The Dallas Cowboys were a disciplined group in Week 1, as they only committed four penalties against the Eagles. It was the fewest they had in an opener since 2015, which is especially impressive considering the youth and unfamiliarity along their offensive line.
Upon further review, the Cowboys should've added a fifth penalty to their tally. This clip from last Thursday shows left tackle Tyler Guyton throw a doozy of a left punch while he derailed Eagles pass rusher Jalyx Hunt. The hook rocked Hunt right in the helmet and somehow wasn't flagged.
Guyton made the punch look as part of his blocking motion, but the NFL's front office unsurprisingly deemed it as unsportsmanlike conduct and fined him $12,172, per Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com.
Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton fined for unsportsmanlike conduct in Week 1
It was a ferocious punch from Guyton, so the fine is understandable. However, Walker understands Guyton plans to appeal the fine.
The most important takeaway is that Guyton's blocking technique appears to be refined, and he's playing with an intent to dominate the opposition.
That can be accomplished without throwing haymakers, but Cowboys fans have to appreciate the physicality with which he plays. While the knee injury suffered in training camp was a setback, it's apparent how hard he worked in the offseason to improve upon a lackluster rookie year.
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Guyton didn't grade out well by Pro Football Focus - he finished with a 42.2 player grade - but the offensive line as a collective kept a clean pocket for Dak Prescott, who wasn't sacked. The 2024 first-round pick allowed five pressures, but he was at the heart and center of a couple of big plays.
On one of Javonte Williams' short touchdown runs, Guyton and Brevyn Spann-Ford executed a perfect combo block to displace an Eagles defender before Guyton came off that to chip Zack Baun, which gave Williams just enough wiggle room to find pay dirt.
It's only one game, but Guyton has clearly improved in year two. He has another difficult test on Sunday against a stacked Giants defensive line. Hopefully, we see more of that reformed technique and fewer left hooks.
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