The Dallas Cowboys have leaned on their rugged offensive line to power through opponents all season.
The league's second-finest rushing attack is in for its stiffest challenge yet, though, when the Lions -- armed with the best run-stuffing unit in the NFL -- visit Big D for Sunday's wild-card showdown.
"They're outstanding. I think they're going to be as good a test as we're going to have all season," Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said Wednesday, per the team's official website. "The game in a lot of ways may come down to ... that matchup up front. I think it'll be a great test for our guys and I think they're up to the challenge."
As Chris Wesseling pointed out on the latest podcast, tiffs between top-ranked rushing attacks and run-stopping units typically favor the defense. We've also seen Cowboys runner DeMarco Murray dip of late, running for under 4.0 yards per carry in three of his last five games.
Dallas, though, is no one-trick pony. The chemistry between Romo and wideout Dez Bryant has torched teams on a weekly basis, helping the 'Boys score an outrageous 41.3 points per game in December. Over the past 50 years, only the Broncos of September 2013 (44.8), the Patriots of October 2007 (43.4) and the Rams of October 2000 (42.5) have averaged more.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews this weekend's four Wild-Card matchups and predicts who will advance. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
