What just happened?! The Dallas Cowboys won and lost Sunday's game against the Giants seemingly dozens of times. Thanks to the Hall of Fame leg of Brandon Aubrey, though, they forced overtime and proceeded to put New York out of its misery after trading possessions in the extra quarter.
As is tradition, Jerry Jones met with the media on his way to the locker room. He was as euphoric as you might imagine, both because Dallas got into the win column over a rival, and because he dropped some big news: the Cowboys have signed veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney. No need for sources to confirm that one.
Clowney had a successful visit with Dallas this week, but left without a deal, much to the chagrin of the fan base. Jones clearly didn't like what he saw from the Cowboys' defense on Sunday, and he didn't waste any time.
Cowboys shockingly sign Jadeveon Clowney after thrilling Week 2 win over the Giants
Clowney isn't a force multiplier anymore, but the Cowboys can use all the help they can get on the defensive side, whether it be up front or in the secondary. While the back end had multiple miscommunications and blown coverages that led to big gains, the pass rush applying zero pressure on Russell Wilson didn't help matters.
Clowney produced at a relatively high rate for the Panthers last season, compiling 5.5 sacks, 44 pressures, 14 QB hits, and a 73.2 PFF pass-rush grade. He is also one year removed from logging 78 pressures and tying a career-high with 9.5 sacks for the Ravens. He can still get after the quarterback, and he is still a plus run defender.
This is a no-brainer move by Dallas, and it's fitting it happened after one of the worst defensive performances of the last five years.
Brian Schottenheimer and Clowney's paths overlapped with the Seahawks. Schottenheimer hinted that the Cowboys would keep in touch with the former Pro Bowler after his visit, and he said what all Cowboys fans were thinking after Jones confirmed the news.
“If Jerry says it’s true, that’s awesome for the Cowboys," Schottenheimer said, via NFL Network's Jane Slater.
It is awesome for the Cowboys, even if it might not fix everything. A move in the secondary might have to be the next order of business, but Clowney is a huge get for a defense that will face much better offenses than the Russell Wilson-led Giants going forward.
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