Will Cowboys offensive line hold up against Seahawks defensive line?
The Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks will match strength against strength when they meet Sunday.
The Cowboys offensive line sets the tone for the rest of the team's attack. But the Seahawks defensive line has been tough to handle for years.
So we asked our NFL staff:
Who has the advantage: the Cowboys offensive line or the Seahawks defensive line?
I like the Seahawks’ chances here. They can throw a lot of rushers at you, especially with Frank Clark healthy again. And Kam Chancellor is basically another member of the front in run support. The Cowboys’ key, as always, is to get the ground game going. If they struggle there, Matt Cassel is going to be asked to make a lot happen down the field and – Dez Bryant or no Dez Bryant – that’s a recipe to get run off the field.
The advantage goes to Seattle’s defensive line. Dallas’ offensive line, touted to be the league’s best before the season, has turned in uneven performances through most of the first half of the season. Last Sunday, it had the best performance of its season so far, and it was reflected in the running game. Darren McFadden rushed for 152 yards. But this was against the New York Giants. And the Giants’ defensive line is a shell of what it was during their glory years. Now here comes Seattle and its outstanding defensive line. Expect the Seahawks to contain McFadden a lot better than the Giants did. And expect a fair amount of pressure on quarterback Matt Cassel.
When these two teams met last year, Dallas’ offensive line dominated this matchup, and was crucial to the Cowboys’ big upset in Seattle. But with the rest of the Dallas offense still in shambles, even with the expected return of Dez Bryant this week, it’s hard to imagine the Cowboys being able to have similar success running the ball with Darren McFadden that they did a year ago. Seattle’s defensive line was able to gain some confidence and momentum in their dominating win against the 49ers last week, and that should carry over this week.
The Cowboys hung 30 points and 401 yards on the Seahawks in a surprising win at CenturyLink Field last season. My suspicion is that the Seattle defenders haven’t forgotten ... nor will they have as much to worry about today with DeMarco Murray and Tony Romo no longer part of the equation. The Seahawks also have the luxury of rotating their six regulars through the line – and who knows where Michael Bennett will position himself on a given snap – probing Dallas’ front five, which hasn’t performed as well in 2015, for mismatches. Look for them to target RT Doug Free and rookie G La’el Collins.
I don't think the Cowboys offensive line will be able to neutralize everything the Seahawks front brings to the table. Michael Bennett can disrupt a team in so many different ways, and Cliff Avril quietly has had an outstanding season. Dallas has three of the best at their respective positions in offensive tackle Tyron Smith, guard Zack Martin and center Travis Frederick. But this doesn't look like the completely dominant unit it was last year. All Seattle needs to do is rattle Matt Cassel on occasion, and it should be able to do that.
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