Cowboys vs Jets: Determining which OL and DL has the edge in Week 2
![Sep 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) is Sep 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) is](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3000,h_1687,x_0,y_38/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/129/01haadfph1981e33x55r.jpg)
Now let's compare the defensive units and see how the look side by side and see who has the advantage.
Dallas Cowboys Key Week One Defensive Stats
Passing yards surrendered - 63 yards (Currently 1st in the league)
Completion yards per attempt - 1.7 yards per completion
Rushing yards surrendered - 108 yards (Currently 22nd in the league)
Average yards per carry - 3.9 yards per carry
Third-down conversion % - 31.3% conversion rate (5-16)
Red-zone conversion % - 0% conversion rate (0-2)
Sacks - 7
QB pressures - 28
Turnovers - 3
New York Jets Key Week One Defensive Stats
Passing yards surrendered - 217 (Currently 23rd in the league)
Completion yards per attempt - 1.7 yards per completion
Rushing yards surrendered - 97 yards (Currently 18th in the league)
Average yards per carry - 4.4 yards per carry
Third-down conversion % - 38.5% conversion rate (5-13)
Red-zone conversion % - 50% conversion rate (1-2)
Sacks - 5
QB pressures - 27
Turnovers - 4
After seeing what the Cowboys defense was able to do against the New York Giants it's going to be hard to root against this unit. They are fast, and physical, and they come at you in waves. Headed by defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who has been able to create a fluid defense that can match up against anything that anyone throws at them. Except for one area of the defense that still haunts this team and that's in the running game, the Giants were able to get it going early but were forced to abandon it in order to try and catch up. That allowed their defense to pin their ears back and keep sending waves of pass rushers led by Micah Parsons who commanded double-teams on most of his pass rushes and made things easier for the rest of the group to make plays. They are going to need the play gap sound defense against the Jets or risk being exposed once again in the running game and render that effective pass rush useless.
The Jets are built much like the Cowboys defense but they have a stout interior defensive line led by Quinnen Williams. Williams led the team in sacks on Monday night with two and was effective in both the running game and passing game for the Jets which helped his fellow defensive linemen have chances to get after Josh Allen. The team also has Sauce Gardener on the outside, but he doesn't rotate sides of the field which could be a problem for the Jets against the Cowboys. If the Jets are going to have a shot in this game they are going to be leaning hard on this defense to keep them in the game and hope they can get turnovers in order to give their offense a shorter field to work with. A tall task for any defense.
Much like the Cowboys offense the defense has far more talent on the defensive side of the football and their ability to send waves of defenders at the opposing offensive line while also deploying a variety of secondary alignments creating match up issues give the Cowboys a big advantage in this game. But, once again is they allow Williams to be the game wrecker we've seen then they the Cowboys offense won't be able to do to much and gives them a chance in this game.
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