Cowboys roundtable discussion: Defensive standout, red-zone offense, the Detroit game

Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have David Howman, Sean Martin, and Tom Ryle. Defensively, which player mattered most against the Kansas City offense and Patrick Mahomes? Mike: DaRon Bland. Against Mahomes, the biggest swing came […]

Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have David Howman, Sean Martin, and Tom Ryle.

Defensively, which player mattered most against the Kansas City offense and Patrick Mahomes?

Mike: DaRon Bland. Against Mahomes, the biggest swing came from a corner who could both survive the scramble drill and take away the first read, and Bland did exactly that. He baited throws with outside leverage, squeezed in-breakers that Kansas City loves off play-action, and turned several routine option routes into contested balls. That forced Mahomes to hold the snap a beat longer, which synced perfectly with the rush, and kept the Chiefs from flipping field position on explosive plays. Subtle, disciplined, and timely, Bland changed where the ball went all night.

Howman: Quinnen Williams. He just opens up so much for this defense, whether it’s the run or the pass. Offensive lines have to focus so much on him that it creates opportunities for guys like Osa Odighizuwa and Jadeveon Clowney, both of whom had huge sacks in this one.

Sean: I’ll go with Jadeveon Clowney. The Cowboys defense may not have elite speed and athleticism off the edge, but they have no shortage of motor and the ability to capture the edge against offensive lines so preoccupied against Dallas’ interior rush. Clowney showed off both of these rushing against Mahomes with two sacks while leading the team in tackles.

Tom: Let’s not forget DeMarvion Overshown, who tied for the team lead in total tackles. His speed and ability to hunt down the ball are big. That solidifies the second level behind the obviously improved defensive line. No one player gets it done, but get a group like this complementing each other and the results speak for themselves.

Red-zone review: how do you think the team faired in the red-zone?

Mike: It was a mixed bag. When Dallas stayed on schedule and used motion to sort leverage, the red-zone plan worked. Dak got quick passes to Ferguson and Lamb, and the downhill run calls forced Kansas City to honor the A-gaps. The misses were self-inflicted with a penalty that turned 2nd-and-goal into a long yardage call, a protection bust, and one low-percentage play that wasn’t a good play call. Too many snaps became static playing into Steve Spagnuolo’s hands, but hopefully Brian Schottenheimer can learn from it all and move forward ready for this week.

Howman: The problems still aren’t solved but the Cowboys did a little better in the red zone. They overcame a penalty and scored a touchdown, and one of their “failures” came on that final field goal, where they were more concerned about killing clock than scoring a touchdown. There’s still work to be done, but I’m not concerned.

Sean: Well enough to win the game, which is all that mattered for either side in this one. It feels like the fade route is not one that Prescott throws at a high enough percentage, but the Cowboys are pretty insistent on using it in their red zone play calling. Pickens’ fumble was not a positive play in the red zone, but his catch on a two-point conversion was. I’d like to see the Cowboys be able to finish more of these drives with the run game.

Tom: Sean has a point. They just beat the last two NFL champions so they are doing something right. Still, every trip to the red zone without a touchdown is a missed opportunity. What we are seeing is evidence this offense still has work to do. How well they clean things up could determine whether they pull this season out.

Mike: Stop the explosive plays first, then earn the loaded boxes. Detroit’s offense is at its best when play-action and crossers turn into chunk gains, so start in split-safety and stop the run from light boxes, late safety attacks, and disciplined rush lanes on the edges. Add selective run-blitz plays to muddle the inside gaps, this takes away the Lion’s biggest threats of offense.

Howman: Run game, run game, run game. It’s Detroit’s identity, even if Amon-Ra St. Brown does manage to play after suffering an injury on Thanksgiving. If you can’t stop the run against the Lions, you’re not beating the Lions. It’s as simple as that.

Sean: The Lions’ most consistent explosive plays are their runs, a bit like the Eagles of a year ago. So my answer is stopping the run, but really it’s both. The Lions offensive line is going to try and do what they do best and climb to the second level to spring big runs with Jahmyr Gibbs, and I expect the Cowboys defense will have their usual plus numbers in the box against these looks. Gibbs is so explosive and slippery that tackling him will still be a challenge, but if Dallas does this with any regularity, they’ll be in great position for a third straight upset win.

Tom: I think stopping the run is the key as well. They shut down the Eagles on the ground and kept the Chiefs under control. That was key for both games. Do the same to the Lions and I like their chances.