On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys‘ offensive line will face their most formidable challenge yet with the San Francisco 49ers. How can the Cowboys’ offensive line hold up to the most consistently dominant front seven in the league?
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The Dallas Cowboys’ Injury-Stricken Offense
Dallas’ offensive line has been in a rotation of guys since Week 1 of the season because of injury. In fact, the line has yet to play together once this season.
The starting line from right to left would be Terence Steele, Zack Martin, Tyler Biadasz, Tyler Smith, and Tyron Smith. The injury history so far this season has been:
- Week 1: Tyler Smith was out with a hamstring injury.
- Week 2: Tyler Smith was out with the same hamstring injury.
- Week 3: Tyron Smith (knee), Martin (ankle), and Biadasz (hamstring) were all out.
- Week 4: Tyron Smith was out with the same knee injury.
Tyron Smith’s and Martin’s availability is still questionable for Week 5’s matchup against the 49ers. Jerry Jones, however, did share more optimism about Martin’s availability than Tyron’s.
Tyron is an interesting piece of the line because it has been over a decade since the left tackle played an entire season back in 2015. Although the two-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler’s physicality and strength speak for themselves, questions are rising about his starting position being at risk with Dallas since he can’t stay healthy.
When Jones was asked if Tyron’s availability outweighs the talent with his extensive injury history, he said, “It’s not at that point at all. If he’s available, it would be iffy, but he could be, and certainly, he is a very valuable part of this year, and I would foresee the future as our agreement with him dictates.”
Jones feels comfortable with Martin’s availability this weekend, so the eight-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler is always a welcomed addition to the line.
Nick Bosa Leads San Francisco 49ers Defensive Line
The Cowboys will need as much help as possible going up against the 49ers’ defensive line, consisting of Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Javon Kinlaw, Drake Jackson, and Arik Armstead.
So, how will this line pose the biggest threat to the Cowboys’ offensive line? Two words: pass rush.
When you have the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in Bosa coming at you, he is bound to create problems quickly.
Bosa only has one sack on the season, which he got in Week 3. However, like how the Cowboys see Micah Parsons’ ability to create big plays for the team around him, Bosa has the same impact and effect on the field.
If the 49ers’ line can continue to pressure and earn the pass rush — especially if Tyron Smith is not available — they can find a guy to “bully” throughout the game.
San Francisco has the fifth-ranked defense in the NFL, allowing only 284.3 yards per game. That’s pretty good, considering defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is still in his first season and putting the pieces together.
Iron Sharpens Iron
A phrase the Cowboys have used steadily since training camp is “iron sharpens iron.” Dallas’ defense might be shaping up the offense to fully prepare them for battles like the one they will face on Sunday night.
Dak Prescott is already used to releasing the ball quickly with any offensive line rotation because of the pass rush from Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence.
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The only issue with the Cowboys’ offense is their need for more production in the red zone to score touchdowns. They must score touchdowns and not just field goals to stay in the game.
Considering the winning margin the last two times these two rivals met came down to a one-score difference, this will be a make-or-break for both teams if they want to come out with a win.