Can the Dallas Cowboys finally beat Tom Brady by embracing a defensive team identity? - Dallas Cowboys Blog- ESPN

FRISCO, Texas –- Tom Brady: Dallas Cowboys slayer.

Fans of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills have suffered longer, since Brady was the New England Patriots' quarterback from 2000 to 2019. Brady won 66 of a possible 76 games against his former AFC East rivals in his career.

But he has tormented the Cowboys, too – six games, six wins.

The Cowboys’ 2022 season opens the same as last season – against Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in prime time, though it's the Cowboys' turn to play host at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).

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If the Cowboys are going to finally beat Brady and become the first team to repeat as NFC East champions since the 2003-04 Philadelphia Eagles, the defense – not the offense – will have to be the centerpiece.

For most of the past decade, if not more, the Cowboys’ larger-than-life expectations came from having a star-led offense that was the envy of many teams across the league. Since Tony Romo became the starter in 2006 (replaced by Dak Prescott in 2016), the Cowboys’ offense has ranked in the top half of the league in scoring in 12 of 16 seasons — and within the top seven in eight seasons.

The defense, on the other hand, was mostly asked to do just enough.

In 2022, it’s about asking the defense to do more — even more than last season, when it exceeded expectations, ranking seventh in points allowed — and perhaps, yes, carry the weight of the season against Brady in Week 1 and ideally into the playoffs.

“Someone asked me earlier, ‘What do you think about an encore?’” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “Encores happen after the show. This is a new tour, new show, new group. We ride together.”

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