Dallas Cowboys: Defense Takes Spotlight In Wake Of Injuries

By Mike Pendleton | Sep 22, 2015

When Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant went out, there was doubt casted about the future of the team without their star receiver, but there was still optimism because of Tony Romo, until Sunday. As Romo went down in Sunday’s win over the Cowboys with a broken left clavicle, any optimism that remained from losing Dez, was certainly lost with Romo now joining him on the sidelines.

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Many teams would see their season go down the drain with the losses of their quarterback and star receiver, but most teams aren’t the Dallas Cowboys. The team has a very strong offensive line and a running game that sees Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden both wear down defenses, while Lance Dunbar comes out of the backfield to be an X-factor as a receiver.

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An established running game behind arguably the best offensive line in football calls for a controlled tempo of any game Dallas is in and it also means that time of possession would and should be on the side of the Cowboys. Overall, as far as the offense goes, if they can establish the run every single game, like they did last year and Brandon Weeden does just enough to keep them in the games, the offense should at least remain respectable.

In the best comparison possible, the state of this current Cowboys team can be viewed like the 2006 NFC Champion Chicago Bears. They had Rex Grossman at quarterback, a running attack that carried their offense, but their defense that won them games. While Dallas doesn’t have Devin Hester on special teams, the defense they have could carry almost any team.

They don’t grab headlines for a defensive unit like the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, or St. Louis Rams but the Cowboys defensive unit is big enough to get them deep into the postseason. The production of the Cowboys defense which has excelled so far, goes further than the 11 guys they put on the field, it starts and ends with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.

Marinelli was almost pulled away from Dallas in the offseason but once he returned, he was immediately surrounded by even more talent. The team used their first two draft picks to select cornerback Byron Jones and linebacker Randy Gregory to build even more depth and signed controversial, yet talented, defensive end Greg Hardy who is halfway through his four-game suspension.

What might be bigger than the additions of Jones, Gregory, and Hardy is the return of the team’s heart and soul on defense, that being linebacker Sean Lee. In just two games this season, Sean Lee has made a quick and strong statement for Comeback Player Of the Year.

Lee has a total of 23 tackles, 14 of which came against Philadelphia, along with two passes defended, two stuffs, and one interception in two weeks since his return from a torn ACL that caused him to miss all of last season. He’s been everywhere on the field and if he continues to stay healthy, Sean Lee is without a doubt the most important defensive player for Dallas this season.

As they await the returns of Randy Gregory (sprained ankle), Greg Hardy (suspension), and Rolando McClain (suspension), the Dallas Cowboys defense will continue to shoulder the load if their team wants to win the games.

Losing Tony Romo and Dez Bryant was supposed to be the end of the 2015 Dallas Cowboys season, but with Sean Lee and Co. already making a huge impression early in the season, this defense can carry them until their offensive stars return.

The scariest part of the Cowboys defense? They are awaiting the return of three highly talented players, which means they can only get better from here.

Next: Can Brandon Weeden Keep The Cowboys Winning?

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