This total is too high. It would make more sense if the Cowboys had anybody worthy at the skill positions and this was the Falcons defense of a year ago.

Atlanta is much improved defensively under Dan Quinn, who was the Seahawks' defensive coordinator last season.

The Cowboys are minus Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. Without those two, the Cowboys' skill position players rank with the Arian Foster-less Texans and Browns as having the worst skill position set.

Brandon Weeden is the worst starting quarterback going in Week 3 - and that's saying a lot with Jimmy Clausen and Luke McCown also drawing starts. Weeden is turnover prone, locks into one receiver and throws a high number of simple checkdown passes that gain little yardage.

The Cowboys do have a solid offensive line. However, their running backs are below average. Tempo is very important when playing a total. I see the Cowboys playing at an extremely slow pace and very conservatively. Their goal is to control clock keeping the ball away from dangerous Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.

Ryan doesn't play as well outside of Georgia Dome. The Falcons also are without their best running back, Tevin Coleman.