Cowboys at Jets: New York defense can disrupt a shaky offense

The winless New York Jets seem like a gift for a reeling Dallas Cowboys team. Yet their defense is very capable of disrupting a recently shaky offense.

Anyone paying attention realizes the Dallas Cowboys offense is in the midst of an identity crisis mired by injuries, inconsistencies, and blown opportunities. As soon as Week Four ushered in teams with a pulse, the wheels flew off the wagon.

When the final result was still in realistic doubt the last two games, the Dallas offense has been simply inept. This stretch includes the entire Saints game and up until the Packers stacked a 28-point lead with 3:34 left in the third quarter.

During this time frame, the Cowboys offense began 16 drives with legitimate intentions to score points. Of those drives only 13 total points were scored. Even worse, only 1 of 16 (6%) drives ended with scoring a touchdown.

Are the winless Jets just what the doctor ordered for the disjointed Dallas scoring machine? I wouldn’t starting counting chickens before they hatch just yet.

JETS DEFENSE HAS TOP TEN ASPECTS

The Jets offense was awful in Week One even with starting quarterback Sam Darnold. The defense scored nine of their 16 points, while the offense only had 234 total yards. In the three games after Darnold went down, they’ve been markedly worse.

Even with a putrid offense, the Jets defense has been holding water and playing respectable in no-win conditions. Their hapless offense has left the opposing offense with the best average starting field position (own 33 yard line) in the NFL.

Despite the handicaps given, New York’s defense ranks in the top ten in all of the following defensive categories below.

5th turnovers gained – 8

4th fumbles recovered – 4

6th interceptions – 4

8th first downs allowed – 77

7th rushing yards allowed – 350

4th rushing yards allowed per attempt – 3.4

10th passing touchdowns allowed – 5

10th points per drive allowed – 1.8

Assuming the recently rudderless Cowboys offense will just show up and gouge this proud, feisty Jets defense is naive. Dallas’ defense should afford their offense extra chances, but the Jets defense will make them brawl for every trip to the end zone.