Getty Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence reacts after a moment in an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys are looking to overtake the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East in 2023, and Demarcus Lawrence thinks that’s a very realistic goal. Philadelphia won the division and made the Super Bowl, but the Cowboys star thinks there isn’t much that separates the two teams.
Lawrence is one of the most experienced players on the Dallas roster, entering his 10th season in the NFL and with the Cowboys. In a recent interview with The Associated Press reporter Rob Maaddi, the 31-year-old explained why he thinks Dallas aren’t far from the Eagles.
“I don’t feel like it’s a huge gap at all,” Lawrence said. “I feel like it comes down to certain details. Not just the scheme, but also your locker room. I feel like through this time right now when we headed to training camp, that we made those adjustments, we learned those different things that we need to learn about our teammates so we can fully function the way we should out there on the field.”
The defensive end appears to think that the talent and quality are there, it’s just a matter of getting the roster all on the same page and playing their best as a unit rather than individual performances.
Demarcus Lawrence Looking to Find Peak Form Again
During the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Lawrence was one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl in both of those campaigns, totaling 14.5 sacks and 10.5 sacks in those respective seasons.
But Pro Football Reference shows that the defensive end hasn’t reached those same heights in the years since. 2020 was his best year in terms of production, and Lawrence only put up 6.5 sacks in 16 appearances.
Where Lawrence hasn’t lost a step is his turnover creation. The Cowboys star forced three fumbles last year, recovered another two fumbles and scored a touchdown on one of those recoveries.
Lawrence is still a valuable player, but Micah Parsons has taken over the starring role on the pass rush. The 31-year-old’s best could reemerge at any point in 2023, but it also feels like a critical season in terms of figuring out where his future lies after this season.
Eagles & Cowboys Traded Blows in 2022
When the 2022 regular season finished, the Eagles stood two games above the Cowboys in the NFC East with a 14-3 record. Philadelphia found success as quarterback Jalen Hurts broke out for his best season yet.
Meanwhile in Dallas, the Cowboys needed to rely on backup QB Cooper Rush to win games early in the season after starting QB Dak Prescott fractured his thumb in the season opener. Rush rattled off four straight wins before a visit to the Eagles ended in a 26-17 loss.
Prescott was healthy by the time Dallas hosted Philadelphia in Week 16, with Hurts actually sitting out due to injury instead. The Cowboys pulled out a 40-34 win, which gave them a fraction of a chance to run down the Eagles for the division.
That obviously did not happen, but the Cowboys did show they can beat an Eagles team that dominated much of its season.