dan Herron has provided a slight boost to the disappointing Trent Richardson, but the Colts have also lost 6 of 12 fumbles when rushing the ball, both NFL worsts. They miss Ahmad Bradshaw.
The Colts’ defense is middle-of-the-pack in pretty much every category – scoring (22.6 ppg), yards per game (351) and interceptions (12), to name a few. Though they are in the top 5 for opposing quarterback completion percentage at 58.7.
Their claim to fame this season was being the final straw for Browns coach Mike Pettine to pull the plug on quarterback Brian Hoyer and get the Johnny Manziel Era started.
Indy could catch a break if Murray misses the game, but will have its hands full with wide receiver Dez Bryant.
Scouting Dallas
OK, so we’ve covered Murray and his situation. If he does miss the game, Joseph Randle is next in line. In limited duty, Randle has an impressive 7.0 yard per yard carry on 34 totes. But to expect Murray-level production over a full workload might be asking a bit too much. Lance Dunbar would also likely find himself in the mix for carries.
Tony Romo gets criticized a lot, but the man can play. He’s enjoying his best season as a pro, efficiency-wise. He can thank Dez Bryant for much of that. Bryant has caught an NFL-leading 13 touchdowns, nearly half of Romo’s 28.
Despite a 3-1 record, Dallas’ D has given up an average of 29 points in the past 4 games.
The Cowboys are 28th in the league with 23 sacks, but 7 of those have come in the past 4 contests. They’ve lso forced 7 turnovers over that span.
Heavy’s Pick
Dallas certainly has more to play for. The Cowboys take the NFC East with a victory, while the Colts have already clinched the AFC South and have virtually no shot at getting a 1st-round bye.
The ‘Boys haven’t won in The House That Jerry Built since Oct. 19 against the Giants. That’s not encouraging, especially since the Colts have won 4 of the past 5 road games.
Much of this one comes down to Murray’s health. If he plays, the Cowboys can control the time of possession battle as they have much of the season (2nd best in the NFL at 32:49) and put themselves in a good position for a W. But if they are without Murray, the task gets tougher as Randle and Dunbar haven’t had to shoulder the load all season.
My gut says Murray plays and plays well. My gut also says Luck is without the hamstrung Hilton and Wayne’s snap count is kept low to rest him for the playoffs.
That points to a Dallas dubya and a Cowboy clinch.
Cowboys 31, Colts 27
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