The NFL's new Protector of the Year award has the Dallas Cowboys written all over it, as the Cowboys have shut down some of the best defenders the NFL has to offer as of late.
Look at Javonte Williams’ season as proof. He’s hovered near the top five in rushing yards almost all year, and the young blockers in front of him are only getting more intimidating for opposing defensive lines.
The Cowboys' offensive line is trending in the right direction, having allowed only one sack the last two weeks against last year's Super Bowl teams, the Eagles and Chiefs.
Cowboys' OL allowed just one sack against the Super Bowl teams
The #Cowboys young offensive line has allowed just one sack in two weeks against the Super Bowl teams.
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) November 28, 2025
A lot of positives to take away and look forward to about the unit's future.#DallasCowboys
A week after Maxx Crosby was able to stay quiet thanks to plenty of chip blocks and other different looks, star defensive linemen Jalen Carter and Chris Jones were shut down for the most part. Most of that was thanks to Tyler Booker, who only allowed two combined pressures and no sacks in those respective matchups.
It seems the Cowboys won again in the draft with Booker, the big 6-foot-5, 321-pound right guard out of Alabama. It's still much too early to say, but it seems Zack Martin's position is in good hands with Booker's rookie reps trending toward potential greatness throughout his career.
One of the Cowboys' most critiqued players hasn't been critiqued during the winning streak. Veteran right tackle Terence Steele has held his ground for the most part, and fan favorite Nate Thomas has been filling in well for Steele and Tyler Guyton, respectively.
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The Cowboys will have their hands full against Detroit thanks to Aidan Hutchinson, but the young offensive line has proven to be up to those challenges, albeit with the help of some great coaching from Brian Schottenheimer, Klayton Adams, and Conor Riley.
Having Cooper Beebe back has also helped, and the young center is starting to communicate well with Dak Prescott under center. Tyler Smith has been one of the best interior OL in the league when healthy, and the Cowboys need their star left guard to continue to be out there.
The strong OL room also adds to Prescott's ability to buy time and scramble out of the pocket to make plays. Even at age 32, the veteran from Mississippi State hasn't missed a beat on improvising plays.
In the playoffs, having a diverse play sheet matters so much. As does having a run game with a consistent offensive line. The Cowboys check both boxes.