Cowboys’ depth additions of veteran DTs Linval Joseph, Jordan Phillips help Dallas mitigate Achilles’ heel

FRISCO, Texas — Dan Quinn’s Dallas Cowboys defenses were dominant when rushing the passer and taking the ball away in his three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2021-2023 before being hired away to be the Washington Commanders.

However, Quinn’s units had a specific Achilles heel. A fatal flaw if you will. That weakness was stopping the run. In Quinn’s three seasons, Dallas was a top five scoring and third down defense while ranking as the best at pressuring the quarterback (41.4% QB pressure rate), intercepting the football (59 interceptions) and forcing turnovers (93 takeaways). The Cowboys were slightly below average against the run, allowing 118.2 rushing yards per game (17th in the NFL in that span). 

That weakness became pronounced in 2023 when Dallas’ 112.4 rushing yards per game ranked 16th in the league. The Cowboys only lost six of their 18 games, including the postseason, last year, and their run defense played a starring role in four of those defeats. They allowed 266 rushing yards at the Bills in Week 15 (a 31-10 defeat), 222 rushing yards at the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 (28-16 loss), 170 rushing yards at the 49ers in Week 5 (42-10 loss) and 143 rushing yards against the seventh-seeded Packers in their 48-32 wild-card round playoff defeat (a game in which they trailed 27-0 and 48-16). 

The great news for Cowboys fans is new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer may have found a solution to the issue: getting owner and general manager Jerry Jones to beef up the interior of the team’s defensive line. 

Cowboys defense under Dan Quinn since 2021

PPG Allowed

19.9

5th

3rd Down Pct Allowed

36.4%

4th

Sacks

141

6th

QB Pressure Rate

41.4%

1st

TD-INT Allowed

68-59

2nd

Interceptions

59

1st

Takeaways

93

1st

Defensive TD151stRushing Yards/Game Allowed118.217th

There wasn’t much depth behind 2023 first-round pick defensive tackle Mazi Smith and 2021 third-round pick defensive tackle…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/cowboys-depth-additions-of-veteran-dts-linval-joseph-jordan-phillips-help-dallas-mitigate-achilles-heel/

Author : Garrett Podell

Publish date : 2024-09-05 14:15:28

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