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Could Lance Dunbar be X factor Sunday vs. Giants?
3:19 PM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas – Now that the regular season is upon us, Five Wonders is back for its normal Tuesday spin.
There’s much to wonder about with the New York Giants coming to town to open the season Sunday. Maybe even more than five things, but we’ll just keep it at five.
Away we go:
1. I wonder how much of an X factor Lance Dunbar will be against the Giants. He has made a tremendous recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn patellar tendon suffered Week 4 last season in order to be ready for Week 1 this season. Dunbar did not play in the preseason, but he has been back to practice for two weeks. He said he feels fine and as explosive as he was before the injury. In last year’s season opener against the Giants, Dunbar caught eight passes for 70 yards, including two for 40 yards on what was the Cowboys’ game-winning drive in the final minute.
2. A year ago as the Cowboys got ready to play the Giants in Week 1, the one-handed grab by Odell Beckham Jr. made in 2014 was replayed as often as the “Agony of defeat” video. The catch, which was great but not the greatest ever, in my opinion, has not been as prevalent this offseason, which is good news for Brandon Carr. In the two games last year against the Cowboys, Beckham caught nine passes for 79 yards and did not score a touchdown. I wonder if the Cowboys follow a similar defensive plan on Beckham for the opener. With Byron Jones playing full time at safety, the defense has more of a pure center-field safety to take away the deep balls to Beckham with Carr playing underneath.
3. With injuries at other spots perhaps the Cowboys could dress eight offensive linemen Sunday even if their preference is to keep only seven on the 46-man roster. If they do keep seven, I wonder if they would go with Ronald Leary over Joey Looney as the backup interior offensive lineman. Leary does not play center, like Looney, but the Cowboys might feel like Zack Martin, their starting right guard, would be a better backup center than Looney if something were to happen to Travis Frederick. Of course, since the Cowboys are paying Leary $2.3 million this year, they might decide having him active is the best approach
4. The Cowboys will be in their nickel defense for a lot of Sunday’s game because of how much the Giants like to use three wide receiver sets, but when New York brings a base personnel group on the field, I have two wonders: Who starts at strongside linebacker and who are the two cornerbacks? At the start of training camp, I would have said Kyle Wilber, but he has to play defensive end to start the year. Could it be Justin Durant? Andrew Gachkar? At cornerback, I’d bet Orlando Scandrick and Carr will be the starters, but Morris Claiborne has done well enough to earn consideration.
5. I wonder who the 53rd player on the roster is to start the season. Keeping two fullbacks in Keith Smith and Rod Smith is odd even if they can play multiple positions. Keeping only eight defensive linemen seems light, especially with rookie Charles Tapper not likely to play vs. New York. Cornerback Dax Swanson was something of a surprise to stick around the final roster as well. It would have to be one of the two fullbacks but given the sway of special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia on the roster, maybe it’s Swanson, who is the fifth cornerback.
3:19 PM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas – Now that the regular season is upon us, Five Wonders is back for its normal Tuesday spin.
There’s much to wonder about with the New York Giants coming to town to open the season Sunday. Maybe even more than five things, but we’ll just keep it at five.
Away we go:
1. I wonder how much of an X factor Lance Dunbar will be against the Giants. He has made a tremendous recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn patellar tendon suffered Week 4 last season in order to be ready for Week 1 this season. Dunbar did not play in the preseason, but he has been back to practice for two weeks. He said he feels fine and as explosive as he was before the injury. In last year’s season opener against the Giants, Dunbar caught eight passes for 70 yards, including two for 40 yards on what was the Cowboys’ game-winning drive in the final minute.
2. A year ago as the Cowboys got ready to play the Giants in Week 1, the one-handed grab by Odell Beckham Jr. made in 2014 was replayed as often as the “Agony of defeat” video. The catch, which was great but not the greatest ever, in my opinion, has not been as prevalent this offseason, which is good news for Brandon Carr. In the two games last year against the Cowboys, Beckham caught nine passes for 79 yards and did not score a touchdown. I wonder if the Cowboys follow a similar defensive plan on Beckham for the opener. With Byron Jones playing full time at safety, the defense has more of a pure center-field safety to take away the deep balls to Beckham with Carr playing underneath.
3. With injuries at other spots perhaps the Cowboys could dress eight offensive linemen Sunday even if their preference is to keep only seven on the 46-man roster. If they do keep seven, I wonder if they would go with Ronald Leary over Joey Looney as the backup interior offensive lineman. Leary does not play center, like Looney, but the Cowboys might feel like Zack Martin, their starting right guard, would be a better backup center than Looney if something were to happen to Travis Frederick. Of course, since the Cowboys are paying Leary $2.3 million this year, they might decide having him active is the best approach
4. The Cowboys will be in their nickel defense for a lot of Sunday’s game because of how much the Giants like to use three wide receiver sets, but when New York brings a base personnel group on the field, I have two wonders: Who starts at strongside linebacker and who are the two cornerbacks? At the start of training camp, I would have said Kyle Wilber, but he has to play defensive end to start the year. Could it be Justin Durant? Andrew Gachkar? At cornerback, I’d bet Orlando Scandrick and Carr will be the starters, but Morris Claiborne has done well enough to earn consideration.
5. I wonder who the 53rd player on the roster is to start the season. Keeping two fullbacks in Keith Smith and Rod Smith is odd even if they can play multiple positions. Keeping only eight defensive linemen seems light, especially with rookie Charles Tapper not likely to play vs. New York. Cornerback Dax Swanson was something of a surprise to stick around the final roster as well. It would have to be one of the two fullbacks but given the sway of special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia on the roster, maybe it’s Swanson, who is the fifth cornerback.