Cowboys have the makings of another Doomsday Defense in 2023

Get your popcorn ready! The Dallas Cowboys could have another “Doomsday Defense” on their hands in 2023.

Depending on who you talk to, the Cowboys have had a “Doomsday Defense” on three different occasions; the late 1960s to early 1970s, the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and the early to mid 1990s. Each one of these defensive units were the best of the best during their heyday and the 2023 Cowboys defense has the makings of doing something similar if they play their cards right.

Since the arrival of Dan Quinn in 2021, the Dallas Cowboys have continued to improve each season on the defensive side of the ball under his tutelage as the defensive coordinator. His ability to get the most out of his players and the talent Dallas has been able to put together through the NFL draft, free agency, and some savvy trades could make them one of the best, if not the best, defensive units in the league in 2023.

It may be a little premature to suggest the Dallas Cowboys have another “Doomsday Defense” on their hands heading into the 2023 season, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. From the defensive front to the back end of the secondary, Dallas has the talent to rival any of their previous “Doomsday” defenses of the past, or at least something pretty close to it.

No, the Cowboys don’t have Bob “Mr. Cowboy” Lily, Chuck Howley, Lee Roy Jordan, Mel Renfro, Herb Adderley, or Cliff Harris like they did on the “Doomsday Defense” of the 60s into the early 70s. And, they don’t have a defensive line that features Harvey Martin, Randy “The Manster” White, and Ed “Too Tall” Jones like the “Doomsday Defense” of the later 1970s did. They do however have something similar to what they had in the 1990s, the unit that won of them three Super Bowls in a four-year span.

In Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence the Cowboys have something similar to what they had in the 90s in Charles Haley and Tony Tolbert. In Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore they have their Larry Brown and Kevin Smith. They may not be Deion Sanders, but who is? And, the trio of Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, and Malik Hooker may not be Darren Woodson-caliber, but they are a talented threesome on the backend of Dallas’ defense.

Where the 2023 Cowboys defense may come up a little short is in the middle of defensive front and probably linebacker. Mazi Smith may become something truly special, however, his name can’t be mentioned in the same breath as Russell Maryland or Leon Lett as of yet. The same could be said for Dallas’ LB corps this season. Leighton Vander Esch is certainly no Ken Norton Jr.

While it’s still way too early to know for sure if the Dallas Cowboys have another “Doomsday Defense” on their hands or not, the talent they’ve been able to put together should at the very least have you excited for the upcoming season. They may even play a large part in bringing home one of those coveted Lombardi trophies when all is said and done.