Defense

Jaylon Smith: Battling The Uncontrollable

The Dallas Cowboys provided a jaw-dropping moment in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, when they decided to write linebacker Jaylon Smith’s name down on their draft card. Why in the world would they draft a linebacker so highly when there’s a chance he may have to sit out the entire 2016 season? Well, Smith’s selection is based more on his future potential and that he can fully recover from a devastating knee injury that also caused nerve damage. If he can fully recover and become the player he was at Notre Dame, then the Cowboys would’ve drafted a player that is arguably the best defensive player in the entire 2016 NFL Draft. Can you say draft day steal?

Photo of author

Written by: Brian Martin

Published on:

Are Any Of The Cowboys Defensive Players Irreplaceable?

The Dallas Cowboys, much like other teams around the NFL have players that are more important to the organization than others. That is simply the sad truth of the National Football League. I like to think of these players as being irreplaceable. These are the types of players that can pretty much ruin a season if they have to miss any length of time due to an injury. Unfortunately, this is something that we as Cowboys fans have recently had to deal with and something that can hopefully be avoided in the upcoming 2016 season.

Photo of author

Written by: Brian Martin

Published on:

Is Rolando McClain Key To Cowboys Defensive Success?

There are a lot of questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys defense for the upcoming 2016. Who will be the starting defensive ends with Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence missing the first four games due to violating the substance abuse policy? How will the cornerback situation shake itself out? Who will be the starting outside linebacker? These are just a few questions that surround the Cowboys defense that should answer themselves once the off-season practices really start getting underway.

Photo of author

Written by: Brian Martin

Published on:

Who will Lead the Cowboys Defense in 2016?

The date was January 11th, 2015. After winning the NFC East with a 12-4 record, the Dallas Cowboys found themselves a win away from the NFC Championship game. Standing in their way was the Green Bay Packers, as the Cowboys visited Lambeau Field for the Divisional round. In a more literal sense, it was Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers that stood in Dallas’ way, as the hobbled signal caller faced little resistance from a Cowboys’ defensive line that hit him just 3 times – resulting in Rodgers completing 24 passes for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns. While this game will be remembered for the Dez Bryant catch-that-was-not, it’s important to step back and realize how much this offense carried the team through the regular season.

Photo of author

Written by: Sean Martin

Published on:

Who will Emerge from the Cowboys Linebackers?

Dating all the way back to the 2005 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have selected at least one linebacker every year. Many of them have not worked out, but the position still remains one that has a seemingly bright future with a solid amount of depth. When both healthy and in sync, Sean Lee and Rolando McClain are as good of a tandem at this position than anyone in the league. Since Dallas’ defense often plays dominantly in nickel packages, Lee and McClain see plenty of snaps as the only 2 linebackers needed on the field. However, the Cowboys current situation at LB may not be very sustainable in a long-term approach.

Photo of author

Written by: Sean Martin

Published on:

Cowboys Secondary: Don’t Forget About These Two Corners

On the surface, Cowboys Nation has plenty of reasons to still be concerned about the team’s secondary. However, a closer look at the depth available for Rod Marinelli and Dallas to work with warrants some optimism for a unit that has been holding the Cowboys back for years. Deji Olatoye and Terrance Mitchell stepped in at the end of the 2015 season to see some significant playing time, and certainly made the most of it. In the game the Cowboys were mercifully eliminated from playoff contention at AT&T Stadium against the Jets in week 15, Mitchell recorded the first interception by a Dallas corner since December of 2014 in a win at the Bears. Olatoye stepped in to start the very next week against the Bills, and recorded an interception of his own against Tyrod Taylor in the end zone.

Photo of author

Written by: Sean Martin

Published on:

Finding Roles for the Cowboys Defensive Rookies

The Dallas Cowboys spent 5 of their 7 draft picks in the 2016 NFL Draft on improving Rod Marinelli’s defense. After grabbing Ezekiel Elliott at fourth overall, this defensive trend certainly makes sense, as the team will try to emulate the 12-4 season of 2 years ago where the defense often found themselves on the field in favorable situations. For a defense that showed some really good signs in the bleak 2015 season, this unit should be excited at the new additions joining the mix. The key will be finding roles for these rookies alongside the veterans. Let’s attempt to do that for all 5 players:

Photo of author

Written by: Sean Martin

Published on:

Moving Tyrone Crawford To Defensive End Is A Mistake

It has been rumored this off-season that the Dallas Cowboys are toying with the idea of moving Tyrone Crawford to defensive end due to Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence’s pending four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The depth at the defensive end position is a concern, so Crawford’s possible position switch is understandable. First off, I’m in favor of doing anything that will help out the defense overall, but Crawford’s potential move to defensive end concerns me a little. Actually, it concerns me more than a little. I’ll go as far as saying that I think it would be a mistake and I’ll attempt to explain why.

Photo of author

Written by: Brian Martin

Published on:

Five Defensive Players That Need To Step Up In 2016

Yesterday I shared with you five offensive players that need to step up in 2016, and today I thought I would take a look at the other side of the ball and express what defensive players I think need to step up their game for the 2016 season. In 2015, the Dallas Cowboys defense under the guidance of defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli performed admirably and actually kept the team in games that were close enough to win, if the offensive performance would have been a little bit better. The Cowboys lost a number of games by less than a touchdown and if they can carry that over into 2016, there is no telling how far the team may go. There are a lot of players that could have been mentioned on this list, but if these players can step their game in 2016, it should improve the overall play of the entire defense. Here are the five players I would like to see step up their game in 2016:

Photo of author

Written by: Brian Martin

Published on:

How Close is the Dallas Defense to the Super Bowl Broncos?

The Denver Broncos captured the historic Super Bowl 50 title thanks to a defense that absolutely dominated the Carolina Panthers – led by MVP Von Miller who recorded 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. The Broncos forced 7 … Read more

Photo of author

Written by: Sean Martin

Published on:

Prev Next