Dallas Cowboys: Reading between the lines (defense)

"Let's start with the bruises from last week. The Carolina game saw Dallas' interior got leaned on for four quarters, and the Panthers kept pressing the same button. They churned out 216 rushing yards, with Rico Dowdle running for 183 yards himself, then closed the game with a 15-play, 71-yard joyride that ate the clock and the Cowboys' patience. The core issues were clear on film, double-teams opening the front, backside lanes staying available, and players arriving way late."

"The talent to answer the call is on the roster. Kenny Clark delivers brute force in the A-gaps, while Osa Odighizuwa wins with an elite first step and burst. ESPN's tracking has Dallas eighth in its run-stopping metric and 20th in team pass-rush performance. Individually, Odighizuwa sits among the top 20 defensive tackles in pass-rush wins. That means the ingredients are there. The fix from last weeks issues is all about rhythm on first down and turning 2nd-and-4s into 2nd-and-8s."

"Up front, the Commanders aren't a soft target. Their protection has given up the tenth fewest pressures this year, but the eight-most sacks. That tells us the line are able to hold up for most part but lose contain when Jayden Daniels gets on the move. As for run blocking, they rank sixth-worst by PFF standards with a 53.8 run blocking grade. We see another ex-Cowboy again this week in Tyler Biadasz, who has settled at center nicely in Washington, and he's dire"

The Cowboys' interior defensive line was repeatedly exploited in the Carolina game, surrendering 216 rushing yards while Rico Dowdle rushed for 183 yards and a late 15-play, 71-yard drive exhausted the Cowboys' clock management. Film shows double-teams opening interior gaps, backside lanes left available, and defenders arriving late. The roster includes run-stuffing and pass-rush talent, notably Kenny Clark's A-gap force and Osa Odighizuwa's elite first step and pressure production. Team metrics place Dallas eighth in run-stopping and 20th in pass-rush. The correction requires better first-down rhythm to create longer second-downs and limit opponent rushing success. Washington offers sturdy protection but weak run-blocking.

Read at Blogging The Boys