With the two top pass rushers out, it would be an understatement to say this defense is going to look fairly abnormal in Week 5. Dallas will likely tinker with substitution packages, blitzes, stunts, and personnel groups in order to compensate for the loses. Just to even remotely replace the missing production,

And Week 5 is the perfect week to do it.

The Steelers, Dallas’ opponent Sunday night, are still trying to figure things out on offense. They rank 20^th in EPA offense this season and have been having significant struggles running the ball. Their rushing EPA ranks 29^th in the NFL with a success rate of just 35.5 percent. Even with one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the league in Justin Fields, the Steelers have struggled to move the ball on the ground.

It just so happens run defense has been Dallas’ biggest issue in 2024. Parsons and Lawrence may represent most notably the Cowboys’ pass rush, but they also rank as two of the most capable run defenders. Losing them impacts both phases of the game.

Facing a below average offense that’s struggling to run the ball is just what the doctor ordered at a time like this. Zimmer can experiment with new players, new alignments and blitz packages he may not otherwise feel comfortable with.

With the Lions and the 49ers next up on the schedule, the following two matchups aren’t so inviting. The first-place schedule they face in 2024 certainly isn’t doing them any favors, so all things considered, the injuries fell at a good time for the Cowboys. Now is the time to experiment on defense and try to figure some solutions because things get much harder down the road.