ARLINGTON — Let the record show: Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney had plans to fully eat a big Thanksgiving dinner no matter what happened in Thursday’s game. He’ll throw some rice and gravy on the plate, he’ll probably avoid sweet potatoes, and he’ll probably stack layers of dressing.
“I’m a big dressing guy,” he said with a smile.
Indulge as much as you’d like, Jadeveon, because you certainly burned some extra calories on Thursday.
Clowney had a team-high two sacks in the 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The numbers are impressive alone, but the way Clowney got those sacks made them even more so. They weren’t simple edge rushes that led to quick sacks. Clowney had to work for both. He had to persevere through blocks and even missed sack attempts, as he did on the first one. It took roughly a combined 20 seconds for Clowney to get both of those sacks against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who showcased his slippery elusiveness on multiple occasions on Thursday.
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“I know him,” Clowney, a 12-year veteran, said about Mahomes, “that he likes to make plays and don’t never quit on plays, so I was like let me try and finish.”
Clowney never quit, either. And he wasn’t the only one this past week, showcasing a team’s commitment to giving their full devotion when required — something head coach Brian Schottenheimer has hoped to see all season.
The last two Cowboys games, beating the defending AFC and NFC Champions in a span of four days, has featured multiple extra-effort examples. The week began with one of those examples, a forced fumble by Alijah Clark in the win over the Eagles, going viral for being a trademark hustle play. On that play he was knocked down on a punt, got back up, sprinted across the field and then forced a pivotal forced fumble.
Clark, speaking about the play earlier this week, said the play showcased a bigger message.
“You get knocked down, get back up,” he said in short. “Just keep trying.”
From a defensive standpoint that would be essential this week. As Clowney noted, Mahomes may not be the fastest, but he’s hard to wrangle down. He finished with three carries for 30 yards, including a 16-yard scramble on a third down that set up a Chiefs touchdown. Mahomes also had a play in the second half where he scrambled and threw a 42-yard pass to Xavier Worthy while he was falling.
The Cowboys knew they had to match Mahomes’ extra effort on Sunday if they wanted to stop him.
“That was the whole game plan. The whole game plan,” said Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. “I know I missed like three sacks with how elusive he is and how great he is.”
On Clowney’s first sack, though, it was Williams that raced out against two offensive linemen to set an extended barrier, forcing Mahomes back in to a waiting Clowney.
“We always laugh that he’s 12 years in and his body takes a little bit longer to get going than the younger guys,” Williams said. “But to see him ball out today and get two sacks is unbelievable.”
High effort was a part of the defense’s game plan. For the offense, it came naturally. Running back Malik Davis has shown extra effort all season after being a late addition in training camp. It helped him earn a spot on the practice squad and eventually a spot on the active roster. That willingness was on display when he scored a 43-yard touchdown — his second in his career and first in over 1,000 days — and turned around and made a tackle on the ensuing kickoff.
Wide receiver KaVontae Turpin had a hustle play, too, when he kept following a catch from George Pickens before Pickens eventually fumbled the ball. It could’ve been a turning point in a potential Chiefs comeback. Instead, it resulted in a field goal that proved to be the difference in Thursday’s game.
There are probably multiple reasons for the extra-effort plays, but when they happen on a team-wide level, the team leader certainly deserves credit.
Back in training camp, the Cowboys had a string of days where they had scuffles. Schottenheimer preached the importance of going to the edge of competing, but not over it. He wanted it ingrained in them. It looks like it’s worked.
“It’s our character,” said defensive end Solomon Thomas. “It’s how we are on the field, off the field, going from OTAs, to [training] camp, it’s how [defensive line coach Aaron] Whitecotton facilitates the room, and it’s how the game is supposed to be played. That’s why we played like that.”
Schottenheimer deserves credit for it too.
“This team is seeing him really as a head coach evolve as a part of their plot. And, boy, that’s really good stuff to build on,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “And so I emphasize that. I’m seeing great, great tangible things that this team can use next week and in the future.”
Effort being chief among them.
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