Place battleground (protection): Cowboys vs Panthers head-to-head breakdown

Beforehand we broke down the offenses for this week’s upcoming sport for the Dallas Cowboys. Now we dive again into the place battleground, this time taking a look at how the defensive positions and particular groups stack up towards one another.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Final week the Dallas Cowboys went toe-to-toe with Joe Burrow and have been on the precipice of victory. One a part of the roster that helped preserve the high-powered Cincinnati offense at bay was the Dallas line of defense. The cross rush took some time to get going however the run protection was stable once more final week. Chase Brown was held to 58 dashing yards (he was significantly better as an additional receiver nevertheless). And Khalil Herbert had simply 4 rush yards.

Micah Parsons had one other good sport creating havoc within the backfield and led the crew in complete pressures and Osa Odighizuwa was proper behind Parsons with 5 complete pressures. Mazi Smith retains progressing positively defending towards the run, and did so once more final week. This line of defense has its works minimize out this week, the Carolina Panthers offensive line has allowed the fourth-fewest sacks and could be very proficient in run blocking. It was good to see Marshawn Kneeland trying extra like himself on the sphere final week. He’s the one defensive linemen on the apply report together with his knee, however he’s practiced in full which tells everybody he ought to be nice this weekend.

As you may think about, for a crew doing so poorly this 12 months, the Carolina Panthers line of defense doesn’t create plenty of strain. They’ve 25 sacks this 12 months, which is third-least within the league, and their greatest cross rusher, A’Shawn Robinson, has simply 4 sacks. With simply 71 complete pressures on protection, no different line of defense within the NFL has lower than the Panthers. Jadeveon Clowney has a knee problem that’s value looking ahead to this week on the apply report. Win: Cowboys

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LINEBACKER

Accidents have killed the linebacker place for Carolina and issues may look even worse this week. Shaq Thompson was positioned in IR a while in the past after tearing his Achilles and this week each Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace are coping with respective accidents that would sideline them. In the event that they each fail to be wholesome sufficient to take to the sphere this week then the Panthers coaches shall be digging deep on the depth chart to fill the place.

Conclusion:The lack of Overshown is an enormous blow right here. However on the alternative facet the Panthers linebackers are all having well being points. With Kendricks wholesome and an ascending Liufau, issues aren’t as bleak for Dallas. Win: Cowboys

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DEFENSIVE BACKS

To start out off with, Jaycee Horn is coping with a groin harm and Lonnie Johnson Jr. is coping with a neck harm. That’s a foul begin this week for a secondary that’s given up the second-most passing touchdowns this 12 months. The secondary can be creating only a few turnovers and averages one interception each two video games. Cowboys followers will see the return of Xavier Woods this week who’s having an up-and-down season. Reverse Horn is veteran cornerback Mike Jackson who joined Carolina from Seattle this 12 months. Jackson has allowed the tenth-most receiving yards this 12 months and seventh-most receptions. When you’ve got CeeDee Lamb in your fantasy lineup this week it is best to anticipate huge numbers, he has one one of the best matchups on the vast receiver place this week.

Conclusion:The secondary is getting more healthy with DaRon Bland one other week into enjoying time. Malik Hooker getting an interception final week and Donovan Wilson getting a sack and enjoying significantly better is one other added bonus. Win: Cowboys

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SPECIAL TEAMS

Brandon Aubrey caught to his facet of the deal final week and knocked by two discipline targets and two further factors to assist preserve the sport shut. Aubrey shall be prepared as ever to maintain including factors this week, hopefully extra further factors versus discipline targets.

Eddy Pineiro is the kicker for Carolina. He has an 87% discipline purpose accuracy charge and has made 20 discipline targets, each rank fifteenth amongst kickers. Two of the three misses Pineiro has this 12 months have come from 50 yards or extra.

KaVontae Turpin stands out as the greatest risk within the league this season by way of kick returns. The technique is straightforward for coaches scheming towards him, kick the ball away from him. And that’s precisely what we’ve seen these previous few weeks. His pace and return potential is just too enormous to provide him even a tiny glimmer of hope for a return.

Raheem Blackshear returns kicks for Carolina. He averages 25.2 yards per kickoff return which ranks thirty fourth. On punt returns he ranks twenty eighth at 8.5 yards per return. Look ahead to Blackshear on the apply report as he could miss time this week with a chest harm. Win: Cowboys

Ballot
Which crew has the higher protection?

92%

Dallas Cowboys

(24 votes)

7%

Carolina Panthers

(2 votes)

26 votes complete

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