Dallas Cowboys Outline Defensive Plan To Attack Lamar Jackson With One Main Priority

The Dallas Cowboys enter Week 3 on the heels of a victory over the division rival Washington Commanders, which was a much-needed bounce-back win after putting up a stinker against the New York Giants in the season opener.

But while the Cowboys have some momentum, they are preparing for their toughest task of the season to date: Stopping former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

Dallas' defense struggled to contain Jaxson Dart and Jayden Daniels in the first two weeks of the season, and the threat of a mobile quarterback is only amplified when Jackson is on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer knows the threat that Jackson presents, so the team is prioritizing its plan of attack to get to the quarterback ahead of the first-ever NFL game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brian Schottenheimer Lays Out Plan To Slow Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson runs with the ball during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Cowboys' defense will prioritize "compressing the pocket" once they reach the depth of Jackson. By collapsing the pocket, the Cowboys would force Jackson up the middle of the field, where, hopefully, a spy or a linebacker is waiting.

Schottenheimer knows getting to Jackson is key and you would like to get a clean hit, but disrupting his rhythm is equally as important.

"I think getting him on the ground is the biggest deal. You'd like to get the sack, but I think if you affect him, hopefully you're making him make poor decisions," Schottenheimer told the media. "He's loose with the ball. Maybe he throws the ball in a double coverage.

"We've gotten to the point where if you move him off the spot, sometimes they become more dangerous, which is why we have to be better at containing. He's looking at the film. He's seeing the seams that we've created and given to Jaxson Dart and Jayden Daniels, and he's going to be aware of that. But this is a new week. It's a different deal. We've got some different things that we're looking at that we kind of like going into this game."

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks at AT&T Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Containing Jackson is the biggest key to victory for the Cowboys in Week 3, because if he is able to run wild, it will only exhaust the defense and open up big-play opportunities in the passing game.

Dallas enters the game with a wounded defense that will likely be down two starters and one key contributor in the secondary, so the team needs to limit opportunities for Jackson to let loose. We'll see how all of the strategizing plays out in a matter of days.

Kickoff between the Cowboys and Ravens at the iconic Maracanã Stadium, officially known as Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt will be on the call, while Tracy Wolfson provides updates from the sideline. .

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