The Dallas Cowboys are favorites in the NFC right now and could become even more dangerous with a returning defensive player in Week 16.
No storyline in the NFL has been more captivating than the season-long performances from the Dallas Cowboys rookie duo of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. Prescott has stepped into Tony Romo‘s shoes nicely, looking every bit the leader and accurate decision-maker that Romo was. A mere rookie, Prescott is on track to becoming one of the most important players in franchise history, though there’s plenty to be written. As for Elliott, he’s putting together one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history and has an even better shot at stealing the MVP award from Tom Brady.
The Cowboys offense ranks fourth in the NFL in points per game thanks to these two. However, be sure to also give credit to an improved defense. Dallas is also fourth in the league in points per game allowed and teams are having an especially difficult time running the football against them.
Rod Marinelli’s unit has been strong this year, and the Cowboys defense has been a top-five unit despite lacking a pass rush. No player on the team has reached the five-sack mark and the team’s most talented edge rusher, Demarcus Lawrence, has recorded just one. Lawrence has struggled after returning from an injury early in the season. Moreover, he just missed the team’s Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a back injury.
Lawrence, according to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram’s Matthew Martinez, is hopeful that he will be able to play in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions. Even if he doesn’t play, it looks like the Cowboys will have one young pass rusher on the field.
Jerry Jones on @1053thefan asked if we'll see Randy Gregory play against the Lions and Eagles: "Absolutely you will."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 20, 2016
Randy Gregory is eligible to play this week after being cleared to practice yesterday, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is confident that the Nebraska product will be able to play. Whether or not he will make an impact on Monday is up for debate, though. Not only could he be rusty, but there are probably plenty of skeptics out there.
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However, I’ve always been a fan of Gregory’s game. He didn’t have any sacks as a rookie, but his first season wasn’t a failure when he was on the field. Gregory checks all the boxes as an athlete and, while he is an extremely raw pass rusher who likely hasn’t made progress in that area of the game, he did look disruptive in his first season. Finishing plays will likely continue to be a problem, but putting more pressure on the quarterback will make the Cowboys defense more dangerous.
It’s hard to deny how well the Cowboys secondary has played. They’ve dealt with some injuries at the cornerback and safety positions this year, but plenty of players have stepped up. Morris Claiborne looks like a standout corner (hopefully he returns soon), Orlando Scandrick is rounding into form, rookie Anthony Brown could be a high-quality starter in the future, and Brandon Carr is a serviceable outside corner in spite of his flaws. Safeties Byron Jones and Barry Church are their two best players in the secondary still, though.
Dallas hasn’t done a great job of forcing turnovers, but maybe Gregory and Lawrence can help in that respect. The Cowboys secondary, run defense, rushing attack, and passing game are unquestionably above the league average, so the pass rush has been the missing piece.
Before the season, some wondered if the lack of a pass rush would hold the Cowboys back. This, of course, has not been the case, because the Cowboys are the best team in the conference at 12-2. However, as we saw in last year’s playoffs, weaknesses can be exposed at any given moment by great teams. The Denver Broncos made it to the Super Bowl by overpowering the New England Patriots offensive line and then in the big game by overpowering the Carolina Panthers offensive tackles.
Gregory could be an X-factor that brings some added excitement to a bend-don’t-break Cowboys defense. More importantly, he and Lawrence could be the tandem that knocks out a potential weakness for playoff opponents to exploit. There’s no doubting Gregory’s physical tools, and he was an underrated run defender with excellent instincts in college. If those traits show up and he can be a competent pass rusher, the Cowboys defensive line could be in business.
