6 highest-graded players for the Cowboys in Week 1 of the preseason via PFF

[JoeyBoy718]

I could be wrong, but he looked a little out of shape to me. If he is that could be the reason why he played.

Could be. Also, I was reading in a Lions subreddit that Houston is purely a situational pass rusher, who is a terrible run defender, and the coaching staff prefers more well-rounded DEs. That likely will never change. Hopefully we don’t do the same, and instead just benefit from having a good pass rusher. EZE is a good run defender. They can’t all be perfect.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

This makes the Von Miller signing even more puzzling. I dont like the signing and he was bad last season.

Nine sacks and five tfls despite playing just 420 snaps? That's bad???

 

[My3Sons]

But all the experts here on the Zone are convinced Lawrence is Taco 2.0 based on 17 preseason snaps.......

He is probably Taco 2.0 because he couldn't even get 8 sacks last year playing for a directional Florida school.

He won the 40 at the Underwear Olympics, so Jerry lit a 1st round pick on fire.

 

[Kwyn]

Did you actually watch his sacks? He wasnt exactly beating tackles, they were falling or completely missed assignments. We'd be lucky if he gets 6.

Do you realize that also describes Gary’s sacks?

 

[Bamx]

Did you actually watch his sacks? He wasnt exactly beating tackles, they were falling or completely missed assignments. We'd be lucky if he gets 6.

Highlight video

 

[FVSTONE]

I would discount anything PFF has to report if they think Malachi Lawrence had a great game against Seattle.....LOL!

 

[CT Dal Fan]

He is probably Taco 2.0 because he couldn't even get 8 sacks last year playing for a directional Florida school.

He won the 40 at the Underwear Olympics, so Jerry lit a 1st round pick on fire.

So you are using sack totals in college to determine a player's pro future?

Arvell Reese had 6.5 last year and went 5 overall to the Giants. And before you scream level of competition he faced teams like UCLA, Purdue, Rutgers, Ohio, and Grambling State last year.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

I would discount anything PFF has to report if they think Malachi Lawrence had a great game against Seattle.....LOL!

Lawrence did his job. He was asked to play contain against the run and maintain his gap integrity. Also had two nice pressures before he was pulled from the game.

Believe it or not a defensive end is asked to do more than light up a stat sheet. They can have a great game without getting five sacks.

 

[xwalker]

Houston is really just a pass rushing guy. Leave him out there against the run and he gets steamrolled. EZE was strong against the run as a rookie.

The 3-4 offsets that issue.

He is probably better in coverage than some 3-4 OLBs. Parker puts a bigger emphasis on coverage ability of the 3-4 OLBs than some D-Coordinators. Especially for the Weak Side OLB.

 

[Gambit]

I think Revel is the answer we were hoping for at CB

Looking like it so far

 

[805BoysInBlue]

Nine sacks and five tfls despite playing just 420 snaps? That's bad???

And his 9.5% pass rush win rate is what exactly?

 

[805BoysInBlue]

Do you realize that also describes Gary’s sacks?

Yuup

 

[805BoysInBlue]

Highlight video

9.5% pass rush win rate.

 

[irishline]

9.5% pass rush win rate.

"In the 2025 NFL season, Von Miller recorded an adjusted pass-rush win rate of 12.5% (and a 12.4%–12.5% pressure rate) on a situational snap count for the Washington Commanders. While a standard baseline "NFL average" pass-rush win rate for edge defenders typically hovers around 10% to 11%, Miller's 12.5% mark placed him comfortably above average in efficiency, tracking similarly to productive veteran peers despite his limited snap distribution."

Von Miller Adjusted Win Rate Vs. Other Edges

 

[Rockport]

Houston is what he is.
A pass rush specialist who plays snaps when all he has to do is pin his ears back.
He has virtually no upside vs the run!

Doesn’t need to for his role.

 

[shabazz]

This is gonna kill the narrative for the haters here.

This is like an impacted bowel that finally got a huge dose of fiber......get out the way and let the essence flow

Flow Cowboys!

 

[McKDaddy]

This is like an impacted bowel that finally got a huge dose of fiber......get out the way and let the essence flow

LOL. The "essence"

 

[exciter]

Doesn’t need to for his role.

Nope!
But it was an answering a question of why he was as getting more snaps!

 

[shabazz]

LOL. The "essence"

At the end of the day "essence flowing" is what makes men get out of bed to work 8-12 hours a day.

Its caused wars and runs through our minds 19 times a day.

 

[Whyjerry]

I’m surprised Houston is even playing. He was 2nd on the team with 5.5 sacks last year. He’s proven himself more than EZE and Malachi have.

Totally right. Houston gets no respect.