The Dallas Cowboys season got off to a rough start after eight people died at a game party in Plano, Texas. The shooting occurred after a man became involved in an altercation with his ex-wife. One of the victims later died at the hospital and the shooter who was involved was included in the number killed. Now Dallas is coming off a loss to the Denver Broncos, 42-17. Dallas was predicted to win the game even though Denver had the home field advantage.
Now, the Cowboys face-off against the arizona cardinals while Dallas faces new challenges in the NFC East. Demarcus Lawrence has helped Dallas have a strong defense, but will it be enough?
Will DeMarcus Lawrence maintain his game?
The Star-Telegram reported that DeMarcus Lawrence brought several defensive highlights to the Cowboys' game against Denver last week. He had two sacks against the Broncos and 3.5 sacks in the previous two games Dallas played. Defensive end Lawrence will face-off against tackle Jerald Veldheer now in this week's game. The Cardinals are expected to throw deep passes this week, and Lawrence will need to win his matchup against Veldheer if he expects to make Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer uncomfortable in the pocket.
Sports DFW reported that Demarcus Lawrence has yet to prove himself on the field. Last season the Cowboys' biggest need was to upgrade their passing rush. If Lawrence can continue playing the way that he has played in the last three games, then Dallas may finally be able to put their passing rush problems behind them. Lawrence has yet to earn the title of "War Daddy," a term coined by owner Jerry Jones. To some, it means a double-digit sacker. To others, it means the ability to dominate the biggest games, something that Lawrence hasn't done so far. Dallas has several correctable mistakes it needs to fix if the team wants to be a contender for the championship at the end of the year. This includes a reliable pass rusher, a role that Lawrence has the opportunity to fill.
Dallas' challenges on the road ahead
One of the challenges that Dallas faces, like a lot of other teams, is injuries. Wide receiver Terrance Williams struggled to come back, and he would make a valuable addition to the offense once he returns. Dallas faces other challenges too, as reported by Dallas News. Jon Machota said that the Cowboys' biggest challenge in the NFC East division isn't the New York Giants. Although Machota said that he thought that Dallas could take the championship with just 10 games, the team needs to avoid injuries if they plan to come out on top. As long as the Cowboys stay injury free, they should come out on top.