Dallas Cowboys: Defense Still Facing a Nagging, Underlying Issue
With the Dallas Cowboys (5-2) latest victory, the defense continues to be praised. Their continued ability to rush the passer and create turnovers. The pass rush coming heavily from Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and others. While the turnovers are coming from all over the defense, including Trevon Diggs, Dorance Armstrong and Donovan Wilson. Having play-makers […]
With the Dallas Cowboys (5-2) latest victory, the defense continues to be praised. Their continued ability to rush the passer and create turnovers.
The pass rush coming heavily from Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and others. While the turnovers are coming from all over the defense, including Trevon Diggs, Dorance Armstrong and Donovan Wilson.
Having play-makers on defense is a quality watch and will make it hard to move the ball and score on this defense. A defense that has only allowed more than 20 points in a game once this season.
Even with the continued dominance, they still struggle in key areas. Not only is the Cowboys defense allowing 852 rushing yards (4.3 yards/carry), but they are getting worse in coverage against a key offensive position.
It's gone unmentioned through the first seven games but the Cowboys defense is struggling in coverage against tight end's. Which is even worse now that the defense is down a coverage starter.
Through seven games, they've given up 56 targets, 40 receptions for 308 yards to opposing TE's. Allowing an average of 7.7 yards per completion.
This can be eschewed a bit. In the first game, the TE position was only targeted three times. Since then, they're allowing 9 targets per game to TE's. Even with relatively low numbers, it's actually worse than what numbers suggest.
Often, opposing QB's feel heavy pressure from the Cowboys pass rush, with an open TE. Many times the QB will also miss an open TE or even overthrow the player, leaving yards on the board.
Now that the Dallas Cowboys will go up against a team that wants to run the ball with their QB/RB and has a large trust in their starting TE, Cole Kmet, this will likely stay an area of concern on Dallas's part.
Kmet is the Chicago Bears' second leading receiver and at the rate Dallas covers them, could be in for a productive game.
Even with Jayron Kearse on the field, teams keep finding ways to feed the tight end. If ignored, this combined with the running game will continue to give the defense fits. Well into the postseason.
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
