The Dallas Cowboys are going into Week 1 with a simple defensive job in front of them: keep Jaxson Dart inside the pocket. They open the 2026 season against the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football, and Dart’s legs are expected to shape the game.
That is why Kenny Clark is part of the conversation now. Dallas has to decide whether it can force Dart to win from the pocket at MetLife, because his running has already changed games. He went 4-8 as a starter last year, but in the Giants’ four wins he averaged 41 rushing yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground.
The clearest example came in a 34-17 win against the Philadelphia Eagles, when Dart rushed 13 times for 58 yards and a touchdown. That kind of output is exactly what makes him dangerous to a defense that loses its rush lanes, because once he escapes the first read the play can turn into a scramble drill in a hurry.
Dallas has seen enough of that film to know the answer is not just speed up the rush and hope for the best. In Week 18 last year, the Cowboys did a relatively good job against Dart’s legs and limited him to 32 yards on five carries. That is the standard they are trying to carry into Sunday night: close the lane, keep the pocket firm and make him throw through traffic.
The comparison with the Eagles shows why the choice matters. Vic Fangio and Christian Parker’s defense blitzed Dart in one loss, but in Week 8 Philadelphia took a more passive approach, forced him to read the field, go through his progressions and stay inside the pocket. The result was a different kind of game for Dart: he finished 14-for-24 for 193 yards and one passing touchdown, while rushing six times for 17 yards and a touchdown in a 38-20 loss.
That is the friction Dallas has to solve. Dart can hurt a defense with his legs, but a more controlled approach has also held his rushing down and still produced a win against the Giants. Christian Parker’s experience facing Dart in 2025 is part of why a clog-and-cover style has been viewed as more effective, and it leaves Dallas with a narrow question for Week 1: press too hard and open lanes, or stay patient and trust the pocket to do the work.
The answer will start at MetLife on Sunday night, where the Cowboys open the 2026 season with their best chance to show they can make Dart play on their terms.
