Tank Lawrence: My Cowboys Sack Numbers 'Will Go Back Up'
FRISCO - Sacks aren't everything. But five sacks in a season for a Pro Bowler in DeMarcus Lawrence who is the highest-paid Dallas Cowboys player in franchise history?
Tank knows that 2019 season total wasn't enough. And he vows to fix it in 2020.
"You don’t have to worry about nothing,'' Lawrence said in a recent FS1 visit. "Trust me, the sack number will be back up.”
That seems like a sound bet for Tank after only tallying five sacks. ... but Lawrence is analytical enough about the sport, and about his game, to consider the "why's.''
Surely the 2019 offseason shoulder surgery that was intertwined with his contract negotiations played a role. Lawrence pledged to rehab quickly, and he did - but maybe it was "too quickly.'' Additionally, while he did not pile up his customary sack numbers - the standout defensive end entered last year coming off two Pro Bowl seasons in 2017 and 2018 during which he amassed 14.5 and 10.5 sacks, respectively - focused enough on all aspects of his job in a way that might have had him playing the run effectively while letting somebody else (say, Robert Quinn and his 11.5 sacks at the other end) sop up the glory.
"I know I ended the season with five sacks, but I also helped other players boost their numbers back up to double digits,” said Lawrence (though in fairness, his tackle numbers were down last year, too.) “It’s not a one-man game and I know how to play the game the right way. I know how to make plays when plays come my way. And I also know how to make sure my teammates are making their plays.''
That can have been valid last year. And in can be valid again this season. Lawrence's new linemates in 2020 include Gerald McCoy (one of the best inside pressure players of this era), Dontari Poe (like McCoy, a defensive tackle with a Pro Bowl resume) and Aldon Smith - who if the rust is knocked off after a half-decade away from the NFL due to suspensions, might be a good bet to lead Dallas in sacks this year.
This year's scheme, under coaches Mike McCarthy and Mike Nolan, might create ways to free Lawrence; that's in play for 2020.
We might add that Lawrence's job requirements and overall performance might also improve with the locker room and on-field return of Tyrone Crawford. Crawford is a mentor to Tank, a big brother, and a leader of the defensive line. When he was eliminated after season-ending surgery on both hips, it left Lawrence with a heavy burden to carry in many departments.
“I think it all comes down to knowing who you are and focusing on what’s in front of you,” said Lawrence. “We had so many obstacles come our way and it kind of divided us as a team. We were worried about other things around us instead of sticking to our jobs and the coach. We didn’t capitalize on the opportunities we had to win.”
The 2020 season offers DeMarcus Lawrence more opportunities ... more help ... and, Cowboys Nation hopes, more sacks.
