At the start of the new NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys will be weakened since defensive end David Irving will be suspended for the first four games. Irving was officially suspended on Wednesday because he violated the strict performance-enhancing substances policy.
Good news for Dallas is that 23-year-old DE will be with the team during the off-season and preseason practices and games. However, he will join the squad in the Week 5 when the Cowboys are facing the tough Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. This will be a problem for Dallas’ defensive line which the franchise has tried to improve for a while.
Irving is a valuable piece of the puzzle as he had four sack last season and a team-high 26 quarterback pressures in just 15 games. He was even named NFC defensive player of the week because he amazed everyone against the Packers when he forced three fumbles.
Interestingly enough, this will be the fourth season in a row for Dallas to start with a suspended man in defense. Besides Irving, DE Randy Gregory is also under a one-year suspension for several violations of the substance-abuse policy. Last year, it was Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence and Rolando McClain with the same violation and two years prior to that, DE Greg Hardy earned himself a four-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy. In 2014, it was Orlando Scandrick who got a two-game suspension for using illegal substances.
Here is the Dallas Cowboys 2017 Schedule:
Dallas Cowboys Preseason
Aug. 3 vs. Arizona (NBC)* 7 p.m.
Aug. 12 at Los Angeles Rams (NFL Network) 8 p.m.
Aug. 19 vs. Indianapolis (NFL Network) 6 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Oakland 7 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Houston 7 p.m.
* Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio
Dallas Cowboys 2017 Regular Season Schedule
Sept. 10 vs. New York Giants (KXAS/5) 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 17 at Denver (KDFW/4) 3:25 p.m.
Sept. 25 at Arizona (ESPN) 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams (KDFW/4) Noon
Oct. 8 vs. Green Bay (KDFW/4) 3:25 p.m.
Oct. 15 Bye
Oct. 22 at San Francisco (KDFW/4) 3:05 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Washington (KDFW/4) 3:25 p.m.
Nov. 5 vs. Kansas City (KTVT 11) 3:25 p.m.
Nov. 12 at Atlanta (KDFW/4) 3:25 p.m.
Nov. 19 vs. Philadelphia (KXAS/5) 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 23 vs. LA Chargers (KTVT/11) 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 vs. Washington (KXAS/5) 7:25 p.m.
Dec. 10 at New York Giants (KDFW/4) 3:25 p.m.
Dec. 17 at Raiders (KXAS/5) 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 24 vs. Seattle (KDFW/4) 3:25 p.m.
Dec. 31 at Philadelphia (KDFW/4) Noon
