Cowboys Film Room: Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith proving dynamic
The Dallas Cowboys aren’t a terrific defensive team, but Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith give them athletic, aggressive pieces on the second level.
In the last decade, the Cowboys have had one of the worst defenses year in and year out. The team consistently finished in the bottom half of the league in points and yards allowed. But over the past two seasons, the Cowboys defense has drastically improved. In the team’s last 33 games, the Cowboys have held their opponents to less than 21 points per game. While they don’t have an elite pass-rusher or a great cover cornerback, like the Seattle Seahawks or Denver Broncos, they do have one All-Pro player that makes all the difference: Sean Lee
On Sunday night, there was no better player on the field than Lee. His ability to diagnose plays and route combinations makes him the most instinctual linebacker in the entire league. He doesn’t have the elite athleticism of a Luke Kuechly, nor the size of a Dont’a’ Hightower, but his ability to see things develop before the snap of the ball make him one of the best in the entire league. When he’s on the field, it’s hard to find a better overall linebacker in the entire league.
While Lee has been dominant since entering the league in 2010, he’s never had a dynamic linebacker next to him. That is, until now. In his first NFL game, Jaylon Smith showed why the Cowboys were willing to take a chance on a player who had nerve damage in his foot. He’s clearly not 100 percent, but he has progressed so much in the past few months that it’s hard to believe that he won’t eventually get there. Even at 90 percent (or so), Smith can be a difference-maker for the Cowboys’ defense and a true compliment to Lee.
Today, we are going to take a look at how the two played on Sunday night and how they compare and contrast to one another. Let’s first start with the veteran Sean Lee. According to Pro Football Focus, Lee graded out as the second-best off-the-ball linebacker in Week 1. Only the Ravens’ C.J. Mosley graded out better in the opening week of the season. Lee was credited with six defensive stops, which tied for the league lead on Sunday.