Star defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys DeMarcus Lawrence will be on the shelf for the next 6-8 weeks with a broken foot. Lawrence reportedly suffered the injury in practice on Wednesday, and makes an already thin pass rush in Dallas, even weaker.
The Cowboys failed to record a sack against the Bucs in their Thursday night debut last week, and the team could also be without the services of Randy Gregory this weekend as well. Gregory is currently working his way through the league’s COVID protocols, but word around Dallas is that he’s a longshot to be ready in time for the team’s tilt with the Chargers.
Dallas fans wouldn’t be faulted for wondering if the Brady led Bucs put some sort of a curse on the team after their week 1 matchup. Since squaring off with the defending Super Bowl champions, the team has lost 4 starters (Gallup, Collins, Gregory, Lawrence) AND their defensive line coach Leon Lett who suffered an injury at practice Wednesday as well.
The Cowboys were 20th in the league with 31 team sacks in 2020. That puts them in the company of teams like the New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons. Subtract arguably their best two pass rushers from the equation and suddenly it looks like Justin Herbert may have a clean pocket for most of the afternoon this weekend.
Coming off an historically bad season defensively in 2020, this is certainly not the start that Dallas was hoping for in 2021.