Dallas Cowboys: 5 Bold predictions for Week 2 vs. Falcons
By Randy Gurzi
2. Griffen, Smith, D-Law all sack Matt Ryan
Something that Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams deserve a lot of credit for in Week 1 was how they got the ball out of Jared Goff’s hands in a hurry. We all knew the Cowboys defense had holes and that became more exaggerated when they lost Leighton Vander Esch to a broken collarbone. But the good news was how stout their front-four is — meaning they could mask a lot of deficiencies.
However, the Rams neutralized this before they could even get going with their game plan. They kept Everson Griffen, Demarcus Lawrence, and Aldon Smith from wreaking havoc with the short passing plays, and in the end, Dallas finished with just one sack which came courtesy of Smith.
Heading into Week 2, they should be able to be more of an issue. The Falcons feature an offensive line that has improved over the past couple of seasons, but they’re not exactly great. And on top of that, Matt Ryan isn’t exactly a mobile quarterback.
With that being said, look for all three of the big-name defensive ends record a sack in the home debut. For Smith, it would be a great second act after he was fantastic in his first game back after nearly a five-year layoff. As for Griffen, it would be his first with his new club after coming over from the Minnesota Vikings this season. And lastly, for Lawrence, it would be a nice way to get this season kickstarted after he had just five sacks a season ago.