Cowboys Linebacker Marist Liufau Pushing for More Playing Time
PHILADELPHIA — Cowboys second-year linebacker Marist Liufau was a standout during training camp. For Thursday’s season opener in Philadelphia, he was a healthy, yet limited, participant, appearing in only six defensive snaps in a 24-20 loss to the Eagles.
The combination of potential shown and limited playing time sparked a question to head coach Brian Schottenheimer on Friday: could Liufau be someone in line for more playing time moving forward?
“Certainly when we watch film, Marist is earning those rights to play more,” Schottenheimer said on Friday.
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Liufau’s Performance and Potential
Follow-up question: if Liufau is earning the right for more playing time, then who’s losing it? And could that change happen after just one week?
As a whole, the Cowboys’ defense had a solid performance against the reigning Super Bowl champions. But the unit struggled early, allowing the Eagles to score touchdowns on their first three drives. They settled for a field goal on their fourth drive of the game.
The Cowboys didn’t allow the Eagles to score after that.
The starting linebackers — Jack Sanborn, Kenneth Murray and Damone Clark — seemed to settle down, too. Saquon Barkley, the league’s leading rusher last year, gashed the Cowboys initially but finished with an average of 3.3 yards per carry.
Cowboys’ Defensive Strategy and Performance
“I think we really started fitting our gaps better in the second half,” Schottenheimer said after the game. “It all works together, right? The offensive or the defensive line, they have a gap. The linebackers have to find their gaps and I thought we did a much better job playing true gap sound defense in the second half.”
Friday’s film review revealed a similar sentiment from Schottenheimer.
“I thought overall, our linebackers, they did a nice job supporting the run,” he said. “They fired and shot in their gaps. Got to be a little cleaner with our hands and our linebacker alignments. Philadelphia did a good job with some of their formations, of creating looks where we had to [change the alignment] of our backers. But, overall, I thought, again, the linebackers played really, really well.”
Room for Improvement and Potential Changes
There could be room for improvement, however. Sanborn (47.0) and Murray (30.0) — the team’s on-field play caller — had two of the three lowest Pro Football Focus defensive grades on the team against the Eagles. Only rookie defensive tackle Jay Toia (29.3) had a worse grade.
Clark, the person directly in front of Liufau on the team’s unofficial depth chart, had a 61.0 PFF grade on 41 defensive snaps.
For what it’s worth, Liufau was credited with two defensive tackles and one on special teams. PFF graded him at a 68.5 on defense.
It’s probably too early for a drastic change at the linebacker position. Schottenheimer has shown, however, that he’s willing to make tough decisions in the service of his “Compete Every Day” mantra. He had former first-round pick Mazi Smith as a healthy scratch on Thursday, for example.
Liufau’s Future with the Cowboys
Regardless of when it could happen, Liufau — with big hits on special teams and intriguing athleticism in limited doses — is pushing for more playing time.
“You just love his physicality,” Schottenheimer said.
“He’s earned more opportunities and he’s earned more rights to play.”
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Conclusion
In conclusion, Marist Liufau’s performance during training camp and his limited playing time in the season opener have sparked questions about his potential for more playing time. While the Cowboys’ defense had a solid performance against the Eagles, there is room for improvement, and Liufau’s physicality and athleticism make him a promising candidate for more playing time.
FAQs
Q: Who is Marist Liufau?
A: Marist Liufau is a second-year linebacker for the Cowboys.
Q: How did Liufau perform in the season opener?
A: Liufau appeared in only six defensive snaps in the 24-20 loss to the Eagles, but was credited with two defensive tackles and one on special teams.
Q: What is Liufau’s potential for more playing time?
A: Liufau is pushing for more playing time, and his physicality and athleticism make him a promising candidate for more opportunities.
Q: Who could be affected by Liufau’s increased playing time?
A: The starting linebackers, including Jack Sanborn, Kenneth Murray, and Damone Clark, could be affected by Liufau’s increased playing time.
