Dallas Cowboys offense should be elite, but defense needs to produce too
Perhaps the primary reason why many are expecting the Dallas Cowboys to make the postseason and compete for a Super Bowl in 2020 is the offense. Dak Prescott leads a unit that was among the elite of the league a season ago. He is expected to take another step forward in his fifth season. Ezekiel […]
Perhaps the primary reason why many are expecting the Dallas Cowboys to make the postseason and compete for a Super Bowl in 2020 is the offense.
Dak Prescott leads a unit that was among the elite of the league a season ago. He is expected to take another step forward in his fifth season. Ezekiel Elliott has proven to be one of the game's best backs. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb rival any wide receiver trio in the NFL.
Add in Tony Pollard and Blake Jarwin, and you have no shortage of firepower and talent all over the skill positions.
There are some holes along the offensive line: Tyron Smith is aging and it has not been uncommon for the future Hall of Famer to miss games with injury; Joe Looney filled in nicely at center in 2018 but he is no Travis Frederick; La'el Collins is out for at least three weeks; Connor Williams is forced to step up at left guard after some up and down early in his career.
Mike McCarthy and Kellen Moore have a ton to work with on offense as McCarthy looks to maximize the roster's talent and get the Cowboys to that next step in his first season on the job.
Defensively is more of the question mark for the Cowboys.
As confident as many are about the Cowboys offense, the same can be said about the level of concern regarding the defense. The secondary in particular has many more holes and questions than answers. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and his defensive staff have a lot on their hands.
Byron Jones is off to Miami to lock down receivers in the AFC East, forcing rookie second-round pick Trevon Diggs to be thrown into the fire right off the bat. Diggs has impressed in camp, but it is always a struggle for a rookie defensive back to succeed immediately in the NFL.
Chidobe Awuzie has an opportunity to bounce back, and Anthony Brown was listed as the other starting corner on the team's initial week one depth chart. Jourdan Lewis, C.J. Goodwin, and Daryl Worley are three other options at corner for the Cowboys.
Safety is an even bigger worry.
Xavier Woods is back in the secondary to hold things down at free safety. While Woods did not take off in the way many expected prior to last season, the Louisiana Tech product is a solid starting safety in this league. Woods has been banged up in the last week, but McCarthy believes that Woods will start the season without any limitations.
Jeff Heath is not on the team anymore, and the Cowboys cut Ha Ha Clinton-Dix during roster cut-downs. The Cowboys appear to not be interested in pursuing Earl Thomas and are instead banking on Darian Thompson and Donovan Wilson at the strong safety spot. While both have some things to walk, it is understandable to be cautious given that neither have played starting snaps to this point in their career.
The Front Seven needs to be the strength.
Injuries to Leighton Vander Esch and regression to Jaylon Smith's game had a big impact on the Cowboys' defense taking a step back in 2019 after a strong 2018 season.
LVE is back and he says that he is ready to go. The former Boise State star was a second-team All-Pro as a rookie and looked primed to be an elite player for the Dallas Cowboys; unfortunately, the talented backer was sidelined for much of last year. Smith, meanwhile, had to overcome a major injury in his own right. He struggled without Vander Esch on the field last season.
Elsewhere, the Cowboys have added some potentially important pieces to the defensive line and pass rush. Everson Griffen, Dontari Poe, and Aldon Smith were all added to the roster this offseason, while Randy Gregory was recently reinstated. The Cowboys did lose Robert Quinn in free agency, but there is more than enough talent — especially when factoring in DeMarcus Lawrence — to overcome that.
Jim Tomsula has had a long history of success coaching the defensive line, which is another added element of intrigue for the Cowboys this season. Dallas needs a strong pass rush and formidable linebacker play to make up for some of the weaknesses in the secondary.
While the offense should be electric with McCarthy in charge, the defense will go a long way in determining how successful the 2020 Dallas Cowboys ultimately turn out to be.
Featured image via Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
