‘Don’t Give an Inch!’ Woodson Scouts Cowboys ‘Doomsday’ D
The Dallas Cowboys defense is off to one of the most imposing starts in recent memory. Through two weeks and two blowout victories, the defense leads the league in almost every statistic.
Points allowed, turnovers, expected points added per play, sacks … it’s all coming up Cowboys right now. The performance even caught the eye of legendary Dallas safety, Darren Woodson.
Woodson won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys and was named a first-team All-Pro four times. On Monday, he spoke on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” about how this defense has impressed him.
“Defensively is where it’s at on this football team right now,” Woodson said. “They have so much depth, they rush the passer, they cover on the back end, and there’s a mentality of we’re not going to give you an inch.”
Dallas has allowed a league-best 3.5 yards per play. It seems the standard of perfection has become more than press-conference fodder.
“They gave up a touchdown against the Jets, and the fight that started on the sideline … it’s the natural way of going about your business when you’re an elite defense. Someone’s gonna take the blame, and whoever is taking the blame is gonna stand up and fight themselves … which is natural for good defenses.
Interestingly enough, Woodson didn’t call upon the defenses he headlined. Instead, he opted to compare the Cowboys to a team that looked to instill fear in its opponents through its aggressive, relentless nature and, of course, a boatload of talent.
“You want to see the Baltimore Ravens back then, when they gave up a touchdown, there’s an argument on the sideline,” Woodson said. “That’s the type of defense that you have now.”
He’s referring to a unit that famously had Hall of Famers in linebacker Ray Lewis and defensive back Rod Woodson. Dallas, in his eyes, has a similar talent roaming.
“It’s led by probably one of the best players I’ve seen in a long time,” Woodson added. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone this disruptive in Micah Parsons … He disrupts the entire game and we’ve seen that the last two weeks.”
Parsons is currently the favorite to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023. He has three sacks and a forced fumble so far. Perhaps most importantly, he’s the most dynamic player on a defense with a head start towards being the league’s best.
Parsons and the Cowboys may have a chance to pad their stats against a weak Arizona Cardinals offense on Sunday. … and it’s obvious that “Woody” and the rest of the NFL will be watching.
