Demarcus Lawrence, also known as Tank Lawrence, has been utterly outstanding since returning to the football field in Week 13. Lawrence has two sacks, one forced fumble, a pick-six, and he’s been a wall against the run since Week 13. 

In his most recent showcase, the Cowboys DE got the rare, impressive pick-6 against Washington on Sunday night in a 56-14 thrashing of the Ron Rivera-led squad. Not only has Lawrence been a titan-like figure at the DE position, but his whole defense has been playing like the old Top 5 unit they once were under Rod Marinelli. 

The Dallas Cowboys lead the league in takeaways per game (2.2). The secondary is of course led by Trevon Diggs, who has now tied the team record in interceptions with an astronomical 11 picks. The next closest interception leader is J.C. Jackson with 7 ints. 

We know the Cowboys have Lawrence and DPOY candidate in Diggs at CB, but it’s unheard of with how impressive Micah Parsons has been at LB. The rookie out of Penn State has 13 sacks and three forced fumbles in just his rookie campaign. His performance thus far has garnered him comparisons to the freak talent of Lawrence Taylor. Parsons is clearly the DROY favorite, but it doesn’t appear that he will be the second rookie ever to win DPOY (LT being the other of course). T.J. Watt, Trevon Diggs, and Myles Garrett appear to have a more favorable edge over Parsons in the DPOY race. 

So, how stellar has Dallas been with the trio of Lawrence, Diggs, and Parsons? Well, they’ve been quite impressive over the previous four games. They’ve allowed 14.25 points per game in that span. It’s safe to say that the points per game signature in the past four weeks is more impressive than their 20.5 PPG allowed on the season. The Cowboys are finally sound on each level of their defense. 

The football world knows the Cowboys offense orchestrated by Kellen Moore is firing on all cylinders. Nonetheless, let’s not forget about the Cowboys defense that is heating up at the perfect time.

The post The Cowboys defense is heating up at the perfect time appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Taylor Ford

Dan Quinn is the biggest off-season acquisition for the Dallas Cowboys thus far. He will be bringing much-needed hope with him as he is the most decorative defensive coordinator Dallas has had in a long time. Here are the things you need to know what Dan Quinn and his defense are bringing to the big D.

Getting back to the original plan

Mike McCarthy originally told everyone that the defense was going to be player over scheme. That unfortunately was obviously not true. The players were put into a situation that they were not comfortable and in turn, made tons of unnecessary mistakes.

Dan Quinn is going to be bringing a scheme that will intel Demarcus Lawrence to get back to a 5 technique. He will be put in the best possible scenario for him to succeed. Quinn is going to bring the 40 front back into Dallas. It will look slightly different than what we have seen in the recent past, but It should be a lot better for the players currently on the roster.

There will typically always be 4 rushing the QB in almost every base package. Quinn has recently claimed that he wants to more of a nickel set but does plan to more of a “3-4” style. He also has brought in a few guys that are already familiar with his scheme and will probably bring in more guys as well.

Cover 3 with giants

If you have not noticed, Dan Quinn has a body type in mind for his corners. He wants them to be super tall and lengthy. It does not stop there though. He also loves to have safeties that have ball hawk capabilities and a strong safety that drops into the box and could be considered as a linebacker.

Quinn had all these things in Seattle and now will have all these things in Dallas. He loves running the cover 3 zone scheme which could help any of the secondary players that do not have blinding speed. The middle-high zone is most of the time covered by the free safety. Therefore, he loves getting guys with ball hawk abilities to playback there. He had Earl Thomas in Seattle and there is no guarantee he will not go get him to play in Dallas this coming season.

If he does not end up with Thomas, he still has a guy in Kazee who has proven he can take the ball away. Kazee is smaller and coming off a major injury, but if he can withstand a full season, he will be a solid player in this scheme.

Championship Caliper Defense

Quinn’s most successful time as an NFL coach and what he will always be remembered for was his two years as the LOB defensive coordinator. He not only has been to the super bowl as a head coach in recent years, but Dan Quinn has been a huge contributor to multiple other super bowl appearances.

When he was the defensive coordinator for Seattle, they developed the well-deserved name legion of boom. He made the world of a difference when he was the actual defensive play-caller. He brings that championship pedigree and that winning swagger to the group. This organization continues to try to put the most proven coaches on the payroll.

Quinn has been to three super bowls and has won one. Between Mike and Dan, there are 4 different super bowls that they have coached in. I think it’s safe to say, they know how to win at the highest level. The best thing about Dan Quinn is that he knows how to shape his scheme to fit his player’s skills, but also knows how to scout the right players to fit his scheme.

The post Three things you need to know about Dan Quinn’s defense appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

It is impossible to talk about the Dallas Cowboys in the 21st century without discussing their success at the linebacker position. The Cowboys run at linebacker has been historic. Players such as Demarcus Ware and Sean Lee both set a foundation and a standard for how the linebacker position should be played in Dallas. This is still being felt today. The Cowboys have assembled a group full of all-out athletes that can each lead a defense in their own ways. Let’s take a look at how the 2021 Dallas Cowboys linebacker core could be historic. 

Who is playing the position 

As the 2020 season ended, longtime Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee announced his retirement. The 11-year veteran was the centerpiece for the defensive unit for some time but his retirement was expected. The Cowboys have been making moves for multiple seasons in preparation of his retirement.

In 2016, Dallas selected Jalyon Smith with the 34th overall pick. Smith has proven to be one of the most skilled players at his position in the NFL. Two years later, in the 2018 draft, the Cowboys then used a first round pick on yet another linebacker: Leighton Vander Esch. The duo of Smith and Vander Esch has been maybe the best in the NFL since the two have begun playing together. The biggest issue with the two of them has been health. They have both missed time due to injury. 

The Cowboys decided to go all in at the position in this year’s draft. With the 12th pick, Dallas drafted star-linebacker Micah Parsons from Penn State.

After getting arguably the best defensive player in the draft with Parsons, the Cowboys still weren’t done. With the 115th pick, they grabbed Jabril Cox linebacker out of LSU. The selection of two linebackers within the first four rounds caught many people off guard but it fits the narrative of the Cowboys.

How these players will be utilized 

The potential for this unit is unmatched. It is expected that Parsons will start alongside Smith and both Vander Esch and Cox will be rotated in and have packages centered around them. Now imagine being the offense that has to prepare for that. Regardless of which duo of linebackers it is on the field, it will be an issue and difficult to prepare for, especially when you consider that each one plays a little differently. 

This group will also occasionally include newly signed safety Keanu Neal. During his time with the Atlanta Falcons, Neal spent a lot of his time coming down from the safety spot and playing alongside the linebackers in the box. It wouldn’t be shocking if the Cowboys utilize him the same way. Espn even has him slated as a weakside linebacker on the Cowboys depth chart.

A rotation of these five players could cause matchup nightmares for offensive play callers. The athleticism of Parsons, Cox, and Neal will allow for them to keep up with even the most athletic route runners in the NFL. This group has all the intangibles to go down as one of the best ever. 

Does anyone leave?

So what will happen after this season ends? Leighton Vander Esch is entering the final year of his contract and will be expecting a big payday. With the Cowboys drafting Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox, Vander Esch will more than likely be the odd man out. Why pay him when you already have Smith locked in until 2025 and have both Parsons and Cox on rookie contracts? The additions of these young players will allow for a more seamless exit for Vander Esch. 

This Cowboys defense as a whole could shock the NFL and be one of the best all around groups in the league. With players like Randall Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence holding it down on the defensive line and this linebacker group being the center pieces in the middle, this unit is solid. Don’t be shocked if this defense does big things this season. 

The post Why the Cowboys LB core has scary potential appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Why should you believe the Dallas Cowboys are actually going to have a better defense in the 2021-2022 season? I am going to give you three reasons–

Building the Defense through the draft

With a new season, comes new hopes and dreams for this franchise. The Dallas Cowboys have been on the chase for a super bowl ring for over twenty years and it seems to be an endless search for past glory. It is so cliché, yet so true, defenses win championships. The Boys seem to always fall short of having a good defense just about every year. That very well could change as this last draft has looked a lot like the 2005 draft. The Only other time the Dallas Cowboys have selected over 7 picks and came out with only 2 offensive players. That year they selected Demarcus Ware in the first round. They also acquired guys like””Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff, and Marcus Spears. Needless to say, after this year’s draft, the Cowboys have positioned themselves to get a lot better. Parsons was arguably the best defensive player in the draft and will immediately help the team. Kelvin Joseph and Jabril Cox are going to end up starters on the team as well. Jerry Jones literally drafted nine defensive players out of eleven picks. The team is bound to hit on a couple of them. Along with the three said players, the Boys drafted two defensive lineman that could fill the middle of the line nicely. The biggest issue for the Cowboys last season was stopping the run and defense in general, this draft helps fix that tremendously.

Bringing in the right personnel

Not only did the Cowboys have a defensive minded draft board, but before the draft, they have been actively trying to make it better. Jerry Jones brought in Dan Quinn to help fix the defensive woes. Quinn comes in as the defensive coordinator and possibly the answer to all the problems on defense. This is the same coach that was the defensive coordinator for the legion of boom in Seattle. He brings a fresh mindset and will have an actual offseason to get these guys prepared for the change in the system. He also has done everything in his power to get the guys he wants on that defense. That includes the free-agent signings like Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal who both played for him in Atlanta. Also, with the drafted players like the skyscraper cornerbacks he wanted. Dan Quinn said he will be bringing more of a 3-4 look, but really it will primarily be a nickel set. He will have four players rushing the quarterback and two “mid” linebackers, along with five defensive backs as the base package. With a full offseason, this package could help the players that he is bringing in, strive to become the best players that they can be. It also allows the veteran players to play in a versatile system that can maximize their abilities to make plays. Things like having Demarcus Lawrence stand instead of coming out of a three-point stance. Having Jaylon Smith blitz the quarterback more often instead of being a liability in coverage. Allowing Leighton to play weak side and drop in coverage on passing downs. With Dan Quinn’s defensive scheme and mindset, this team could look a lot better in just one year if he brings that LOB swagger with him.

It Can’t get any worse”¦ right?

Surely the defense could not get any worse from the atrocious season they had last year. Even though the Dallas Cowboys only gave up the 21st most passing yards last season, the stats do not show the truth in that aspect. Teams passed all over the Cowboys all season long at the beginning of games. After they gained a lead, they would run all over Dallas. The Cowboys gave up the 2^nd most rushing yards in the league last season (2541 yards) and it was a franchise record. Not exactly a record you want to break. Offenses seem to have had their way against the historically bad Dallas defense. So, what is Jerry’s response? An overwhelming number of defensive players through the draft and free agency, along with a great defensive coordinator. It is also possible and likely that the Boys will be bringing in more veterans to maximize this rosters potential. The veterans that have returned from last year will be playing with some boulders on their shoulders. They all should want to come out this coming season and prove to everyone that the problem was the system they were in and not them. The Jones’ have said in recent interviews that they realize there was a major problem on the defensive side of the ball. All boxes have been checked off to deem that statement to be true. The Cowboys entire organization has done everything they can to get help on defense and I do not think they are done just yet.

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