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[h=1]By PATRIK WALKER Dec 12, 10:11 AM[/h] David Irving might return, or he might not.
A high ankle sprain suffered during bye week practice combines with another round of personal matters to see the veteran pass rusher absent from the Dallas Cowboys' facility these last few weeks, but doesn't stop factions of fans from again thirsting for his return, having now been available for only 10 of the last 29 regular season games. In the meantime, those asked to step up in his absence have done it with bells on, going routinely unnoticed by the large majority who love the team's success at rushing the passer -- yet usually attribute it to only one or two individuals. The easy and justifiable credit goes to defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and his counterpart on the right edge, Randy Gregory, but it's time to also recognize those flying under the radar on the stellar defensive front.
When interior linemen Maliek Collins and Antwaun Woods received game balls for their impact against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14, it should serve as a reminder there are others making real difference in helping to stop the run and rush the passer. No, their numbers weren't gaudy on Dec. 9, but Collins recovered a key fumble created by a strip sack on Carson Wentz by Tyrone Crawford -- another unsung hero -- to end a threatening drive from the Eagles on the Cowboys 46-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
The end result was a field goal by Brett Maher, putting the Cowboys up 6-0, instead of them entering halftime potentially down 7-3.
"Obviously not everybody gives those guys glory for the grunt work that they got to do," Crawford said of Collins and Woods, via Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News. "I've been there. You're double-teamed almost every play, and to still be able to make plays and push the line of scrimmage and create our own line of scrimmage with that type of attention on you, it's definitely a hard task. And they do it well."
Crawford knows a bit about being overlooked and even vilified at times, particularly following his five-year, $45 million extension in 2015, one that came equipped with $25.7 million in guarantees. He's since been harshly judged by fans and members of the media, but those same individuals haven't kept the same energy now that the time for praise has arrived. His previous career-high for sacks was five, which led to his extension, and he's already at four in 2018 -- with three games left to play.
Better still, he also has more pressures and hits on the QB than his career-best 2015 season, and he does all of this while alternating between the 5-tech and the 3-tech, adding and shedding weight virtually on-demand to be effective in both roles. When he does take to the edge, he's secure knowing even in the absence of Irving, Collins will dominate the right side interior while Woods continues to be one of the best left side interior lineman in all of football.
Toss in the rotational impact of a player like Daniel Ross, and the Cowboys are getting a lot of bang for the proverbial buck.
"As long as we stay setting the edge on the outside and they stay pushing the line of scrimmage on the inside, our linebackers should be able to run free and go smack people," Crawford said. via The Dallas Morning News. "I feel like those guys have been opening it up well for our linebackers."
'Tis true, with both Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch routinely flying all over the field to make plays, leading the team in tackles by a fairly sizable margin. It's a case of one hand washes the other, and they both come out clean.
If Irving does return to the fold, it'll add some potency to the unit, but they're clearly doing more than fine in the event he never does -- or only does for a short period of time. The defensive front has already amassed 35 sacks in 14 games, Irving being responsible for just one of them, and the unit accounts for seven of the Cowboys' forced fumbles this season. They'd like to have Irving and his freakish (albeit undependable) talent on the field going forward and may get their wish, if he actually returns to the facility going into Week 15 as owner Jerry Jones hopes.
If he doesn't, there should not and will not be a single tear shed, thanks to the law offices of Crawford, Collins, Woods and Ross.
A high ankle sprain suffered during bye week practice combines with another round of personal matters to see the veteran pass rusher absent from the Dallas Cowboys' facility these last few weeks, but doesn't stop factions of fans from again thirsting for his return, having now been available for only 10 of the last 29 regular season games. In the meantime, those asked to step up in his absence have done it with bells on, going routinely unnoticed by the large majority who love the team's success at rushing the passer -- yet usually attribute it to only one or two individuals. The easy and justifiable credit goes to defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and his counterpart on the right edge, Randy Gregory, but it's time to also recognize those flying under the radar on the stellar defensive front.
When interior linemen Maliek Collins and Antwaun Woods received game balls for their impact against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14, it should serve as a reminder there are others making real difference in helping to stop the run and rush the passer. No, their numbers weren't gaudy on Dec. 9, but Collins recovered a key fumble created by a strip sack on Carson Wentz by Tyrone Crawford -- another unsung hero -- to end a threatening drive from the Eagles on the Cowboys 46-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
The end result was a field goal by Brett Maher, putting the Cowboys up 6-0, instead of them entering halftime potentially down 7-3.
"Obviously not everybody gives those guys glory for the grunt work that they got to do," Crawford said of Collins and Woods, via Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News. "I've been there. You're double-teamed almost every play, and to still be able to make plays and push the line of scrimmage and create our own line of scrimmage with that type of attention on you, it's definitely a hard task. And they do it well."
Crawford knows a bit about being overlooked and even vilified at times, particularly following his five-year, $45 million extension in 2015, one that came equipped with $25.7 million in guarantees. He's since been harshly judged by fans and members of the media, but those same individuals haven't kept the same energy now that the time for praise has arrived. His previous career-high for sacks was five, which led to his extension, and he's already at four in 2018 -- with three games left to play.
Better still, he also has more pressures and hits on the QB than his career-best 2015 season, and he does all of this while alternating between the 5-tech and the 3-tech, adding and shedding weight virtually on-demand to be effective in both roles. When he does take to the edge, he's secure knowing even in the absence of Irving, Collins will dominate the right side interior while Woods continues to be one of the best left side interior lineman in all of football.
Toss in the rotational impact of a player like Daniel Ross, and the Cowboys are getting a lot of bang for the proverbial buck.
"As long as we stay setting the edge on the outside and they stay pushing the line of scrimmage on the inside, our linebackers should be able to run free and go smack people," Crawford said. via The Dallas Morning News. "I feel like those guys have been opening it up well for our linebackers."
'Tis true, with both Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch routinely flying all over the field to make plays, leading the team in tackles by a fairly sizable margin. It's a case of one hand washes the other, and they both come out clean.
If Irving does return to the fold, it'll add some potency to the unit, but they're clearly doing more than fine in the event he never does -- or only does for a short period of time. The defensive front has already amassed 35 sacks in 14 games, Irving being responsible for just one of them, and the unit accounts for seven of the Cowboys' forced fumbles this season. They'd like to have Irving and his freakish (albeit undependable) talent on the field going forward and may get their wish, if he actually returns to the facility going into Week 15 as owner Jerry Jones hopes.
If he doesn't, there should not and will not be a single tear shed, thanks to the law offices of Crawford, Collins, Woods and Ross.