Inserting the Dallas Cowboys offensive line into any conversation about dominant positional groups has been a constant for years. That designation still stands, but the cracks in the dam may be starting to show. Pro Football Focus, whose grades are oft-debated, has released another super specific top-10. This one is for pass-blocking in terms of long-developing plays and the Cowboys are not on it.
A lot of credit has been given to the big guys up front when it comes to the play of quarterback Dak Prescott, and to be fair, they often deserve it. But when it comes to sacks, it’s often hard to divvy up the praise, or conversely, dish out the blame. It’s often said that sacks are a quarterback stat, and historically there are some quarterbacks that make this seem undeniably true.
Peyton Manning was sacked an average of just 18 times per season, with a career high of 29. He didn’t play with the same team for the entirety of his career, let alone the same offensive line. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson lives on the opposite end of the spectrum, having been sacked less than 40 times just once, in his rookie campaign when that number was 33.
The style of the player may matter most. Manning is perhaps the most traditional quarterback who’s ever played, while Wilson, who extends plays with extreme regularity opens himself up to be brought down behind the line more often. The difference is so stark that Wilson, in 138 less regular season games, has been sacked 44 more times. Just perusing the all-time sack percentage list lends credence to the idea that mobile quarterbacks suffer in this one specific metric.
Prescott, who mixes his mobility with his pocket passing, becomes a tough nut to crack. In 2019, he was sacked the least he’s ever been all while dropping back to pass more than ever. His sack percentage of 3.7 was good for fourth in the league, behind Drew Brees, Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff. In 2018, it was the opposite. He was the sixth worst in terms of sack rate at a whopping 9.6% and was brought down 56 times.
If sacks are truly a quarterback stat, this season may be the litmus test in Dallas. In 2018, center Travis Frederick missed the entirety of the year due to the Guillain-Barré that helped usher in his retirement just months ago. Without Frederick at the helm, Prescott suffered the first time around. He loses a major resource in identifying defensive schemes and communicating to his line in a timely manner, and if history is any indication, its up to him to save his own skin.