For years, Tyron Smith’s play was described with the caveat “when healthy”. The eight-time Pro Bowler carved out a reputation since joining the Cowboys as a 2011 first-round pick. He was dominant and as the years went on, prone to injury.
Over the past three seasons (2020-2022), Smith only participated in 17 regular season contests. While that limited availability proved to be a problem unto itself, it was his performance when he actually was playing that seemed to be the most concerning.
The Cowboys 2021 postseason came to an end at the hands of San Francisco. It was that game where Smith logged perhaps his worst performance as a pro, giving up a sack, a hit and four hurries per PFF tracking. To those who watched Smith’s career with Dallas, his struggles that day were almost inconceivable. Even on his worst day, he was a force. To see him suddenly as a liability?
His 2022 season wasn’t much better. After a benign training camp, Smith suffered a significant hamstring injury roughly two weeks before the regular season. After surgery and rehab, Smith returned to the lineup in Week 15. But instead of going back to his familiar LT spot, he took over the RT role in place of the recently injured Terence Steele.
In the 401 snaps Smith played last season, he showed more uncharacteristic struggles. Playing on the right side for the first time since his rookie season was certainly a valid excuse as to why, but one couldn’t help but think the veteran had finally slipped.
Training camp 2023 didn’t put those concerns to bed either. Smith was frequently on the wrong side of a Micah Parsons highlight. Everyone knew Parsons was great but could his spectacular training camp also be a byproduct of a reduced Smith?
Going into Week 1 of the 2023 season, one of the common concerns was how Smith, back at LT, would handle the rising star Keyvon Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux victimized the Cowboys in their last meeting of 2022, clocking nine pressures, five hits and four hurries (PFF). It was a coming out party for the fifth-overall pick and a sign the Giants could no longer be taken lightly on defense.
Smith, 10 years Thibodeaux’s senior, would be put to the test right out of the gate in 2023. Thibodeaux was both fast and strong. He wins on the edge and can counter inside. Outside of his daily spars with Parsons, Smith was kept in bubble wrap all preseason. He didn’t play a single down of preseason action and was coming in cold, in some regards.
To make matters worse, Smith hurt his ankle just days before, putting his status and effectiveness in doubt.
How did Smith do?
Kayvon Thibodeaux currently clocking in with as many pressures as you and me tonight – Me thinks Tyron Smith is BACK #Cowboys
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) September 11, 2023
Zero sacks. Zero hits. Zero hurries. Zero pressures.
Smith may have moved a little slower and stiffer than his former All-Pro self, but he was every bit as effective. He starved the man who feasted on the Dallas offensive line just 10 months ago and once again showed the NFL he was a dominant presence at LT for the Cowboys*.
*When healthy (of course).
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