FRISCO, Texas — Looking ahead to the New York Giants, a couple of keys for the Dallas Cowboys:
Offensively, the Cowboys need to spread out the ball and get everyone involved like they did in week one to confuse the Giants’ defense. Dallas has the highest third down efficiency against New York (60%) so far this season. Rookie defensive end Dexter Lawrence has done a better job holding the gap and is a solid run-stuffer. He can line up anywhere along the defensive line and Kellen Moore will have to make note of him on running plays in particular with his lateral quickness to get to gaps.
Zack Martin remarked to me on Lawrence’s addition to the Giants’ d-line, “Obviously when you watch him on tape, big, physical guy. Someone who is tough to move in the middle and does a nice job kinda plugging up the interior of the line, so you have to play low; you gotta play with a really good technique against a guy like that because if you go out and kinda street ball you won’t be able to move him. “
Defensively, Daniel Jones is the Giants’ new guy in the pocket and the Cowboys have to sprint to the ball to contain his go-to-targets, Golden Tate and Evan Engram to prevent separation in man coverage. Tate was not involved the last time the two teams met but is an outstanding route runner averaging ten yards per catch in the previous three games. In week one, Engram amassed 11 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys’ defense. His size creates mismatches on the field and he is a nightmare for defenses being utilized in a variety of ways.
“ He is just a really good player, “ Jason Garrett remarked to me. “They like to use him a lot of different ways. They like to get him the ball a lot of different ways and you can see why; very-athletic guy; He is big, he’s fast. He is really good at just running away from people in all different levels of the defense. Obviously, we have to be really good in our zone coverage. Awareness of where he is and very good in our man coverage. The biggest thing in man coverage is understanding what you leverage is and playing to that leverage and knowing where your help is with a guy like that.”
The Cowboys’ have a new addition to their defensive line after acquiring Michael Bennett from the New England Patriots in a by-week trade. The team gave up a conditional seventh round pick and the three-time pro bowl player will assume Tyrone Crawford’s role, playing both end and tackle positions.
I chatted with Rod Marinelli on his role and he said the goal is to have him “play both sides [DE] on first down, and then on third downs- we want him hopefully inside more.”
He will help provide pressure from all angles. The Cowboys’ slowly worked him into practice in the defensive scheme, having him back-up DeMarcus Lawrence at left defensive end and moved him into the interior to play a few snaps in nickel packages. Bennett will be incorporated into Marinelli’s base defense and will have his first debut as a Cowboy on Monday night.
