Doomsday Dallas Defense
Isn’t it just the best feeling in the world when your predictions turn out to be true? I predicted that the Dallas Cowboys will have the best defense in the NFL. Well, if the Cowboys’ defense plays like it did against the Giants the rest of the season, then not only will they be the best in the league, but the best of all time.
In all seriousness, it’s just one game. I get it. However, the thing that I am most encouraged by is that we got to see a glimpse of all the things that the Cowboys defense has to offer on their way to a 40-0 beatdown of the Giants. Funnily enough, the party got started on special teams. The Giants marched down the field on their opening possession of the game and got into field goal range. The Giants’ field goal attempt was blocked and the Cowboys took it back to the house for a 58-yard return.
The rest of the game was pretty much dominated by the defense. With 2:22 left in the first quarter, cornerback DaRon Bland picked off Daniel Jones and returned it back for 22 yards on his way to the endzone. The Cowboys were up 16-0 and at this point, it was curtains for the Giants. All that was left for them was to try to make it a respectable scoreline.
Unfortunately, the Dallas defense had other ideas. They were hellbent on making a statement. They went on to have seven sacks, two interceptions and five forced fumbles. According to Next Gen Stats, the Cowboys defense generated pressure on 23 of 37 dropbacks. Which is 62.2%. That is the fourth-highest pressure rate in a game since 2019.
The thing that makes the Dallas defense so strong is that they are talented throughout their entire unit. They have the guy I believe to be the best defensive player in football, Micah Parsons. Unless you have elite offensive tackles, you have pretty much no chance of blocking him one on one. If you double him like the Giants did, well then you have other guys on the defensive line that can hurt you. The Giants doubled Parsons 14 times. The Cowboys got five sacks and 10 pressures during those plays. In the secondary they have an elite cornerback with Trevon Diggs and added a veteran who is still amazing in Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore seems to have gotten acclimatized to life in Dallas quickly as he got an interception on his debut against the Giants.
While the win against the Giants was all about the defense. Let’s not forget about the firepower they have on the offensive side. They didn’t have to do much last week, but the offense led by Dak Prescott will have their part to play if the Cowboys want to have a successful season. They have a good offensive line, a great running back in Tony Pollard, a legit number one wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb and an excellent quarterback with Prescott. The roster is stacked and this will be the season the Dallas Cowboys make it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995.
Header Photo: The Cowboys basically just had to sit back and watch the Giants unravel during their Week 1 contest where the Cowboys won, 40-0. (Adam Hunger/The Associated Press)
Write to Mohamed Warsame at mohamed.warsame@mnsu.edu