Cowboys' cornerstone player can be the secret ingredient for improved offense
A quick look at the stat sheet behind the Dallas Cowboys' latest win will provide you with some immediate "player of the week" possibilities. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are both worthy of recognition. But another player had one of the best games of the week that won't show up in the stats. Left tackle […]
A quick look at the stat sheet behind the Dallas Cowboys' latest win will provide you with some immediate "player of the week" possibilities. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are both worthy of recognition.
But another player had one of the best games of the week that won't show up in the stats. Left tackle Tyler Smith. Just two weeks after the Cowboys' decision to keep the rookie in place while sliding future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith to the right side is being strongly vindicated by Tyler.
"I think the game he played against Philadelphia is the best play (this season)," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on Monday. "He's steadily increased every week."
The first-round rookie allowed zero quarterback pressures on Saturday and posted the team's highest PFF offense grade (beyond T.Y. Hilton, who only played 12 snaps).
Keep in mind that the Cowboys were playing the Philadelphia Eagles, who boast one of the best defensive fronts in the entire NFL. Standout Josh Sweat was held to two pressures all game long (none allowed by Tyler) and walked off the field with no hits on the quarterback.
"He's going to be a fine, fine player here for a long time," added McCarthy, revealing that Tyler does all the little things required to succeed in the NFL, as well.
Tyler Smith's progress will be huge for the Cowboys
Obviously, you want your starting left tackle to play high-caliber football. But Tyler's rapid development seems to mean a little bit more now as recently, I've written about the Cowboys having to change their identity heading into the playoffs from a defensive-first operation to an offensive-first one.
For that to happen, you have to get quarterback Dak Prescott more early-down dropbacks. The Cowboys tend to ask too much from the team's passing game by asking them to convert on third and long situations. But more early-down passing snaps should help the team out in that area by getting into friendlier situations.
However, one of the biggest question marks for shifting to a more aggressive approach like that is if your protection can consistently hold up. If Tyler Smith keeps playing as he did on Saturday, the Cowboys should like their chances.
Tyler's progress also opens the door for more empty formations, which helped out the Cowboys offense beat the Eagles' #2 ranked pass defense last weekend. Empty formations spread out defensive coverage but also put a lot of stress on the five O-linemen up front.
The Cowboys coaching staff and front office surely are happy about their bet on Tyler Smith, who's slowly but surely proving everyone who doubted the draft pick wrong.
Featured image via Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
