There's an old adage that says games are won or lost at the line of scrimmage. If that's true (and I believe it is), why don't we invest more resources on the line instead of skilled players? After all, given enough time, any running back can break through a gaping hole and any starting quarterback can succeed. A defensive line that can stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback is equally important to success.Which do you prefer: a great line or a player with great skill?? – Brad Nystrom/Lake Villa, Illinois
Nick Harris: I agree with you that I prefer trench talent over skill position talent, and I think the Dallas Cowboys are a perfect example of why. They have skill players like CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland. However, their trenches are rapidly aging, which was exposed in the team's loss last season. There was a clear physical mismatch in those losses, and it started up front. No matter how much skill he has, this is not a 7-on-7 for him. We still need offensively paved driving lanes and defensively erased driving lanes. That will be Dallas' main mission for the rest of this offseason.
patrick: I strongly believe that we should build defense from the front to the back, not the other way around. If you want your average defensive back to look good, your good defensive back to look great, and your great defensive back to look like a Hall of Famer, you need a complete set of tools to stop the run, force the QB into tight windows, and force bad throws. Build a defensive front. INT. On the offensive side, we will build an attack from the front, specifically, we will build an attack line from the center to the outside. Because it doesn't matter how good your tackling is if your team explodes inside your pocket on every play. This is certainly my philosophy, and I would say that the Cowboys have continued to draft the most value on the offensive line, and it's time for the pick of Tyler Smith to spark that return. Defensively, using a first round pick at nose tackle shows they have shifted their thought process there as well. And Mike Zimmer (who desperately needs a dynamic LB and DT) will continue to push that button. That being said, once you figure out your front, it's a good idea to have some skilled players who could potentially be the best at their positions.
