FRISCO, Texas – Zack Martin and Tyler Smith have made a combined 10 All-Pro teams and 10 additional Pro Bowls. Both did not play on Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
Typical rule of thumb tells you that when you're without that experience and pedigree on the offensive line, you see a dip in play. Instead, Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass helped lead the Cowboys to one of, if not their best performance on the offensive line this season.
"We definitely had a lot of moving parts, but we have a standard in our o-line room that says 'five is one,'" Hoffman said. "And no matter who's in there, we all play to that standard that's been set for the TV for years."
Between Bass, Hoffman, and rookie center Cooper Beebe, only two pressures were registered on Cooper Rush on a combined 99 pass blocks, allowing him to complete 24 of his 32 passing attempts for 247 yards and two touchdowns. In the run game, they allowed Rico Dowdle to rush for 86 yards on 19 carries, his second-best rushing performance of the season.
"It was time for us to step up and I thought we did," Beebe said. "I thought we played with a pretty good attitude, something that I feel like we hadn't been playing with for a couple weeks, it was nice to get a win and get back on track."
Hoffman and Bass are known for playing with a chip on their shoulder, and Hoffman especially likes to get after his opponents in the mental aspect of the game too.
"For me, I just want to break them down mentally," Hoffman said. "I feel like if I keep talking to them, I'm in their ear every play, play in and play out, then they're eventually going to fold."
And his teammates know he can talk too.
"Brock is that dude, he is the problem child." Tyler Smith said with a smile.
Considering all the things that Beebe has been asked to do as a rookie playing a new position in center, the third-round pick has played well. He's allowed the second lowest quarterback pressures (26) and sacks (3) of Dallas' offensive linemen that have played at least 300 pass blocking snaps this season. Beebe alongside Bass and Hoffman had a lot thrown on their plate Sunday alone, and they answered the call.
"It's tough when you lose a couple guys especially of that caliber, but it's just the next man up mentality," Beebe said. "That's what we prepare for, we prepare for when people are down, and when people are down you just got to step up and they did a really good job."
Smith, who was injured in the fourth quarter of the Texans game in Week 11, watched on from the sidelines with pride as his teammates upheld the standard throughout all four quarters.
"They more than stepped up to the challenge," Smith said. "They got the dub against all odds, so I'm really proud of those guys – Tyler Smith
The offensive line has been a revolving door for Mike McCarthy all season, and he certainly would prefer to not have to play this many different versions of a starting five up front. That said their performance was a testament to how close-knit that unit can be.
"You definitely would like to have more continuity; I think everybody would like to come out of camp and watch five guys line up and practice every single day together and play together… but the connection of the whole group is outstanding." – McCarthy
