Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line Evaluation: Tyler Smith Wins vs. Jalen Carter, Terence Steele Whiffs
The Dallas Cowboys came up short on Sunday, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles 28-23. Losing at the hands of preventable mistakes and questionable officiating is never fun.
It may take an act of God to win the NFC East this season, but Dallas can take solace in a few key developments. On offense, quarterback Dak Prescott has strung together three consecutive strong performances. With it has come the re-emergence of receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has posted back-to-back dynamite performances - 349 yards in two games!
This is the aerial efficiency head coach Mike McCarthy was daydreaming about when he installed the "Texas Coast Offense.'' The bye-week adjustments have fundamentally changed the fortunes of the offense for the better.
One aspect of the Cowboys’ offense that fans can take savor won’t show up in the box score. Left guard Tyler Smith is a star and he’s here to stay.
Tyler Smith in a pass set against the Philadelphia Eagles (2022).
© Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Now, it would be foolish to say Smith arrived or even put himself on the map Sunday in Philadelphia. The truth is, he’s been balling out all season. Week 9, however, gave Smith an incredible opportunity. Just a week after stifling Los Angeles Rams lineman Aaron Donald, Smith gave Philadelphia Eagles rookie Jalen Carter a game to forget.
Next Gen Stats provided the stats for Smith’s showdown with Carter, who many think is the best player in this draft class.
In 24 matchups, Smith allowed just two pressures (8.3 percent). In 13 one-on-one snaps, he gave up a single pressure.
Going up against Carter, who said he was “ready to kill the Cowboys” this summer, made his performance even sweeter.
Philadelphia boasts a surplus of talent on its defensive line, cultivating one of the best pass-rush units in football. Carter found himself a half sack (Prescott was sacked five times) but was otherwise absent from the stat sheet.
Furthermore, Smith has allowed a 3.3 percent pressure rate this season. That’s the best mark among qualified left guards (NGS).
At right tackle, unfortunately, Terence Steele did not fare as well, as he was victimized in key spots by the speed rush of the Eagles ... and his whiffs are going to be a sore spot around here for a while. (Sidebar: Tyler was flagged for a false start in the "clutch,'' too, hurting Dallas' comeback chances on what the Cowboys think was a bogus call.)
Dallas made a habit of drafting quality linemen in the first round during the 2010s, netting them arguably three Hall-of-Fame talents. While it’s far too early to get Smith’s head measured for a bust in Canton, fans have a reason to be optimistic.
Left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Zack Martin won’t last forever, but the Cowboys’ next star offensive lineman is already in the building, sandwiched between the two of them.
He’s dominating elite talents on a weekly basis, and doing so at 22 years old. Good things are ahead for Dallas and its newest stalwart up front, even if Sunday didn’t go as planned.
