The Dallas Cowboys need to shore up their run defense — and fast

• The reinforcements have yet to help: While Dallas drafted former Michigan player Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, his rookie season was not encouraging, as he finished the 2023 season with a 47.2 PFF overall grade, 113th among 130 qualifying interior defenders.

• Struggles against the run: The Dallas defense ranks 29th in rushing yards allowed before contact, giving up an average of 2.1 yards before the opposing ball carrier is even touched. Additionally, the group is giving up 0.093 EPA per run play, the fifth-worst figure among NFL defenses.

• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!

Estimated reading time: 25 minutes

The Dallas Cowboys defense boasts one of the NFL's top edge-rushing duos in Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. Complementing them is a strong secondary, which will be even better once cornerback DaRon Bland returns to action.

These strengths shine in favorable game situations, particularly when the Cowboys have a lead and opponents are forced into passing more often. However, when Dallas is trailing, opponents will likely lean on the run game to burn the clock, putting pressure on the Cowboys' run defense. So, how effective is Dallas at stopping the run and getting their offense back on the field to regain control? If the first two weeks are any indication… not very.

The interior of the Cowboys' defensive line has been a persistent issue for years despite several moves made to strengthen it.

While they drafted former Michigan player Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, his rookie season was not encouraging, as he finished the 2023 season with a 47.2 PFF overall grade, 113th among 130 qualifying interior defenders.

The moves Dallas made just one month before the season highlighted their awareness of the issue. In mid-August, they traded for Jordan Phillips, and a week before the opener, they signed veteran Linval Joseph. And despite their late arrivals, the two players combined for over 70 snaps in the first two weeks. However, Phillips has since been placed on injured reserve.

The three aforementioned players have generated five total pressures on 62 combined pass-rushing snaps in the first two weeks, though that's not a massive concern because the Cowboys should be able to create plenty of pressure off the edge.

However, if the interior defensive line cannot hold its ground against the run, it becomes much harder to scheme around. Out of 112 interior defenders who have played at least 15 snaps against the run this season, all four Cowboys players rank in the bottom seven for PFF run-defense grades: Phillips is 111th (26.2), Smith is 110th (27.9), Osa Odighizuwa is 107th (29.7), and Joseph is tied for 105th (29.9).

These individual performances have played a huge part in the Cowboys’s weak run defense this season, mainly in Week 2 against New Orleans.

The Dallas defense ranks 29th in rushing yards allowed before contact, giving up an average of 2.1 yards before the opposing ball carrier is even touched. Additionally, the group is giving up 0.093 EPA per run play, the fifth-worst figure among NFL defenses. Through the first two weeks, 49.1% of rushes against the Cowboys have resulted in a positive EPA for the offense, the second-worst rate of any defense.

The Cowboys' defense is designed to rush the passer and cover the pass effectively. However, if the offense doesn't establish an early lead — as seen in Week 2 against New Orleans — this defense could struggle to stop the run, potentially derailing their season.