Cowboys defense gets early test against Buccaneers in season opener
America’s Team opens up the 2021 season against the reigning Super Bowl champions and the Cowboys defense will be put to the test immediately against Tom Brady and friends.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the reigning Super Bowl champions and the Dallas Cowboys are considered America’s Team. So it’s no surprise that when this game was announced as the kickoff to the 2021 NFL season, it was sure to garner a reaction. But the headlines are quite obvious. How will the Buccaneers fare in their quest to repeat and will the Cowboys defense be better than a year ago?
As most will recall, Tampa Bay was last seen running onto their home field for the Super Bowl and sending Kansas City back home dejected and depressed thanks to a 31-9 win over the previous champions. In contrast, Dallas finished 6-10 and had their defense rank among the league’s worst. So it’s fair to assume that with a new year comes new responsibilities for both sides.
While Tampa Bay was mainly focused on retaining their starters and drafting key players such as Jaelon Darden and Joe Tryon, Dallas was busy focusing on the draft and looking to add help to the defensive side of the ball and did so with the acquisitions of linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Kelvin Joseph, both of whom are likely to start on opening day in Tampa Bay.
The Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will bring ratings to Week 1, but both squads need a win to set the tone for the year.
It should also be worth noting that Dallas will have quarterback Dak Prescott back under center instead of Andy Dalton, and the Buccaneers will have well, only a seven-time champion and five-time Super Bowl MVP in Tom Brady. And both offenses are loaded with talent, which means the pressure goes right back on the defenses.
Both Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles have had success in their careers, with Bowles crafting the game plan to neutralize Mahomes and Quinn crafting the Legion of Boom, but both will need to be at their peak on opening night should they want to start the season on a positive note.
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The Cowboys defense is in for a tough season, and their first test is under the bright lights against a team whose defense is among the league’s best. As for Tampa Bay, let’s say they know what they are up against, and it starts with Dallas after, of course, they drop the banner. The NFL 2021 season has just begun.