CCBoy
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Alright, all are asking for the Dallas offense to put up points as it did the 10 games returned from for Dak Prescott. The Cowboys averaged 30 points a game average. That is all and fine as long as Dak carries through in the playoffs and leads the business. But my sight here is at what that level of offensive production can produce with this defense coming up to the plate as well...
I am basing this paraphrased from an article by ESPN’s Ryan Clark:
The Cowboys have forged their defense to one of the top units in the NFL. It can dominate games for long stretches of time. This all since they were one of the very worst defenses in 2020.
...The Cowboys and Quinn continue to downplay All-Pro Micah Parsons’ full-time move to defensive end, but there seems to be little doubt that he’ll be rushing the passer more than he has in his first two seasons. And if he’ still moved around as he’s been, at the very least, Parsons looks like he’s gearing up for his best year yet, a scary thought for opposing offenses.
The defense, however, is more than just Parsons, they are a deep unit that was tied for third in the league in sacks last year. Fellow pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence remains a top two-way DE, Dorance Armstrong is coming off his best season and is just 26-years old, and second-year edge rusher Sam Williams is primed for a big leap. Add in veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler and it would be hard to find a team with five better options at pressuring the QB.
As Clark also points out, last year’s defense was missing a CB opposite of Trevon Diggs that scared QBs from throwing it their way. After injuries to CBs Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis, teams saw an opportunity to pick on all Cowboys corners not named Diggs and had success until rookie DaRon Bland stepped up. Bland returns for his sophomore season with his five interceptions, which was tied for second in the league, to compete as the nickel option. The Cowboys traded for Stephon Gilmore to solve the problem of quarterbacks throwing away from Diggs. Now the defense has one of the top CB tandems in the league, and it’s a deep position that also has Bland and Lewis returning from his foot injury. Dallas’ CB spot also includes Kelvin Joseph, who looks like he’s finally on the verge of breaking out, and rookie Eric Scott, Jr., who was a surprise standout during minicamp...
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-defense-espn-top-2023/?itm_source=parsely-api
The safety is a very top shelf unit in it's own right. And as a complete unit they have led the league in take aways. They have led for two straight years and three is a high tide mark at that very same talent.
Pressure and turn overs is the key. They have been dealt in spades now.
The posts' final thoughts:
...Another weakness might be at linebacker, where the Cowboys are thin. Leighton Vander Esch and Damone Clark are the starters, but there isn’t much depth. Third-year man Jabril Cox is trying to work his back from his ACL injury in 2021, but he wasn’t the same last season. The team drafted DeMarvion Overshown in the third round to help. The Cowboys place their safeties in the box, instead of third LBs, at a high rate so the lack of depth might not be a big issue, but not having enough quality players at the second level could be a flaw.
The defense for the Cowboys has all the makings of a top unit. There are questions, but they are relatively minor concerns, and the team addressed their issues in the offseason. When boasting a generational talent like Parsons, one of the best DCs in the game, and Pro Bowl pieces throughout the unit, it’s easy to buy into the hype. The Dallas defense is legit and should be among the best in the league...
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-defense-espn-top-2023/?itm_source=parsely-api
I am basing this paraphrased from an article by ESPN’s Ryan Clark:
The Cowboys have forged their defense to one of the top units in the NFL. It can dominate games for long stretches of time. This all since they were one of the very worst defenses in 2020.
...The Cowboys and Quinn continue to downplay All-Pro Micah Parsons’ full-time move to defensive end, but there seems to be little doubt that he’ll be rushing the passer more than he has in his first two seasons. And if he’ still moved around as he’s been, at the very least, Parsons looks like he’s gearing up for his best year yet, a scary thought for opposing offenses.
The defense, however, is more than just Parsons, they are a deep unit that was tied for third in the league in sacks last year. Fellow pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence remains a top two-way DE, Dorance Armstrong is coming off his best season and is just 26-years old, and second-year edge rusher Sam Williams is primed for a big leap. Add in veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler and it would be hard to find a team with five better options at pressuring the QB.
As Clark also points out, last year’s defense was missing a CB opposite of Trevon Diggs that scared QBs from throwing it their way. After injuries to CBs Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis, teams saw an opportunity to pick on all Cowboys corners not named Diggs and had success until rookie DaRon Bland stepped up. Bland returns for his sophomore season with his five interceptions, which was tied for second in the league, to compete as the nickel option. The Cowboys traded for Stephon Gilmore to solve the problem of quarterbacks throwing away from Diggs. Now the defense has one of the top CB tandems in the league, and it’s a deep position that also has Bland and Lewis returning from his foot injury. Dallas’ CB spot also includes Kelvin Joseph, who looks like he’s finally on the verge of breaking out, and rookie Eric Scott, Jr., who was a surprise standout during minicamp...
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-defense-espn-top-2023/?itm_source=parsely-api
The safety is a very top shelf unit in it's own right. And as a complete unit they have led the league in take aways. They have led for two straight years and three is a high tide mark at that very same talent.
Pressure and turn overs is the key. They have been dealt in spades now.
The posts' final thoughts:
...Another weakness might be at linebacker, where the Cowboys are thin. Leighton Vander Esch and Damone Clark are the starters, but there isn’t much depth. Third-year man Jabril Cox is trying to work his back from his ACL injury in 2021, but he wasn’t the same last season. The team drafted DeMarvion Overshown in the third round to help. The Cowboys place their safeties in the box, instead of third LBs, at a high rate so the lack of depth might not be a big issue, but not having enough quality players at the second level could be a flaw.
The defense for the Cowboys has all the makings of a top unit. There are questions, but they are relatively minor concerns, and the team addressed their issues in the offseason. When boasting a generational talent like Parsons, one of the best DCs in the game, and Pro Bowl pieces throughout the unit, it’s easy to buy into the hype. The Dallas defense is legit and should be among the best in the league...
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-defense-espn-top-2023/?itm_source=parsely-api
