“With the 27th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select….Defensive End Taco Charlton.” When those words were announced at the NFL draft this spring, it was to the delight of many Cowboy fans hoping that Dallas would finally address their biggest weakness…the pass rush. Fast forward to midway through the 2017 season and the Cowboys appear to have solved that problem and currently sit 3rd in the entire league in sacks! That has almost nothing to do with their rookie 1st round draft pick who has played sparsely and recorded his 1st career sack just last week. So who or what is exactly responsible for this great turnaround? I believe it is a combination of three factors.
Healthy Starters
DeMarcus Lawrence is on a tear this season. He recorded at least 1 sack in each of the first 7 games this season and has been consistently generating pressure and making plays. It is a far cry from his 1 sack total from a year ago. The difference is that last year he was plagued by a back issue that required off season surgery and this season he is completely healthy. Tyrone Crawford is another key contributor who was limited with shoulder injuries the previous two seasons. This year he has moved back to defensive end from defensive tackle and he is having his best season as a pro. Having these two former Boise State Bronco’s operating at 100% has been a huge boost to the defensive line.
Interior Pressure
One thing the Cowboys have been able to do this season is generate pressure from their defensive tackles. In today’s NFL, QB’s are coached to step up in the pocket to avoid pressure and deliver throws quickly. This makes life difficult for even the most talented edge rushers. The Cowboys defensive tackles have been much more effective this season at collapsing the pocket to hamper the opposing QB’s ability to step up and throw. Earlier in the year it was the combination of Maliek Collins and Stephen Paea who stood out. After the surprise retirement of Paea, David Irving has filled in at the 3-technique position and has been a disruptive presence up front. Collins, who I thought was an exceptional 3-technique DT, has moved over the Nose tackle and has continued to be a difference maker. Some experts have been disappointed with Collins’ performance, expecting him to have an All-pro caliber breakout season this year, but I feel he is the unsung hero of the front four. It is largely because of the efforts Collins and the rest of the Cowboys defensive tackles that the pass rush has been successful.
Favorable Matchups
While the Cowboys pass rush has improved, the sack totals we are seeing are not entirely due to the improvement of the defensive line. Through the first 8 games of the season the Cowboys have had the fortune to go up against some of the weaker offensive lines in the league. Below is a list of teams that have allowed the most sacks this season and the teams the Cowboys have played are highlighted.
| Team | Sacks Allowed |
| 1. Indianapolis Colts | 35 |
| 2.San Francisco 49ers | 32 |
| 3.Houston Texans | 28 |
| 3.Denver Broncos | 28 |
| 5.Green Bay Packers | 27 |
| 6.Detroit Lions | 26 |
| 6.New York Jets | 26 |
| 6.Buffalo Bills | 26 |
| 9.Kansas City Chiefs | 24 |
| 9.Philadelphia Eagles | 24 |
| 9.Arizona Cardinals | 24 |
| 9.Cincinnati Bengals | 24 |
| 13.Carolina Panthers | 23 |
| 13.Cleveland Browns | 23 |
| 15.Washington Redskins | 22 |
| 16.New England Patriots | 21 |
| 17.New York Giants | 19 |
| 17.Baltimore Ravens | 19 |
| 17.Chicago Bears | 19 |
| 20.Seattle Seahawks | 18 |
| 21.Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 17 |
| 21.Miami Dolphins | 17 |
| 23.Tennessee Titans | 16 |
| 24.Oakland Raiders | 14 |
| 24.Atlanta Falcons | 14 |
| 26.Los Angeles Chargers | 11 |
| 26.Jacksonville Jaguars | 11 |
| 28.Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 |
| 28.Los Angeles Rams | 10 |
| 28.Minnesota Vikings | 10 |
| 28.Dallas Cowboys | 10 |
| 32.New Orleans Saints | 8 |
The fact is, that of the 8 opponents they have faced so far, 3 of them (San Francisco, Denver & Green Bay) rank in the top 5 in sacks allowed this season. Add Kansas City and Arizona into the mix and you have 5 teams in the top 10. The LA Rams are the only team the Cowboys have faced that ranks in the bottom 15 in sacks allowed per game. As impressive as the pass rush has looked this season, the Cowboys still have upcoming match ups against top 10 teams at protecting the QB such as the Raiders, Chargers and Falcons.
The Cowboys need to have a strong second half of the season to get back to the playoffs this year and a good pass rush is a vital ingredient. The remaining schedule is tough, but if they can stay healthy and continue to generate interior pressure, there is no reason to believe the pass rush will slow down.
All data has been collected and verified through https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
*Photo by Keith Allison (c) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode