Could adding Jadeveon Clowney, Jamal Adams lead Cowboys to Super Bowl?
By Matt Aaron
![EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 07: Jamal Adams #33 of the New York Jets celebrates against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on October 7, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. New York Jets defeated the Denver Broncos 34-16. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 07: Jamal Adams #33 of the New York Jets celebrates against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on October 7, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. New York Jets defeated the Denver Broncos 34-16. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fthelandryhat-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2018-2F08-2F1047277102-850x560-fd87dfd923c5d196df37410bb60a885289d6e3f92a711b33bb1c9f60023b91c6.jpg)
Could Clowney and Adams lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl?
It’s an interesting question. Because if the answer is yes, then maybe Cowboys owner Jerry Jones should actually try to make it happen instead of napping on it.
Dallas certainly has enough offensive firepower to make it to the big game. Last year, the Cowboys were first in the league in total offensive yardage, averaging 431.5 yards per game, and were sixth in the league in points scored with an average of 27.1 points per game, according to ESPN.
They’ve got Pro Bowlers at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, in Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper. Plus, they just drafted Oklahoma wideout CeeDee Lamb, who most draft experts had rated as the best receiver in the draft.
However, offense isn’t everything, particularly in regard to offensive statistics. Dallas proved this last year by going eight and eight, despite possessing this offensive juggernaut. Defense wins championships goes the old chestnut.
And that’s where Dallas was less than scintillating last year. America’s Team was ninth in the league in yardage allowed last year, at a 223.5 yards-per-game average. Meanwhile, they were 11th in points allowed, according to the venerable ESPN.
Those aren’t horrifying numbers, but they’re not championship caliber either. Sadly, those stats came before the departure of perhaps their two best defensive players last year, in Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones, and 11.5 sack defensive end Robert Quinn, plus a few other defenders.
True, they reloaded to a degree by signing Pro Bowl defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy, and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, then drafting cornerbacks Trevon Diggs, and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, among others. They even signed former then-Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raider Aldon Smith, who made 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons in the NFL.
But none of these moves, though positive, look like home runs. Rookies rarely make a huge impact. Poe and McCoy are on the back nine of their careers, and Smith hasn’t even played since 2015.
While solid defenders, none of them are obvious surefire game-changers. Jamal Adams and Jadeveon Clowney, on the other hand, really could be that.