Cowboys at Colts 5 Questions: Should Trade-Bait Jonathan Taylor Sit Out?

The Indianapolis Colts seem to know that they are sellers; at 2-6 with Tuesday's NFL trade deadline looming, that makes sense.

And the Dallas Cowboys? They're 3-5 and in "Buyer/Seller Limbo''; they don't seem sure as to what to do ... and maybe that makes sense, too.

The Colts front office recently shipped out All-Pros Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner in exchange for draft capital ... and there is reasonable speculation that they might do the same with star running back Jonathan Taylor.

If that's their plan, should he even play in Sunday's noon CT visit to the Colts?

Let's include that among our 5 Big Q-and-A exchange with ColtsRoundtable.com author Jake Arthur for gameday ...

1 - When you see national coverage of the Colts/Cowboys, what's the most common misconception you see?

ARTHUR: The Colts are as bad as advertised right now, as they look toward the future. They claim that practices are going well during the week and that effort is high, but it isn't showing on Sundays.

The misconception I see most often is that owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon's presence on the sideline is an unwelcome distraction. Her intimate knowledge of the team has already manifested in the positive moves of firing general manager Chris Ballard and extending young defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore. Adebawore credited Irsay-Gordon with getting the deal done.

FISHER: Well, speaking of "meddling owners'' ... there is a long-standing perception that Dallas' Jerry Jones - 30 years removed from winning those three Super Bowls - "doesn't care about winning.''

That's false.

But what he does care about is "winning his way,'' with a Cowboys "culture'' created in his image.

And obviously, it's not working.

2 - Are the Colts/Cowboys more likely to be buyers or sellers by the trade deadline? Might be most likely to be traded away, if anyone?

ARTHUR: Sell, sell, sell. They've already been active in, but they're almost certainly not done. Taylor, wide receiver Josh Downs, and defensive tackle Grover Stewart are the next most likely to be dealt by next Tuesday's deadline. Dark horses to keep an eye on are quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson Sr., tight end Mo Alie-Cox, and cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward Sr.

FISHER: I'm back to that "limbo'' thing. Assuming Dallas wins on Sunday, the Cowboys - as rock-bottom as they've been - remain in the mathematical hunt in the NFC East.

And in that case? Why dump a talented player like George Pickens?

But if the Cowboys lose? All bets are off, going all the way up to moving off of Pickens (who will be a pricy free agent next spring). And of course, all bets will also be off regarding the job security of overwhelmed coach Brian Schottenheimer.

3 - Who's a player or two who are highly important to what the Colts/Cowboys want to do, but fly under the radar?

ARTHUR: Adebawore has been one of the most productive interior pass-rushers in the NFL this year and is now playing significantly more after the departure of Buckner. Interior offensive linemen Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves are also vital to any success that the Colts' offense can muster right now, as both have ascended to above-average play in their third pro years.

FISHER: Dallas employs a duo at guard that is as talented as its much-ballyhooed duo (of CeeDee Lamb and Pickens) at receiver. Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker are beasts, but don't get their deserved attention because a) they're guards, of course! and b) the Cowboys haven't established an identity that relies on them.

4 - When you compare the Colts and Cowboys, is there any area where you give the Colts/Cowboys an advantage?

ARTHUR: The Colts' run game is the most obvious here. It's not been as potent as it was last year because defenses know quarterback Daniel Jones isn't going to beat them, so they're defending accordingly.

However, Taylor does have five games this season with at least 90 rushing yards and has scored eight touchdowns. Dallas' defense is dead last in rushing yards surrendered (152.8 per game), and that's verified by giving up 5.0 yards per carry, which is second-to-last.

FISHER: Hey, once you've lost home games to two awful teams (the Bucs when they were winless and lowly Arizona), it's fool's gold to assume many Dallas advantages.

The Cowboys are favored by 6 here; that should tell a story.

But if it's my money? It tells no story at all, and my cash is staying in my wallet.

5 - Who wins on Sunday, and what will the score be?

ARTHUR: 34-23, Cowboys. The Colts are great medicine for ailing teams such as the Cowboys. While I think Taylor will have a great game in his last hurrah as a Colt, they simply don't have enough in the passing game to make a difference. I expect CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy to be too much to handle.

FISHER: I've already hinted politely that y'all should have Jonathan Taylor sit this one out! 

Seriously, in their last four games, the Colts have totaled 59 points. Meanwhile, for all the Cowboys' woes, they've scored 72 points in their last two games.

Let's go Cowboys 36, Colts 20.