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Could this Cowboys defense be a new “Doomsday Defense”?

There is no question that the Cowboys’ defense performance so far this season has been impressive. In four games, Dan Quinn’s unit has held opponents to 19 points or fewer, allowing only one touchdown per game. This is something that the cowboy nation had many years without seeing. There are even those who already compare this defense with that dominant unit that led Dallas to success between the 60s and 70s.

Yes, we mean the mythical “Doomsday Defense” (also known as the Doomsday defense or “Doomsday defense).

That is the name that the Cowboys defense received between 1966 and 1974. Although the Doomsday defense has had different generations, the first one is the most recognized with that name. It was made up of players like defensive tackle Bob Lilly, linebackers Lee Roy Jordan and Chuck Howley, defensive backs Mel Renfro, Cliff Harris and Herb Adderley, among others.

That defense led the Cowboys to four NFC finals appearances between those years. As a result of them, the Cowboys won two NFC championships and reached two Super Bowls, winning one of them in the 1970 season. On that occasion, it is worth noting, Bob Lilly became the first defensive player to win the MVP of a Super bowl.

In the late 1970s, the so-called “Doomsday II” defense would emerge, despite many conflating its achievements with those of its predecessors. This second group, active between 1975 and 1982, featured players like Harvey Martin, Randy White, Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, Cliff Harris, and Everson Walls, among others. With them, the Cowboys won the second Super Bowl in their history in the 1977 season.

Then came a third “Doomsday defense” between 1992 and 1996, years in which the Cowboys would win three Super Bowls. Although shorter in duration than previous Doomsday defenses, the group led by Darren Woodson and Charles Haley was key to Dallas winning those championships.

Now, after the recent performance of the Cowboys defense, there are those who think that this unit may be a new version of the “Doomsday defense.” And one of those who has that thought is young linebacker Micah Parsons, a pillar of the unit led by Dan Quinn. He thus let it be seen recently on his social networks and in statements to the media.

Of course, the comparisons are valid. Dallas’ defense in 2022, as we mentioned, has only allowed four touchdowns in four games. This ties the 1970 and 1972 defenses as the only ones in franchise history to do so. Besides, the current group managed to contain their rivals to 19 points or less in that number of games.

This puts the current Cowboys defense behind the 1973 unit, which didn’t allow more than 17 points per game in its first four games. Likewise, the 2022 group is flanked by those from 1966 and 1972, both of which limited their rivals to 20 points or fewer in their first five games in those campaigns.

What expectations does the current Cowboys defense have?

Although those accomplishments date back nearly a half-century, the current Dallas defense group feels they can emulate the accomplishments of their predecessors. This is how Micah Parsons let him see in statements collected by Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports.

“That’s kind of the standard of what we want to achieve, of how we want to represent this Dallas defense.”Parsons said. “’Doomsday’ is back”

On the other hand, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is a bit more cautious than Parsons and doesn’t want to echo those comparisons. Still, “Tank” reckons this is Dallas’ best defensive group since he came on the team as a 2014 Draft pick.

“Micah and I have a long conversation pending this week.”Lawrence said in remarks for Yahoo Sports. “How did (the Cowboys) end up in 1973? None of that matters. It’s about getting better every week. And when our time comes, we have to be sitting on top of that mountain.”.

Much of the credit, of course, goes to Dan Quinn. Since his arrival in Dallas in 2021, the defensive coordinator has changed the face of this unit on the cowboy team. After a good performance in his first campaign, expectations were high for 2022. And, for now, he has exceeded them.

Now, the bar will be high for Quinn as well. Let’s remember that he was the architect of the Seattle Seahawks defense known as the “Legion of Boom”. That group led Seattle to two straight Super Bowls in 2013 and 2014, winning the first one. When Quinn arrived in Dallas, many thought that he would reissue what had been done in those years. However, this defense could become more of the Cowboys’ “Doomsday IV.”

Either way, Dan Quinn knows there’s still some way to go to get to that point. For the experienced coordinator, a special defense is characterized by its consistency. And that’s something the unit he coaches in Dallas must accomplish for the rest of the season.

“If you are going to have a good defense, it must be good everywhere”Quinn said during a press conference last Monday. “Whether it’s third down, in the red zone, in short yardage. I think we have a long way to go. We have a lot to improve, and that excites me.”

Now, the Cowboys’ defense will have two important tests ahead of them. And it will be up to them to confirm their current status.

The first of those tests will be Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, reigning Super Bowl champions. However, the offense led by Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp is having low hours. This was neutralized by two of the best defenses so far: Buffalo (week 1) and San Francisco (week 4). Seeing this, Dan Quinn and his wards could have a similar performance.

The real litmus test will be in week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team undefeated so far. The offense commanded by Jalen Hurts is currently the second best in the NFL, apart from being a serious threat in the running game. If the Dallas defense manages to neutralize this rival, this could confirm that the group is up for big things.

For now, it remains to be seen what happens in these meetings. The expectations surrounding Dallas’ defense will be high, and Parsons, Diggs, Lawrence and company know this. If this unit remains the backbone of the Cowboys, it will be a matter of time before it is dubbed a new “Doomsday” defense. But to do so, this group must emulate its predecessors by leading Dallas to at least one Super Bowl.

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