Dallas Cowboys Bold Prediction: Defense Shines in Important Win

Call it a bold prediction, but the maligned Dallas Cowboys defense will pull through to earn a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals

The Dallas Cowboys at 3-1 have the better record, but the odds seem to be in the 2-2 Cincinnati Bengals’ favor in Week 5. With many predicting things to get ugly for Dallas, they could find a way to get a big win against a respected opponent.

Cincinnati has an incredible offense led by receiver A.J. Green and quarterback Andy Dalton. Those two together can put points up in a hurry, and that’s not a good sign for Dallas. The Cowboys have struggled to stop opponents on offense this season.

This week, though, things could change. The Dallas Cowboys are about to get themselves a signature win thanks to their defense. Here are three reasons why.

1. Morris Claiborne Playing with Amazing Confidence

So many fans were ready to see number 24 take his game to a different city. Now four weeks into the 2016 season he has been arguably the best player on the entire defense for Dallas.

In Week 4 he had a game to remember, which included seven tackles and an interception. He made a huge stop on a Blaine Gabbert third-down run to get Dallas the ball back. This play may have been an even better play than the interception he turned in (his first of the year).

The pass by Gabbert was simply awful. What made it great for Claiborne, though, was his awareness to go and get the ball. He seemed to be the only one looking for it on the play and was able to take advantage of the poor play by the Niners.

Morris Claiborne : 7 tackles, 1 for loss & 1 INT pic.twitter.com/FGoU9FKKS2
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) October 2, 2016

After the interception he stepped up again later when he stopped receiver Torrey Smith short of the sticks on fourth-down. The play proved that Claiborne just keeps popping up in the right spots and his teammates are feeding off his energy.

2. Reinforcements Have Arrived

The worst thing for a defense is to try and stop offenses without a pass rush. So far this season, Dallas has struggled to get pressure on the opposition.

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Tyrone Crawford leads the team with two sacks, but he won’t be alone anymore. Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is coming back after spending the first four games of the season suspended. And he will be looking to atone for his mistakes.

Look for a big day out of Lawrence, who hasn’t missed a beat with his time off, according to Jon Machota of Sports Day Dallas. Teammates are happy to see him as the attention he will draw will open things up for them as well.

With Lawrence bringing the heat on Dalton, the Dallas secondary will also look much improved. With tight end Tyler Eifert out, the Bengals really have just one weapon that can beat them in Green. Lawrence will give him and Dalton less time to operate, which means fewer big plays.

3. The Cowboys Have a Secret Weapon on Defense: Ezekiel Elliott

This Dallas defense looked good in 2014 and awful in 2015. What changed? The offense did. They lost quarterback Tony Romo and struggled to replace running back DeMarco Murray. In going 12-4 two seasons ago, Murray moved the chains and kept the defense fresh late in games. They were able to slow opponents down when it mattered most. That’s the recipe for 2016.

Ezekiel Elliott has become a monster over the past two games and opponents have noticed. San Francisco put up seven points in the first quarter, seven in the second, and three in the third before being shut out for the final quarter.

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Elliott has given them the same weapon they had the last time they won the NFC East. That weapon is dictating the pace of the game. The rookie runner will find enough holes against Cincy to keep their pass rush honest. He will open things up for the rest of the offense and keep players like Lawrence and Claiborne fresh when it matters most.