Game week is here, and as the Cowboys start the regular season Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
This team is going to need everyone to make an impact and get off to a hot start to make everyone believe if they can take out the NFL’s best defense, they can take out anyone.
One player who has had to wait a little longer than everyone else on the Cowboys defense is DeMarvion Overshown.
In a recent article put out by ESPN, he was identified as an “NFL X factor,” naming him a key player for Dallas in 2024.
Big Time
The former Texas Longhorns standout wasn’t able to make the immediate impact many expected as a rookie, but now that he is healthy, the expectations are high once again.
In the article that ESPN put out, Ben Solak said “New defensive coordinator (and former Vikings head coach) Mike Zimmer has historically used linebacker-sized linebackers to make his defense work.”
Overshown started his career as a safety when he played for Texas in college. He then transitioned to linebacker. He is the perfect type of guy that Mike Zimmer loves to have on his defense.
Cowboys fans are not the only people seeing what Overshown can bring to the table. He can be the best linebacker on the team, and probably will be. I think Eric Kendricks will still be that guy for one year, but Overshown is not far behind.
Being younger is also a plus.
He Has The Right Mindset
DeMarvion knows that when the game kicks off Sunday, it will be the moment he has waited his entire life for, and he knows it. “I feel great,” Overshown said this week.
“Just making it to the season healthy is a plus, so we’re already doing better than last year.”
We saw how the linebacker core looked last season without Overshown, and this year with adding Kendricks, it should not be any worse than a year ago.
“I felt great even going into the last [preseason] week,” he explained. “It was just making sure I was healthy enough for Week 1 and making sure there were no bumps or bruises, or something that could’ve been avoided.”
Having the right mindset is the first plan of attack, the next will be whether he trust that knee to be able to be the best he can be.
Most of the time, that is the biggest hurdle. Getting your mind to trust the injured knee.
Tough Test To Start
The Cowboys are going to need every bit of both sides of the ball with the way they start the year.
They play the Browns’ in week one and then the Ravens week 3. They are going to need to get both stops and touchdowns. Field goals are not going to win you either of those games.
The key again for this defense is going to be whether they can stop the run. They did what they could at the end of August to bolster the defensive line with Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph.
Both older, yes, but with the core of younger guys in Overshown, Marist Liufau and Micah Parsons, they could be okay.
It is going to be a fun, weird year for this team. A lot of people have them missing the playoffs. Some even have them behind the Washington Commanders to finish 3rd in the division.
I find that funny concerning that since Dak Prescott has been with the Cowboys, he is 32-8 against the divsion.
He will again sweep everyone but the Eagles. They will split. That is five wins right there. This team will probably finish with 11 wins.