Reunited: Cowboys defense ‘extremely scary’ heading toward postseason

With the band finally back together, the Cowboys’ D logged 4 takeaways and 5 sacks in a stifling effort vs WFT. It could be just the start. | From @ToddBrock24f7

There is an old adage about playing your best football in December. If it’s true, the Cowboys defense has picked the perfect time to be hitting their full stride… and with their full contingent of players. Randy Gregory swung Sunday’s game early with a monster play in his return. DeMarcus Lawrence excelled in his second game back. Micah Parsons continued his Defensive Player of the Year campaign. Neville Gallimore came up big in his season debut. And that kind of star power across the defense provided opportunities for others down the roster; Dorance Armstrong was this week’s featured cameo player.

The much-anticipated reunion of the Dallas defense turned out to be everything that had been advertised… and more.

“It’s kind of confusing when you see so many elite guys down there,” Parsons said following the 27-20 win over Washington.

The rookie logged two more sacks- giving him 12 so far- in what has become a season for the ages. He’s now the third rookie in league history to record a full sack in six consecutive games.

Parsons also forced a Taylor Heinicke fumble that was scooped by Armstrong and returned for a touchdown.

“I haven’t touched the ball like that in a long time. It just felt good. I told Micah, ‘Thank you,'” Armstrong, the fourth-year tackle, said after the game. “My focus immediately just went to: scoop the ball, don’t fall, don’t embarrass yourself, get to the end zone, for sure. That’s how it went down. I had the boys blocking for me.”

It was one of four Washington turnovers forced by Dallas. The Cowboys rank second in the league in that category, with 27.

“Not only did we have the four takeaways, but we got our hands on a lot of balls today too,” head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the win. “The takeaways are what you’re after. But it’s the takeaway opportunities that were way up, and we’ve got to continue to work on that, because that’s part of our identity.”

A rising tide lifts all boats, as another old saying goes. And the return of all the defense’s highest-profile playmakers looks to be having a trickle-down effect on everyone else in the huddle.

“It’s a great feeling to have that much talent in one room and to be able to play off each other,” Armstrong added. “We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, since camp. We already knew what the potential of having everybody together and healthy could do. Now it’s that time to show it.”

“The vet guys are eating, the young guys are eating; I was just trying to add to the party,” Gallimore said, having recording a fourth-quarter sack in his first action since a dislocated elbow sidelined him during the preseason. “I had my shot. I had my moment, and I just took full advantage of it, that’s all it was. It was crunch time. It was time to make a play. They needed me to step up, and that’s what I did.”

Gregory notched a sack, too, as did Lawrence. The unit’s five total were tied for their most in a game this year, equaling what they did in Week 4’s win over Carolina.

“They’re playing lights-out,” Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott noted. “The D-line has got their ears pinned back. I feel bad for the opposing quarterbacks.”

On Sunday, an overall stifling effort from the Dallas defense gave up just 100 rushing yards and 124 passing yards, while allowing just three third-down conversions and only one drive longer than six plays… all against a bitter divisional rival, in their own house and on a four-game winning streak.

“We expect to do a lot of great things,” Gregory offered. “It’s really about our preparation and going out there and executing. When guys really have their laser focus as far as the game plan goes and things like that, we really go out there and ball out. Guys are going to make plays.”

“We came out ready to give them what they asked for,” Lawrence said. “They’ve been asking for Dallas all week. We came out, ready for that war, and they got what they asked for.”

“Extremely scary,” Gallimore said of his unit’s potential. “We’re just now starting to play our better football. I’m not even going to say our best football.”

“The best is yet to come,” predicted Parsons. “I think it’s just the beginning. I think we’ve got a long journey ahead.”

Which, when one considers all the Dallas defenders who are gearing up to make that postseason journey, calls to mind one more piece of proverbial wisdom:

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

The Cowboys defense is finally together.

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