Could the Cowboys’ best defensive weapon in 2021 be their own?

It’s no secret to anyone that the Cowboys’ defense was a catastrophe in the 2020 season. As a result, the Cowboy team has made notable efforts to improve its defensive performance in 2021. The arrival of Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator and multi-piece for the defense through the draft and free agency are a clear example of this. Therefore, acceptable performance is expected from this part of the equipment.

But what if the Cowboys’ best defensive weapon this year turns out to be their own offense?

This is something that Dink Kearney raises in an article for Sport DFW, and the columnist has a valid point: the offensive potential of the Cowboys. Recall that, in four of the five games in which Dak Prescott played in 2020, the cowboy team was able to react and try to overcome negative results despite allowing many points on defense.

It is true that it is useless for an offense to be able to score 30 points per game if the defense allows 40 points or more per game. However, an offense as potent as the Cowboys’ could be difficult to stop even for the strongest defenses in the NFL. And, of course, a strong defense is of no use if there is no scoring offense.

Three keys to Dallas’ offense to keep in mind this year

What is raised by Dink Kearney is not entirely unreasonable. At the end of the day, the offensive potential of the team is the one that generates the most points that are added on the scoreboard. Therefore, we review below three aspects of the Cowboys offense that may be key during the 2021 season.

# 1 – The offense commanded again by Dak Prescott

Of course, the first clue is the return of Dak Prescott. As we could see between weeks 2 and 5 of last season, with Prescott leading the offense the cowboy team was able to contest even the most adverse results. This is evidenced by the comeback against the Falcons in week 2, and the comeback attempt against the Browns in week 4.

It’s true that the Cowboys have one of the league’s best catching trios (CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup), as well as two very high-level running backs (Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard). However, these pieces were barely able to give their best after Dak Prescott’s injury in Week 5. Now, it can be said that the cowboy team counts.

FOR THE COMPETITION!

Dak Prescott gets into the diagonals and the cowboys are already one score away from turning the game around

Falcons 29-24 Cowboys #NFLxFOX pic.twitter.com/NGp1KHIYQz

– FOX Sports MX (@FOXSportsMX) September 20, 2020

# 2 – The return of the starting offensive line

Another key factor will be the fitness of the offensive line starters. Due to the numerous casualties due to injury last year, the Cowboys had to line up a circumstantial offensive line on more than one occasion that was not effective in protecting the quarterbacks or opening spaces for the rushing attack. In fact, in the 2020 Pro Football Focus (PFF) season offensive lines rankings, Dallas’s ranked 27th.

However, the situation completely changed. In the PFF projections for the 2021 season, the Cowboys offensive line is ranked # 6. This, without a doubt, is a huge and justified leap. The reason for this? Injury returns for offensive tacklers La’el Collins and Tyron Smith, as well as other players who missed the final games of 2020 such as guard Zack Martin and center Tyler Biadasz.

These four players, along with guard Connor Williams (the only starting offensive lineman who wasn’t out last year) would make up the line of five that would be ahead of Dak Prescott this year. The level of all of them together is not in doubt. If everyone stays healthy, the Cowboys’ offensive line would once again be one of the strongest in the NFL.

Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, Zack Martin doing some footwork drills off to the side during today’s OTA practice

(Video: @dallascowboys) pic.twitter.com/cuzO6cbijy

– Jon Machota (jonmachota) June 3, 2021

# 3 – The explosion of other offensive weapons

Although the two factors already mentioned are the most cited when talking about Dallas’ offensive potential for this year, there is a third that few mention or that remains in the background. And that would be the possible explosion of other offensive players on the cowboy team.

On the one hand we have the tight end duo, Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz. Although it is likely that there will be a fight for the title between the two, it is also expected that both alternate offensive snaps to take advantage of each other’s peculiarities.

Blake Jarwin, returning from a knee injury suffered at the beginning of last season, has been a favorite target for Dak Prescott when it comes to passing in previous years. Plus, this may be the season where he can finally settle into the starting job after Jason Witten’s departure.

Dalton Schultz, on the other hand, is coming off a very good season by occupying the vacant starting position after Jarwin’s injury. In 2020, Schultz had 63 receptions for 615 yards and four touchdowns. Besides, the tight end was not only a reliable target, but also a fairly efficient blocker. In fact, it’s in this second facet that the Cowboys could get the most out of it this year.

¡Touchdown @SomosCowboys! Dalton Schultz (@BinghamBaller9) catch and drag defenders for the score ????????

???? @FOXSportsMX#DallasCowboys #NFLMX #SFvsDAL pic.twitter.com/dbC2r7SDMi

— NFL México (@nflmx) December 20, 2020

Finally, we could also have the emergence of the rookie catcher Simi Fehoko. While the fifth-round pick of the 2021 Draft has a lot of competition ahead of him at catcher, the Cowboys chose him for good reasons: his imposing physique and his ability to make acrobatic catches.

Both of these qualities can be very helpful to Dallas in specific game situations, such as plays in the red zone. In these cases, the height of Fehoko It can be very useful in getting past opposing cornerbacks and grabbing the ball on passes contested inside the end zone. And this is another weapon that the cowboy team can have at their disposal.

Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill were both selected in the 5th round. No player has more receiving touchdowns from their respective drafts.

Simi Fehoko is also a WR selected in 5th round. He can beat you with his hands. He can beat you with his legs. Some players just have it. pic.twitter.com/f18OqYd8uH

— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) May 8, 2021

There’s no doubt a lot to expect from the Cowboys offense this year. And while the defense has to completely improve its performance, it may not need to become one of the top 10 in the NFL overnight. As long as he offers a decent performance and manages to generate changes of possession it may be more than enough for Dak Prescott and company to do their job on offense.