Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy welcomes the Tom Brady challenge

It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys will be in for quite the defensive challenge against quarterback Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Cowboys’ defense is young but they have a few savvy veterans that are experienced enough to help keep everyone in check.

Regardless, it’ll be quite the statement for the Cowboys if they’re able to beat the Buccaneers on the road to start the new season off with a win. The defending Super Bowl champions are looking to continue making NFL by history by repeating again in 2021 and even though it won’t be easy, that journey begins in Week 1 action.

The Cowboys still have a lot of question marks to answer and going 0-4 in the preseason doesn’t mean much since that’s meaningless football anyway but 2021 is a year of redemption. Can the Cowboys put everything together and be a playoff-contending team again? Can quarterback Dak Prescott bounce back from last season’s injury and return to form as a top quarterback in the league? Can the Cowboys’ defense be formidable and keep up with top offenses in front of them?

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy knows the value of facing Tom Brady

These are just a few of the questions that will be answered but the biggest one heading into Week 1 will be if the Cowboys’ defense can keep Brady at bay. Even head coach Mike McCarthy welcomes the challenge of seeing his defense face Brady. In an article written by Grant Gordon of NFL.com, here’s what McCarthy had to say about this very topic:

"“When you play the championship quarterbacks, you know that they’re always going to be in the game, they’re always going to be pressing your defense and they’ll definitely factor in the end of the game. I think with that, just as much experience as you can have as a young defender will definitely pay dividends moving forward.”"

In the grand scheme of things, McCarthy is undoubtedly ready and welcome to this Brady challenge since it can only help all the young players on his defense. The Cowboys can make a huge statement right out the gates if they can pressure him, bring disruption to his game, and above all else, limit his ability to do what he does best on the gridiron. It’ll be hard but it’s not impossible as a strong defensive gameplan and executing at the highest level can take down one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Regardless of what transpires in Week 1, it will only help the young Cowboys’ defense determine what kind of identity that aspect of the team will have for the rest of the season. It all starts now and well, beating a proven championship-caliber quarterback can do huge things to spark the fire that the Cowboys need to have 2021 be a season worth remembering.