In this episode of Between the Lines we flip the attention to the defensive line, where chaos meets strategy. This is where the Cowboys’ games are won and lost so let’s dive in.
Interior Defenisve Line
Osa Odighizuwa
(2025 Stats: 325 Total snaps,
21 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 20 Pressures, 1 Sack)
Grade: 55.3
Solomon Thomas
(2025 Stats: 247 Total snaps, 18 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 8 Pressures, 0 Sacks, 1 PD)
Grade: 61.8
Kenny Clark
(2025 Stats: 365 Total snaps, 16 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 23 Pressures, 2 Sacks)
Grade: 58.9
Mazi Smith
(2025 Stats: 89 Total snaps, 3 Total Tackles, 0 TFL, 2 Pressures, 0 Sack)
Grade: 46.4
Jay Toia
(2025 Stats: 56 Total snaps, 2 Total Tackle, 0 TFL, 0 Pressures, 0 Sack)
Grade: 28.6
We start as always with the Cowboys’ interior core. Kenny Clark is the anchor while Osa Odighizuwa brings the jolt, and Solomon Thomas has been one of the league’s most efficient run stuffers. Thomas currently sits first among defensive tackles in Run Stop Win Rate (48%), which says he really needs to be getting more snaps.
At the team level, the Cowboys defensive line rank sixth in Run Stop Win Rate at 32%, where the Cardinals offensive line sits at mid-level ranking 15th in Run Block Win Rate, which is why interior wins and gap discipline have to set the tone early. Odighizuwa’s stat line is modest in sacks but steady in disruption, and Clark has already chipped in on the sack sheet.
Arizona’s front is bigger and more organized than a year ago. The projected interior is Evan Brown, Hjalte Froholdt, and Isaiah Adams with none of them ranking in the top-30 on PFF in Pass Blocking grade. On the edges, Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams round out a group that’s right at league-average in pass protection and run blocking. The translation here is that the Cardinals offensive line can hold up if the game stays on schedule, but when a defensive line can lean down on them with consistency, then they fall apart.
So what does Dallas need to emphasize inside to take advantage of this weakness? Win first down is the first answer. Make those early downs with Clark anchoring in the A-gaps and Odighizuwa using his burst and quick snap get-off to force runners back into traffic. Get Arizona into 2nd-and-8 instead of 2nd-and-4, and the Cards’ average pass protection becomes more vulnerable.
With Kyler Murray sidelined and Jacoby Brissett taking over, life in the middle gets a little less chaotic for Dallas. Murray is a true escape artist and he’s given Arizona 173 rushing yards and a rushing score in just five starts this season, which works out to 35 yards per game on the ground, and defenses have to treat him like a running back once the play breaks down. Brissett is a different assignment. He’s more of a planted passer and through four appearances he’s thrown for 599 yards, four touchdowns to one interception, but he’s added only 47 rushing yards total and hasn’t scored on the ground.
Murray stresses defenses with scrambles and designed keepers, Brissett mostly lives in the pocket. That matters for the Cowboys’ interior defensive line. Instead of having to rush with the threat of Murray slipping out the side door, Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, and Solomon Thomas can attack more vertically, collapse the pocket quickly and hit Brissett on the spot. This is exactly the kind of fight Dallas wants inside where they don’t have to be concerned about containment, and just go straight at the quarterback.
Defensive End
Marshawn Kneeland
(2025 Stats: 147 Total snaps, 12 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 3 Pressures, 1 Sack)
Grade: 50.2
Sam Williams
(2025 Stats: 261 Total snaps, 16 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 15 Pressures, 1 Sack, 1 FR, 1 PD)
Grade: 39.3
Dante Fowler Jr.
(2025 Stats: 207 Total snaps, 7 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 20 Pressures, 1 Sack, 2 PD)
Grade: 79.3
Donovan Ezeiruaku
(2025 Stats: 267 Total snaps, 17 Total tackle, 5 TFL, 17 Pressures, 1 Sack, 1 FF)
Grade: 75.2
James Houston
(2025 Stats: 135 Total snaps, 18 Total tackles, 4 TFL, 10 Pressures, 4 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR)
Grade: 65.4
Jadeveon Clowney
(2025 Stats: 121 Total snaps, 13 Total tackles, 1 TFL, 9 Pressures, 1 Sacks, 1 FR, 2 PD)
Grade: 68.8
First, the Dallas side. Dante Fowler Jr. leads the team as the most efficient edge rushers so far, landing 29th among edge rushers in Pass Rush Win Rate (16%). He’s the guy who can win the edge on schedule and force hurried throws. The rotation behind him is best described as diverse. Sam Williams has underwhelmed but showed sparks in last week’s game with a good chase-down behind the line of scrimmage. James Houston’s bend is his best trait but his foul-up on third down last week helped Denver score. Donovan Ezeiruaku’s hot motor has been great to see, and Jadeveon Clowney’s veteran edge-setting on early downs is slowly making a claim. The mix Dallas has at its disposal is interesting, and they can force panic in the Arizona’s pass protection without changing out its philosophy. By applying quick pressure to Brissett they can force throws earlier than designed, forcing incompletions or turnovers.
Now, the obstacle facing this edge unit. Arizona’s tackles aren’t bad, more specifically Paris Johnson Jr. who has taken a strong step at left tackle. He opened the season with elite pass-pro grades and a perfect Pass Block Win Rate in Week 1, he ranks sixth among tackles on PFF in Pass Blocking Grade (82.8) and has allowed 13 total pressures this season. Jonah Williams is a steady hand on the right, but here is a good place to attack after he allowed two sacks in Arizona’s last game. As a group, they’re middle-tier but organized, allowing a total of 80 pressures, (13th) and the sixth-most sacks (12). In other words, this is a below average offensive line in stopping the pass rush and faces an edge rush unit that’s playing below average and ranks 19th in Pass Rush Win rate.
Tactically, Arizona will work to stall the pass rush with quick passes. Expect tight end Trey McBride to chip-and-release, and a steady look of short game and RPO’s to shorten the time to throw. When Dallas looks to crash both A-gaps to stress protection, the Cards’ will answer with screens and play-action, basically anything that makes those edges think before they sprint. That’s the point of a mid-tier, well-drilled front, use structure to blunt individual heat.
Where the battles tilts in this game is on Fowler versus Jonah Williams, and whoever draws Johnson’s side. Against Williams, Fowler’s best path is his speed that makes the right tackle settle early, and then use that miscue to get out and around to hit Brissett before he can throw. On the left, Dallas should change pictures with wide-9 alignments mixed with inside counters. This keeps Johnson from sitting on a single counter. Meanwhile, Clowney and Ezeiruaku can earn the pressure downs by forcing 3rd-and-long, where chips become predictable and the stunt game cashes in.
The edge defenders can really force the game if they win early downs so Arizona can’t go to their quick game. If they rush with speed and timing, Brissett will have little time to react, that means Arizona with have to make their tight ends block when they’d rather release. If Dallas pulls that off, Brissett’s windows shrink and the weak backfield is left grinding for singles.
Injury Update
Perrion Winfrey has been officially designated to return from the injured reserve list. The news was announced Wednesday and he will now look to practice and work back into the squad over the next couple of weeks.
