Cowboys 3 Needs To Beat Lions on ‘Jimmy Johnson Night’: Top 10 Takes FISH PODCAST.

On Saturday night at AT&T Stadium, the Detroit Lions will visit the city to play Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys in a highly anticipated NFC powerhouse matchup.

Likewise, in writing? Dallas is a 5.5-point favorite over this elite opponent for a variety of reasons, so perhaps “good health” and “intense focus” are all the Cowboys need in this situation, along with some Jimmy Johnson-led motivation.

Tyron Smith, a left tackle who ranks among the finest in the industry when healthy, appears to be their first line of defense. Despite lately battling a back injury, he plans to play in Week 17.

And the second issue? Defensive team leader Micah Parsons has been chastised and scolded and warned about the dangerous of getting caught up in the “white noise,” all due to Micah’s hyperactive social-media presence.

The short version: All-time great Cowboys leader Michael Irvin has publicly suggested – forcefully! – that Parsons “focus on winning.”

Luckily for the 10-5 Cowboys, they do that very well in their home building. … which takes us to the third issue.

Dallas is a both a top-five offense and a top-five defense, ranking No. 2 in points scored (30.1 per game) and No. 5 in points allowed (19.1 per). The Cowboys have created an overall imbalance on the scoreboard as Dallas is the only team in the NFL that is averaging over 30 points a game while limiting opponents to fewer than 20 points per game.

Dak Prescott is a key to the offense, of course, as the MVP candidate currently owns the third-best QBR an has thrown for 3,892 yards, 30 touchdowns with just seven interceptions.

Parsons is a key to the defense. He’s a Defensive Player of the Year candidate as he’s totaled a team-high 13 sacks, along with a stunning total of 15 tackles for loss and 30 total QB hits.

Is there vulnerability on both sides of the ball, too? The Cowboys’ “Texas Coast Offense” would love to clean up its red-zone work and its penalties. The “Dallas Doomsday” defense has been vulnerable against the run in recent outings, and on the season ranks as mediocre in that department.

This area of weakness for the Cowboys was significantly exploited two weeks ago against the Buffalo Bills. In the aforementioned Week 15 contest, Dallas allowed a season-high 266 total rushing yards to the Bills.

And then of course there is the foundational fact that under coach Mike McCarthy, Dallas is a perfect 7-0 at home at AT&T Stadium, with a winning streak that is actually 15 games long. And in this one? Legendary coach Jimmy Johnson will at halftime be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.

If the Cowboys of today need motivation? The three-time Super Bowl champion Cowboys from the 1990s will be in the building to celebrate Jimmy’s victory, and McCarthy’s team will undoubtedly be paying attention.

In order to prepare you for Saturday night, what are our Top 10 Takes?

The Fish Report and Fish Podcast take you through the day’s happenings, covering everything from Dak to Micah to Lions information. Come on in, Nation of Cowboys!