The Dallas Cowboys got here into Sunday Evening Soccer in opposition to the New York Giants seeking to show some extent. After spending a complete offseason being puffed up as one of many high groups within the NFC, it was put up or shut up time in opposition to a Giants workforce that made the playoffs.
Think about the assertion made.
Dallas dominated the Giants to the tune of 40-0, and it was as soon as once more their protection that led the best way. Dallas had seven sacks, two interceptions, a decide six and a blocked kick returned for a landing. That’s a preposterous stage of defensive dominance that we’d not see once more within the NFL this 12 months, and the Cowboys did it Week 1.
Digging deeper into the stats, it was a good worse sport for New York. Per ESPN’s Invoice Barnwell, the Giants offense solely rivaled the 2020 Denver Broncos when led by famous non-QB Kendall Hinton.
Giants on Sunday night time in opposition to the Cowboys: -23.8 offensive EPA
That Broncos sport from the COVID 12 months the place Kendall Hinton performed quarterback in opposition to the Saints: -23.7 offensive EPA
— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) September 11, 2023
What the Cowboys did was a testomony to the general workforce velocity and aggression Dan Quinn installs in that protection. With a lead move rusher like Micah Parsons, the Cowboys can do something they need up entrance on passing downs, and had been in a position to get stress from all over the place. Quinn likes to arrange pressures to get 5-0 safety from the offensive line, which means that each lineman has the person in entrance of them to dam, and can’t assist. With the depth they’ve up entrance, it permits Quinn to play iso ball and get his greatest move rushers matchups in opposition to the offensive line’s weakest hyperlink.
Towards New York, they discovered that hyperlink on the second drive of the sport.
On this Micah Parsons sack, the Cowboys have LB Leighton Vander Esch walked up over the left guard, inflicting a 5-0 name from the road. TE Daniel Bellinger is in as a test launch. On the snap, Vander Esch drops into protection, principally eliminating a move blocker. The Giants preserve Bellinger in to help on the sting as RT Evan Neal shoves Parsons to knock him off track, however that solely provides Parsons the RG’s inside shoulder, and a free lane to the QB. As a result of there’s no assist, Jones is left on an island.
Dan Quinn did a whole lot of matchup looking for the Cowboys DL vs. the Giants final night time. Lining up Parsons inside, then having LVE stroll up over the guard forces into a person safety after the TE test releases. The shove on Parsons really helped him quite a bit lol pic.twitter.com/3IsKjslYIB
— JP Acosta (Pug Dederson Stan Acct) (@acosta32_jp) September 11, 2023
On a play earlier than halftime, the Cowboys are in a 4 man entrance, with Parsons once more on the within. This isn’t a designed stunt, however have a look at the eye Parsons attracts when Quinn matchup hunts. It permits DT Osa Odighizuwa a free run on the QB, and one other sack.
On high of that, the workforce velocity for the Giants at each stage was terrifying. Dallas got here into the sport dressing out an entire lot of safeties, and that velocity was evident on the second stage. The Giants wished to isolate Darren Waller quite a bit and provides him possibility routes, however the Cowboys secondary was too proficient, and had been throughout what the Giants tried to do.
New York motions Waller and will get a zone inform from the Cowboys, as a result of they bump the protection as an alternative of working with Waller. On the snap of the ball, the surface receiver takes a vertical launch and Waller will get an possibility route beneath in opposition to Juanyeh Thomas. Thomas makes a terrific break on the ball and will get the PBU, destroying what the Giants thought could be simple offense.
That is what Dallas can do defensively that ought to terrify NFC groups. Their means to get constant move rush from each defensive linemen on the roster stacked on high of their velocity and flexibility on the again finish makes them robust to scheme in opposition to and plan for. The Cowboys wished to show that they had been the category of the NFC, and on Sunday night time, they made their emphatic case.