New York Giants Week 15 Opponent First Look: Cowboys Defense

Let's check in on the Dallas Cowboys defense and what, if anything, has changed since the Week 5 meeting.

Author:
Michael Lee
Publish date:
Dec 16, 2021 10:00 AM EST

The Dallas Cowboys defense has significantly improved in 2021. Jerry Jones hired former Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Dan Quinn to replace Mike Nolan as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas ranked 28th in points allowed, 23rd in yards allowed, and they couldn't stop the run at all. Nolan's defense ranked 31st in rushing yards allowed at 158.8 yards per game.

With Quinn coordinating the defense, the defense ranks 12th in points allowed with an average of 22.1. They do allow 361-yards per game, which ranks 23rd in the league. Opposing offenses can run the football on them; they allow 110.2 yards on the ground a game, which ranks 15th in the league. Through the air, they allow 250-yards per game, which is the 23rd most.

Dallas' defense gives up big numbers, but they're dangerous due to their opportunistic nature. The Cowboys have 27 takeaways this season with a plus differential of nine. They currently rank fifth in takeaways this defense. That ranks in the top ten. Second-year cornerback Trevon Diggs has developed into a star under Quinn.

In Week 14, the Cowboys held the Washington Football Team to little offense in a divisional game on the road, but the game ended close because of a fourth-quarter Dak Prescott pick-six by linebacker Cole Holcomb. Dallas held quarterback Taylor Heineke to 122-passing yards, and Washington did little on the ground.

The defense had two takeaways last week. One was an impressive interception by edge rusher Randy Gregory. The second was a strip-six by rookie sensation Micah Parsons with Dorance Armstrong scooping the ball for a touchdown. The Giants offense is prone to mistakes, and Dallas is a team that will make them pay.

The Giants lost to the Cowboys in Week 5, 44-20. Quarterback Daniel Jones exited the game with a concussion suffered near the goal line right before the half. Backup Mike Glennon threw two interceptions and fumbled the football in one of the bigger beatdowns of the Giants this season.

New York is coming off another embarrassing beatdown in Week 14, a 37-21 loss in Los Angeles to the Chargers. It will be difficult for this banged-up Giants offense to hold its own against this Cowboys defense, but hey, stranger things have happened.

Let's check in on who's who on the unit.

Defensive Line

Quinn has brought his 4-3 base defense with many middle-of-the-field closed, 3-deep type of coverages. However, the defense runs more man coverage concepts, and Quinn has deviated from his roots when the situation warrants the deviation.

The defense is playing much better in Quinn's system, and the personnel fits well. This season, a rookie third-round pick out of UCLA, Osa Odighizuwa, has 33 pressures. He also has 25 hurries this season. His disruptiveness, stout frame, and hand usage have been exceptional through four games.

New York's interior offensive line is an issue, and a young neophyte like Odighizuwa can be a problem when paired with other neophyte and all-around stud, Micah Parsons.

Neville Gallimore is the starting nose tackle now that he's healthy, or at least one would imagine he would slide into that position. Gallimore missed the entire season with an injury but returned in Week 14, where he recorded a sack and two pressures in 30 pass-rushing snaps.

He's a bit more of a pass-rushing big man than a run defending one, but he is capable of both. His role will expand now that he's healthy.

Cowboys' 6'4", 357-pound Quinton Bohanna is another rookie who just eats space. His presence acts as a significant role in short-yardage situations. He has played in 181 snaps so far this season, and, ironically enough, more of his snaps come as a pass rusher.

He acts as the penetrator for stunts up front, and his sheer ability to displace and occupy offensive lineman allows Parson and Armstrong loops to have success.

When he's not throwing punches on national television or unnecessarily rolling opponents' ankles, Trysten Hill acts as a solid rotational piece for the Cowboys upfront.

He's dealt with injuries and suspensions this season, but he has six pressures in 110 snaps, 65 pass-rushing snaps.

The former Clemson Tiger, Carlos Watkins, is another situational defensive player upfront. He has four pressures on 189 pass-rushing reps, with 335 plays this season. The longtime Houston Texans' will be on the secondary unit for the Dallas front.

Edge

Star defensive lineman Demarcus Lawrence returned from his broken foot in Week 13, and he's returned to dominance. According to PFF, Lawrence has 12 pressures in the last two games while grading insanely well. Lawrence has always given the Giants fits, and he'll see some Nate Solder and Matt Peart, which is not great for the Giants.

Randy Gregory has 35 pressures this season and six sacks. He had a huge interception against Washington last week, and he's starting to scratch the immense potential he displayed while at Nebraska. Gregory is 29-years-old and will be looking for a big paycheck by the end of the season.

Terrell Basham and Dorance Armstrong are the remaining edge rushers who play for Dallas (if we don't include the versatile Micah Parsons as an edge--he could be considered one).

Basham has 25 pressures on the season, three against Washington last week. His snaps increased throughout the season but dipped the previous two weeks, with Lawrence returning to the lineup.

In previous seasons, Basham was a solid player with the Jets, and he'll look to spell Gregory and Lawrence throughout the game. He did play 27 snaps last week.

Similar to Gregory, Armstrong is a long pass rusher who is explosive. Armstrong has more twitch than Gregory, but Gregory is a better overall player.

Armstrong has 21 pressures and two sacks this season. He is a sure tackling player with long arms and flexibility. He played 29 snaps last week and 51 in the previous week.

Chauncey Gholston plays a significant role as well at the edge. He has 18-pressures on the season. He has played in 341 total plays, but there are games where he only plays 15(ish) snaps. However, there are others where he breaks 40, as he did against the Giants earlier in the season.

Linebackers

Micah Parsons has lived up to his draft selection, and then some. Quinn has trusted him on the EDGE since the Lawrence injury, and he is displaying that unique profile that made him so interesting to the Giants during the pre-draft process.

Parsons' versatility allows Quinn to use him in multiple ways. He is a true difference-maker for Dallas' defense. He will be all over the field against the Giants, like in Week 5, where he had four pressures. He has 55 pressures and 11 sacks on the season and looks like an excellent player.

Leighton Vander Esch is a rangy long linebacker who has dealt with many injuries throughout his career. The Cowboys drafted him in the first round of the 2018-draft, and they did not pick up his fifth-year option.

That doesn't mean he's a bad player. Vander Esch's best season by far was his rookie year, where he had 140 tackles. The combination of Parsons and Vander-Esch is a dynamic linebacking duo with versatility.

Safety convert Keanu Neal was with Quinn in Atlanta for years. Quinn has used him as a money linebacker, more of a hybrid safety/LB than anything else.

Neal is physical but doesn't have the range of many other safeties, which is why he's now a linebacker. He's coming off an Achilles injury and has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.

Cornerbacks

Dallas' 2020 second-round pick Trevon Diggs is having a breakout season. He has nine interceptions this year. He looks explosive with great technique and the ability to diagnose what he sees in front of him.

He also has seven passes defended and has only allowed a 58 percent catch rate. He's turning into a star for Quinn and is one of the league's better, more dangerous cornerbacks.

If there is any silver lining for the Giants, Diggs can be faked out since he is overly aggressive. We have seen Freddie Kitchens call double moves to bait corners in the past, specifically against the Browns last year, when he called plays. Don't be shocked to see something like this happen once or twice on Sunday against Dallas.

Anthony Brown plays opposite of Diggs. Brown can be exploited, as we saw on Thanksgiving against the Raiders. We expect to see Diggs on Kenny Golladay quite often, so can Sterling Shepard take advantage of Brown? Yes, if the Giants can block upfront. Brown has been a solid contributor for Dallas Dallas since 2016.

Jourdan Lewis handles the slot, and he's an above-average player in that role. He's been a good player for Dallas since he came into the league back in 2017. Last week, Lewis had a great game, playing 62 snaps and rating very well in PFF's metrics.

Safeties

The safety group is underrated and consists of high upside rare physical players. Malik Hooker was a first-round pick by the Colts out of Ohio State. He struggles to stay healthy, but he has rare range and movement skills when he is on the field. Hooker is the third safety behind Kearse and Demante Kazee.

Jayron Kearse has rare size, speed, and length for a safety. Kearse will align near the box and be a solid contributor in run support. Kearse plays the "Cam Chancellor" role for Quinn's defense in cover three buzz.

His frame is an imposing 6'4", 215 pounds of explosiveness and physicality. Kearse is having his best season under Quinn. Damante Kazee also followed Quinn to Dallas. He is the starting free safety. Expect to see all three safeties on the field at once.