Every week, we\u2019re digging into the trenches, offense and defense, because that\u2019s where the real action happens. In this installment, we\u2019re shining a spotlight on the offensive line, who\u2019s holding it down, who\u2019s opening holes for the running backs, and who\u2019s keeping Dak Prescott clean. Let\u2019s get to it.<\/p>\n
(2025 Stats: 1,056 Total snaps, 673 Pass Blocks, 26 Pressures, 0 QB Hits, 3 Sacks, 11 Penalties)<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s 2025 has basically been elite in the run game, but still working on pass pro. PFF has him at a 71.6 overall grade with a monster 79.8 run-blocking mark (top-five among guards) and a more modest 63.4 pass-block grade, which fits the tape. When Dallas wants to lean on people, Smith is usually the first guy to bring the boom. On tracking-based win rates he\u2019s posted a 95% pass block win rate on the season, which ranks 19th, meaning he\u2019s typically surviving the first 2.5 seconds of the rep even when the pocket starts collapsing.<\/p>\n
Against Washington in Week 17, the headline is that Smith worked the left tackle spot. He was credited with four pressures on 49 pass-block snaps, with one sack surrendered on Dak Prescott. The Cowboys whole line broke down for a total of six sacks allowed.<\/p>\n
Now the Giants assignment is a different flavor, because New York can actually win edges early. As a team, they\u2019re 7th in Pass Rush Win Rate at 41%, and their players include Abdul Carter (6th among edges in Pass Rush Win Rate) and Brian Burns (10th in PRWR). Burns has piled up 16.5 sacks on the season which is the second-most on the year, and Carter\u2019s rookie year has been pressure-heavy (61 total pressures). The good news is New York\u2019s run defense win rate sits near the bottom at 28th in Run Stop Win Rate, and Dallas has been a respectable run-block win rate team at 72% ranking 12th, so the Cowboys should be able to run the ball and work play-action off of that.<\/p>\n
(2025 Stats: 352 Total snaps, 209 Pass Blocks, 4 Pressures, 0 QB Hits, 0 Sacks, 0 Penalties)<\/p>\n
Dallas shuffled the front with Tyler Smith kicked out to left tackle, and T.J. Bass was asked to hold down the left guard position. On the plus side, he was functional in the run game. The Cowboys kept feeding the backfield after Javonte Williams went out, and Malik Davis turned 20 carries into 103 yards by consistently finding workable creases, particularly inside. That kind of day doesn\u2019t happen if the interior is getting forklifted every snap, and Bass\u2019 ability to get a push in the interior was rewarded with yards by the running backs.<\/p>\n
But pass protection was an issue across the board. Washington rang up a season-high six sacks on Prescott. When you\u2019re moving players up front, the first thing that can happen is communication issues arise. Washington leaned into that chaos. They even got a monster night from Jer\u2019Zhan Newton, which basically tells you the issues on the inside.<\/p>\n
New York\u2019s pass rush has real teeth, but it comes mostly from the edge, but there\u2019s still elite defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to concentrate on. If Dallas can run at a unit whose run-stop win rate says they can be easily moved, the pass sets get calmer, which is good for Bass and his skill set. One problem is Bass has shown up on the injury report this week leaving his status in doubt.<\/p>\n
(2025 Stats: 712 Total Snaps, 457 Pass Blocks, 14 Pressures, 2 QB Hits, 1 Sacks, 1 Penalties)<\/p>\n
Beebe\u2019s Week 17 against Washington was the kind of center game that makes coordinators sleep better. Dallas still absorbed six sacks as a team, but the offense also ran the ball like a beast, piling up a season-high 211 rushing yards and running 87 plays in a 30\u201323 win. That volume tells you the line kept the run game open, and Beebe was basically the traffic cop keeping the intersections from turning into pileups.<\/p>\n
In pass protection, the biggest win from Beebe wasn\u2019t a pancake, it was organization. Washington\u2019s front got home, and the Cowboys absolutely felt heat, but Beebe generally avoided the nightmare scenario for a center. The new lineup next to him mattered too as it\u2019s the miscommunication that is a prelude to danger. PFF\u2019s Week 17 recap had Beebe in the 60\u2019s across the board, which fits the vibe. He didn\u2019t play perfect football, but he played stabilizing football.<\/p>\n
PFF has Beebe at a 68.7 overall grade with a 64.2 pass-block grade and 69.5 run-block grade, plus a pretty clean ledger with one sack allowed, 14 total pressures allowed, and just one penalty. Blocking tracking numbers also have him at a 95% pass block win rate, ranking 18th, which basically means he\u2019s doing his job pretty consistently.<\/p>\n
The Giants have produced 39 sacks as a defense, that\u2019s the 11th-most this year. So this isn\u2019t theoretical pressure; it shows up on the scoreboard. The good news for Dallas is the matchup math invites a ground-game plan so Beebe and the interior can try to turn this into a play-action afternoon.<\/p>\n
(2025 Stats: 948 Total snaps, 604 Pass Blocks, 23 Pressures, 6 QB Hits, 3 Sacks, 7 Penalties)<\/p>\n