Johnathan Hankins isn’t the player he once was, but his acquisition may just be move the Cowboys needed to get over the hump. The Cowboys are currently the 26th ranked rushing defense in the NFL ,and while they are currently 6-2 this glaring weakness is the one thing that can derail their championship aspirations. Hankins was brought in to help reinforce the defensive line and while we only have a small sample size it appears the move is already paying dividends. While the Cowboys still struggled to stop the run against the Chicago Bears, allowing 240 yards on the ground, the run defense was stellar when Hankins was on the field. When Hankins was on the field the Bears were held to 11 carries for 39 yards.

While Hankins alone won’t make Dallas a top run defense, more playing time will definitely help to elevate them to a competent run defense. With Dallas recent history of succumbing to the run game in their last two post season trips, Hankins presence on the interior line will be a valuable asset going forward.