The Dallas Cowboys are looking forward to a great year on defense. But will they have enough pass rush to protect the young secondary?
If the Dallas Cowboys want to compete for the division title in 2018 season, they will need to enhance their pass rush. The Cowboys pass defense was good in some areas but other areas show major need of improvement.
Yes, Demarcus Lawrence was among the league leaders in sacks last season with 14.5. David Irving’s contribution to the rush should not be overlooked either. He had seven sacks of his own after serving a suspension to start the season. But beyond these two players, the Cowboys pass rush was pretty anemic.
Further compounding the problem was a very young secondary. The Cowboys started three rookies in Jourdan Lewis, Xavier Woods and Chidobe Awuzie in the secondary last season. The growing pains of the rookies allowed for open receivers and easy completions. Hopefully for the Cowboys, the development of these rookies can force the quarterback to hold the ball longer to create a more effective rush.
But the opposite can be stated. A more effective pass rush can take some of the pressure off a young secondary. By getting to the quarterback quicker, the Cowboys secondary will not need to hold their coverage as long. It may even cause more errant passes leading to interceptions.
The pass rush and pass coverage are the yin and the yang of pass defense. Each effects the other. Sometimes the easiest way to improve pass coverage is to improve the pass rush.
The Cowboys are hoping to help their young secondary this season by improving its pass rush. But will it be enough to make a difference?