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The Dallas Cowboys’ defense has been a breeze for defensive end Michael Bennett, who has been an immediate impact player for Dallas with five tackles, two for a loss and a sack in two games.
His acclimation to the Cowboys defense has been natural. The same was not true of his time in New England, where he seemed to be a misfit in their amoeba defense on two-man and three-man defensive lines.
“The scheme is very familiar to something I’m used to,” Bennett said of Dallas on Monday, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “I just came from the place (New England) with the most defenses in the league, so any other defense is pretty much easy to learn.”
Michael Bennett on Cowboys scheme: "It's all the same really when it comes down to it. The scheme is very familiar to something I'm used to. I just came from the place (New England) with the most defenses in the league, so any other defense is pretty much easy to learn."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 11, 2019
Bennett’s time in New England seemed somewhat dysfunctional, with his playing time decreasing over his tenure until he received a one-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. He returned from the suspension, though he didn’t seem to carry a particularly positive attitude. Ultimately, the team parted ways with Bennett in trade for a conditional Cowboys’ sixth-round pick in 2021. Despite apparent differences, Bill Belichick spoke positively about Bennett after his departure.
“Mike’s a good player,” Belichick said on Oct. 25. “We brought him here; he helped our team. I think he would help us, but we’ve only get a certain number of – certain things we’ve got to work with and work around, and that’s what we have to do.”
While Bennett seemed likely to have a large role in New England after the departure of defensive end Trey Flowers, Bennett proved a schematic misfit, which led to philosophical problems with the Patriots.
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