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Defense shines bright Today!!!!!

            Game day is here! The Cowboys will be taking on the Packers, today, at 4:15 pm EST. This is a big game for the Cowboys. It’s a chance to get back on the winning path. Much has been made about the Packers, mostly because they have the best quarterback in the game, Aaron Rodgers. Outside of Rodgers this Packers team is mediocre. I think this will be a statement win, and a win that will bode well for the Cowboys in the standings later in the season.


Demarcus “DLAW” Lawrence



            DLaw is the NFL sack leader (7.5) through the first four weeks of the season. He has had in impact in every game. I would love for him to play the run better, but I will settle for him getting to the quarterback.
            This is a game tailor made for Lawrence. The Packers may be without their starting tackles. The offensive line for the Packers is in shambles and Demarcus had better be ready to feast.
            Another thing that may help Lawrence is the return of David Irving. Unlike most Cowboys fan, I don’t think of Irving as the next Demarcus Ware. I think he is pretty average, but that is all the Cowboys need. In the perfect situation, Irving is good for 10 sacks a season. Pair that with Lawrence’s 10-12 sacks and the Cowboys have two bookends. As I stated the perfect situation for Irving would result in a 10-sack season. The Cowboys defense is anything but perfect and Irving, while talented, is inconsistent. I don’t expect Irving to have a major impact in this game because it will take him some time to get those game legs back. Keep in mind, Irving wrecked the Packers last season, with their starting offensive linemen! The Packers won’t be able to double Lawrence because they still remember what Irving did to them last season.

Jaylon Smith


            I first want to say, after that injury that Smith suffered, the best contribution he can give to the Cowboys is playing. I know he has struggled. There have been many occasions, where I find myself yelling at him though the TV, because he took a bad angle or just trusted his athleticism too much.
            When you watch Smith you see a player that is thinking too much! He isn’t playing within the confines of the game. Smith wants to be great and it shows on the field. On the bright side he is learning. That is what we want our young players to do learn. He will see that he can’t overplay a slot receiver in space, because they’re too fast at the pro level. He will learn that he can’t go through professional offensive linemen, he will have to go around. The biggest thing that Jaylon will learn is that the game is 90% mental and 10% physical. That’s the most important lesson because even if his body (knee) doesn’t get back to 100%, he can still be a great player with his mind at 100% and his body at 90%.
            Sean lee is getting older and has been often injured his entire career. When healthy Lee is the Cowboys best defensive player (although Bryon Jones is giving him some run for that title). The Cowboys are going to need Smith this year, maybe even this week. This game is perfect for Smith because the Packers don’t have a good running game. They are pretty one dimensional, even though they are really good at the one dimension. I want to see Smith make an off script play. A play where peels off his man and jumps a route for an interception. Or he is able to play in the robber zone area of the field and pick off Rodgers. I want to see something from Smith that shows that he is getting it. It’s going to be a long year for this young Cowboys defense, but if Smith is able to get it then the other rookies will get it.

Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods


            The time is now for these two. Lewis has been good ever since that Broncos game. That is saying a lot for a guy that missed much of the preseason and training camp because of injury. Lewis has been great in run support, he appears to be the only corner back that can tackle one on one (Jeff Heath). He does give up yards but he is making receivers work. I think it’s time to start him outside opposite Brown and kick Scandrick back inside where he belongs. Lewis has to get some experience if the Cowboys want him to progress. He will make mistakes, but its all part of learning.
            Xavior Woods can’t be any worse than Jeff Heath! At this point I don’t know how good Woods is and I don’t care. I’ve seen Jeff Heath miss tackle after tackle. Heath continues to allow receivers to catch the ball in front of him, with no constest, and he isn’t making the tackle. I’m tired of seeing him load up for a big hit, only to allow the ball carry to break it for another 3-5 yards. Nobody in this secondary is making plays, so let’s see what Woods has. At the very least, we know he can tackle.

            I expect big games from Lawrence and Smith today against the Packers. I want to see more from Lewis and Woods. I think we all can agree that the Cowboys have to start making changes on that defense, right now. Heath is a liability in coverage and an unreliable tackler. Nolan Carroll has been a JAG (Just A Guy) his entire career. Why not inject some youth into this defense? Hell, let’s see Brown and Lewis start at corner Jones and Woods at Safety, Scandrick at the slot and Awuize in as the third safety. The Cowboys like that three-man front. Awuize and Lewis were both playmakers in college. Turn these young guys free and see what happens, they may surprise us all!  
           


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