Inside Cowboys DeMarcus Lawrence 'Exceptional' Season; Dallas vs. Giants Injury Update
Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is quietly building a productive season. ... but you have to lose very closely to notice it.
And why? In part because teammate Micah Parsons is building his own productive season ... loudly.
The Cowboys boast a 7-3 record, and much of the defensive plaudits are being given to "Lion-backer'' Parsons, and rightly so.
The second-year star of Dan Quinn's unit already has 10 sacks and three forced fumbles.
But Lawrence, 30, is also experiencing what the Cowboys say is a special season.
"DeMarcus is having an exceptional year," coach Mike McCarthy said. "This is the best I have seen him play. I think so much is made of sacks, but God I love just how he plays first and second down. His tenacity in the run defense ...
"Exceptional.''
It is a good word to use, even though the production of the player affectionately known "Tank" may require the observer to peer in more closely.
Through 2020 and 2021, Lawrence played a total of 23 games, totaling nine sacks and 17 quarterback hits. Good numbers amid some injury stuff.
In just 10 games this year, Lawrence already has six sacks and two forced fumbles. The star defensive end is a half-sack away from matching his best return since the 2019 season and there are seven games still remaining.
He's got 44 combined tackles, and is "discredited'' with only having missed a handful of potential tackles. In total, as part of a Dallas defense that leads the NFL in sacks (42) but one that also needs to stay committed to stopping the run, Tank - who had three sacks in one game against New York earlier this year and is a perennial Giant-killer - epitomizes what McCarthy and staff are trying to teach.
"Being a third-down pass rush specialist is a job that I think a lot of individuals would like," McCarthy said. "But to do it on all three downs, DeMarcus is exceptional."
There's that word again.
Parsons, Tank and Ezekiel Elliott have been the injury names to watch this week, but on game’s eve, Johnathan Hankins becomes a central concern on the final practice report …
While Parsons has stolen the limelight and is the beacon for Quinn's defense, Lawrence, who is as is often the case battling through injury, is also shining as a leader, a QB threat, and a do-it-right force.
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