The Dallas Cowboys have had a tough start to the week. The Chicago Bears blew them out with an abysmal showing from the Dallas defense for the second straight game. Then, they found out they lost star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and rookie OL starter Tyler Booker to high ankle sprains.
Anytime a team is under .500, it has plenty of areas that need improvement. These changes will help Dallas immediately, giving them a better chance in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers.
The defensive ends have to create more pressure
The Cowboys traded away one of the best pass rushers in the league, so the team had to assume the pass rush would take a hit, but not to this extreme.
Bears QB Caleb Williams wasn’t sacked for the first time in his NFL career, and Donovan Ezeiruaku, Marshawn Kneeland, and James Houston all had a zero percent pass-rush win rate on Sunday.
Lack of a pass rush from the edge is crippling for a defense with so many injuries and the overall poor play on the back end.
Stick with the running game longer
The Cowboys’ most consisten part of their team has been the rushing attack, especially handing the ball to Javonte Williams. He was averaging 7.6 yards per carry against the Bears, but only got 10 attempts. The team ran the ball well overall with an average of 6.1, but 20 carries isn’t enough.
With over five minutes left in the game, Dallas had the ball for four plays at the five-yard line or in and didn’t call a single rushing play. The rushing attempts must change to protect the Cowboys’ offense, as the Packers’ pass rush is coming to town.
The defense has to stop the big plays
The Dallas defense can’t continue to give up explosive plays. They have allowed 13 plays of 25 or more yards through just three games this season; the most in 45 years. They have given up a 50-yard or longer play in every contest so far. In Week 1, Johan Dotson had a 51-yard reception, the New York Giants had a 52-yard pass to Darius Slayton, and the Chicago Bears hit a flea-flicker for a 65-yard score to Luther Burden III.
None of those receivers were even a top two option on their team. The key to the Dallas season, let alone the Green Bay game, could be about minimizing big plays on defense.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 things Cowboys must change before the Packers blow them out the water in Week 3
Reporting by Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
