Photo Credit: Dallas Cowboys
FRISCO, TEXAS — Heading into the 2020 season with the addition of Aldon Smith in the offseason and Everson Griffen during training camp, the Cowboys’ pass rush was hyped as being one of the probable bright spots on the team. Entering week three of the NFL regular season, Dallas’ edge rushers have failed to meet expectations. The unit has not generated pressure in two uninspiring performances.
Through two games according to the team’s statistics, the defense has totaled 17 quarterback pressures with Griffen accumulating five, DeMarcus Lawrence and Aldon Smith with four, Joe Thomas with three, and Tyrone Crawford with one. In addition, only two sacks (Griffen-1, A. Smith-1) for the underwhelming crew against both the Rams and Falcons, that puts the group in a tie for 30th place in the league with eight other teams. Sure, the defense faced a short passing attack with screens, bootlegs, and play-action from Jared Goff that mitigated a pass rush on first and second downs in week one, but in week two Matt Ryan threw the ball downfield and had a clean pocket to do so.
There is an expected adjustment period for players after not only an entirely virtual offseason program, but also a new defensive scheme under Mike Nolan. Nolan introduced a hybrid system marrying the roles of a 4-3 defensive end and a 3-4 outside linebacker in rushing situations. Griffen, D-Law, and A. Smith began rushing from a two-point stance (standing up) on passing downs, as opposed to a three-point stance (hand in the ground). Smith has previous experience with the 49ers using both stances but for Griffen and Lawrence, it is a brand new approach.
A three-point allows players to move forward quickly off the ball and a two-point allows defenders to quickly adjust alignments prior to the snap to move forward, backward, or laterally with ease. The Cowboys’ edge rushers have not hit their stride incorporating both rushing techniques.
In regards to the adjustment from a three to two-point stance, Griffen told Dallas media, “ It’s a big difference. I have been doing it with my hand in the dirt for the past 10 years now and standing up a little bit- it’s a little different. I’m getting the hang of it. I feel like I am going to go back more to my three-point stance. That’s where I’m more comfortable at and you know I’m going to come off the ball and I’m going to strike. I am going to do it at a high level to be able to go out there and get a victory for my team. “
Against Seattle, Griffen will be returning to his normal three-point stance off the edge that he has been in for a decade in Minnesota. He experimented with both stances over the past two weeks to see what the level of comfort is but he prefers the three-point. Standing up allows players the advantage of rushing the passer or dropping back into coverage, but does not provide the same burst to defeat the hands of an offensive lineman and get to the quarterback.
With an offseason and preseason in a normal year, Griffen and Lawrence would have had time to work out the kinks and coordinate as a cohesive unit with the defensive tackles. It comes down to not having enough time for the task of gaining comfort with the new movement patterns. They just have a lack of experience in attacking from a stand-up position and with the pass rush struggling, there is no time to let Lawrence and Griffen work out the footwork and timing adjustments that accompany the two-point stance.
“ I’m going to make sure I get down in my three-point where I can be more powerful with my hands and in my feet and I can get on guys quicker, “ Griffen explained. “ Be able to attack and move my feet better and go out there and execute my assignment and get the job done.”
Griffen’s switch will likely provide him more leverage to win in his one-on-one matchup at the line of scrimmage. If the move proves successful against Russell Wilson and company on the road, DeMarcus Lawrence may not be far behind Griffen in a transition back to a three-point. It is what they are both accustomed to and will allow them to generate the pressure that was hyped during the offseason and bring them back to the dominance we are all used to seeing.
