It’s also heartbreaking to lose a key player before Week 1, especially when they are as good as Tyler Smith. Missing an All-Pro player for a month can really throw a wrench into the season, but the Cowboys have done an excellent job of surviving without him. In fact, you could even say that Dallas is thriving.
The Cowboys are currently second in the NFL in points per drive (3.38) and are averaging 29.3 points per game. That is despite Dallas having the fewest offensive drives in the NFL (26) and there are teams like the Panthers and Falcons (36) who already have had 10 more offensive possessions this season!
But the reason why the Cowboys have been able to score at such an efficient rate is because the offensive line has drastically improved, even with Tyler Smith out of the lineup.
Cowboys' offensive line is outperforming expectations
In a recent article by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus, he ranked all 32 NFL offensive lines going into Week 4. The Cowboys moved up 10 spots, coming in at No. 14 despite the absence of Smith. Here is a snippet of what McGuinness had to say about the unit going into their toughest matchup yet on offense:
“Tyler Guyton has taken a significant step forward so far this year, and the Cowboys have the chance to have a really potent left side of the line when left guard Tyler Smith returns from injury. It’s fair to wonder that even when Smith returns, Tyler Booker will still be the best player on this offensive line. The second-year guard earned an 86.1 PFF run-blocking grade in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.”
T.J. Bass and Terence Steele have both graded out as below-average starters throughout the first three weeks, which is fine. No one expected them to play at All-Pro levels, but they just needed to be acceptable starters, which has been the case. Cooper Beebe has been a bit more hit-or-miss depending on the week, but he's been a fine starter nonetheless.
Tyler Guyton's development is the real story for Dallas. He still has his occasional missteps as a pass blocker, but his improvement as a run blocker has been noticeable. Guyton was often a liability for the Cowboys at left tackle in the first two years of his career, and now he is a plus player who is adding value to the offense.
However, he will have his toughest test to date as Guyton will see plenty of one-on-one matchups with Danielle Hunter on Sunday. And with Will Anderson Jr. primarily lining up on the right side, expect the Cowboys to give Steele plenty of help, meaning that Guyton will be left alone on an island with one of the league’s most ferocious pass rushers.
If the Cowboys are able to escape Week 4 with a win in Houston, it’ll likely be due to the play of the offensive line. And when Smith returns to the lineup, this should be one of the league’s best units. But we will see if they are able to survive against the NFL’s best pass rush this week.
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