Kenneth Murray and Logan Wilson are in a competition for the second starting linebacker spot, but neither have offered much in the way of production.
With the Dallas Cowboys needing to win their remaining four games (and hope for help along the way) to make the playoffs, there is minimal room for error, especially on a defense that still ranks toward the bottom of the league in some statistics.
Dallas surrendered over 40 points for the third time this season in the 44-30 loss to begin Week 14, which ended the Cowboys' three-game win streak. That streak was sparked after two major trade acquisitions at the deadline, but one has out-shined the other in this four-game sample.
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams has been Dallas' best defender after he was acquired in a trade with the New York Jets for two first-round picks and former first-rounder Mazi Smith. The first trade by owner/GM Jerry Jones that weekend was former Cincinnati Bengals starter Logan Wilson, who has not enjoyed as much success, underwhelming many in his action since joining Dallas.
He isn't the only starting linebacker to have a rough go of things this season, either.
Wilson and Kenneth Murray Jr. - who Dallas traded for during the offseason - have been subject to criticism for mediocre play recently. With a healthy DeMarvion Overshown now in the fold, the second starting spot is up to this competition of Wilson, Murray, and free-agent signee Jack Sanborn (who has been injured). Youngsters Marist Liufau and Shemar James are sitting on the outside looking in on the regular rotation.
Murray has been the green-dot player for most of this season, and he seems to be leading this head-to-head by snap distribution.
“It’s a good comparison,” coach Brian Schottenheimer told the Dallas Morning News about this deployment of Murray and Wilson. “I think both players have attributes that we really like. The run and hit ability of [Murray], the physicality he plays with, definitely jumps off the film, and I think Logan has done an incredible job coming in here and learning the system. His ability to dissect things is incredible. Right now I think we’re getting positive play from both guys, and that’s why you see the numbers where they are.”
Those are nice buzz words in how the players fit into the puzzle ... but their tape and grades tell a different story.
Clips of Murray's activity (or lack thereof) has circulated online as fans have called out the veteran linebacker's poor processing, physicality and angles in pursuit of the ball-carrier.
Pro Football Focus has graded Murray as the 82nd best linebacker in the NFL this year ... out of 85 linebackers who have been graded.
Wilson's limited usage didn't warrant much positive feedback, either. The two combined for just five tackles on Thursday as the Lions averaged nearly 7.5 yards per play.
There has seemed to be a cautious tone in addressing this lack of production, but we are far too deep into the season to describe this as anything other than what it is.
The linebacker play has been atrocious - before, and still after the trade for Wilson.
The GBAG Nation on the Cowboys flagship 105.3 The Fan had more apt descriptions of the action.
"I just want whoever is in charge of deciding Kenneth Murray should be on the field that much and that he was a good enough player to trade for, that guy should be gone," Gavin Dawson said.
Said Zach Wolchuk: "It seems like coaching malpractice ... This guy is a net negative on the field."
We figure that Jones can recognize the clear misconnections between the perceived ability and actual on-field product. For now, he's claiming that Thursday's game wasn't a continuation of this concerning trend.
“We have a better team than we played last night. We do ..." Jones stated on Friday.
"Can we literally win out? Of course we can win out," he added about the team's playoff requirements. "Is it going to be hard? Double of course it is. A lot of crazy things happen.”
The Cowboys need to run the table against Minnesota, LA Chargers, Washington and New York Giants, along with Philadelphia going 2-3 or worse.
Those developments begin with improved linebacker play, which you would think is a given considering coordinator Matt Eberflus' expertise at the position (he was Dallas' linebacker coach from 2011-17 and played the position collegiately himself).
Are there concerns that the team's belief might diminish moving forward after Detroit? Schottenheimer doesn't believe so.
“Special group of guys. They’re not gonna let that happen. … We’ll pick ourselves up and go back to work."