Dallas Cowboys: 3 key things they must do to win Week One

With a tough matchup Week One, the Dallas Cowboys have certain keys to ensure victory. Here are the three most important and achievable.

The Dallas Cowboys start the 2018 NFL season in Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers. The two teams are built similarly with quarterbacks who had almost identical statistical production in 2017 as well as run-first philosophies.

Both teams also boast talented front seven’s and approach the game in similar ways. The Cowboys though, have certain match-ups they can exploit that are keys to victory.

Key #1 – Control The Line Of Scrimmage On Defense

The Panthers offensive line is banged up and makes the Cowboys’ issues seem unimportant. With Pro Bowl center Ryan Khalil on IR and former Pro Bowl guard, Andrew Norwell going to Jacksonville, the team’s interior line is talent depleted.

Their tackles are also banged up, with right tackle Daryl Williams, and guard/tackle Amini Silatolu both limited in practice this week.

The Cowboys stable of talented pass rushers has the upper hand and with discipline should be able to contain and harass quarterback Cam Newton into errant throws and hopefully turnovers.

And while fans complain about the lack of talent at defensive tackle, the team has finished top 10 in rushing each of the last two years; both without premier one techniques.

Also in 2017, the team was forced to play Maliek Collins out of place when Stephen Paea retired from injury.

With the play of Antwaun Woods and the health and depth of the linebacking corps, this rush defense should have no trouble flying into a top ten rushing defense spot. Defenses usually get on track faster than offenses, if there’s a week for this to be true, it’s this one.