How The Falcons’ Defensive Front Matches Up With The Cowboys’ Offensive Line
One year ago, the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line ranked as the best in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. But on Sunday Night Football in Week 1 of the 2020 season, Aaron Donald made it look silly.
The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle teased Cowboy linemen with finesse moves and bulldozed them with his strength, even trucking two to the ground at the same time on his way to crushing Dak Prescott. He led all NFL defenders with 10 quarterback pressures and finished with one sack, four quarterback hits and one tackle for loss.
Now, repeating that success is the task the Atlanta Falcons’ revamped front has in Week 2.
WEEK 1
After totaling only 28 sacks last season, the Falcons racked up three against Seattle, the same number Donald and the Rams hung on Dallas. They performed well against the run, too, keeping Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde under 50 combined yards.
They looked better than in 2019.
The Cowboys’ line did not look better, though. It was a shell of its former self, sliding all the way down to third-worst in the league.
Its all-pro center, Travis Frederick, retired in the offseason, and in Week 2, Dallas will also miss its top two right tackles due to injuries. Undrafted rookie Terence Steele is expected to start in their place.
Despite the offensive line troubles, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott still recorded 96 yards and a touchdown on the ground in Week 1, and Prescott threw for an above-average 92.5 passer rating.
WEEK 2
For Atlanta, it’s now about consistency. Can the defensive front follow up on its improved performance against one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the NFL?
It might just take a Donald-like showing from Grady Jarrett, who paced the Falcons with 1 1/2 sacks against the Seahawks. If Atlanta can line Jarrett up against left guard Connor Williams or center Joe Looney, it should like its chances. Williams was the guy Donald bullied most of Sunday night.
Dante Fowler Jr. and Takk McKinley can target Steele, who looked in over his head against Los Angeles, too.
Stopping Elliott will be a little bit more intriguing than the Falcons’ pass rush.
“What you want to do when you play guys like this is think more about yourself, what you want to do and what you want to get done,” Atlanta defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said Wednesday during a Zoom press conference. “When ’Zeke gets the ball in space, he’s a problem.”
Atlanta rarely stuffs the box. It lists only two linebackers as starters, preferring to use three safeties, which helps against the pass but not so much the run.
Deion Jones played like his normal self (nine tackles), and Foye Oluokun was decent (six tackles) against Seattle. But aside from them, mid-round rookie Mykal Walker is the Falcons’ best option at linebacker.
Jarrett, Marlon Davidson and Tyeler Davison will have to form a wall up the middle, and Deion Jones will have to track Elliott from sideline to sideline.
It’s another good test for Atlanta, as it tries for its first win. If the defensive front doesn’t step up and help mask some of the secondary’s deficiencies, the Cowboys might just make the Falcons look silly.
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