Once the party began, the Dallas Cowboys kept arriving Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore added an interception that led to a touchdown, and five Cowboys players combined for seven sacks.Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa , defensive end Dorance Armstrong , hybrid linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston all had a sack. Parsons freed up teammates, routinely drawing double teams.
But the defense is entirely capable of dominance any week. This is the defense seen throughout training camp in Oxnard, Calif. Maybe, even if just for a day, the broad discussion about this Cowboys team can become slightly more educated. At some point, the Cowboys will need more from their passing game, but they got plenty. Notably, just as Gilmore did on defense, wide receiver Brandin Cooks impressed in his team debut, which included drawing a 37-yard penalty for pass interference on a third-and-12.For the first time in his NFL career, Tyler Smith missed a game.Chuma Edoga got the job done when starting at left guard.Certainly, Smith was not needed.