FRISCO, Texas _ Jaylon Smith as an NFL starter is a miracle, but in this case medical astonishment is not enough.
The ex-Notre Dame linebacker is in his fifth NFL season, and everyone needs to readjust their expectations for the player who should have been a top 10 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
That player was gone the moment he sustained the devastating knee injury in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. That he even has overcome an injury of that severity to play at a high level in the NFL will always be a testament to both modern medicine and to Smith.
This is who he is: A nice player whose body, and legs, won't let him do what he wants. The effort is there; the ability is not.
The problem is his team desperately needs him to be more, and to create plays that the Cowboys' defensive unit lacks.
"I think anytime you're playing a position that is the entire responsibility of decision-making and communication, there's always a bit of a transition and adjustment period for that particular position," Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday.
"I love his energy. I love the way he goes about it. The coaches on the defensive side have connected with him. I think he's off to a solid start. We understand where we are defensively."
Which is not in a good place.
Through three games, the Cowboys defense is worse than was expected. And the original expectations for the Cowboys defense ranged from "Terrible" all the way up to "Terribly challenged."
They've allowed the seventh most yards in the NFL, the third most points, and their two takeaways is tied for the third-worst in the league.
The Cowboys are minus-4 in turnover margin.
"It's all about growing each and every week," Smith said Sunday. "We're a young team as far as being together for such a short amount of time. Our goal is just to make strides each and every week, and that's what we're doing. We're locked in on this week to get a win at home."
If you are looking for excuses, the Cowboys did switch from a Rod Marinelli 4-3 alignment to new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's more "flex" scheme. And they are missing two starting linebackers, and two starers in the secondary, to injury.
Defensive end Aldon Smith is their best player, with no clear second. Maybe Tank Lawrence.
"On the defensive side, and Mike Nolan shared this with us, 'I'm still trying to figure out what these guys do best,'" former Cowboys and current Fox NFL analyst Daryl Johnston told me on Thursday.
"We didn't have that time during the offseason to know each other. It's a lot to install. You are polar opposites on what you are doing (defensively from 2019 to 2020). That's a huge jump under a traditional offseason, and the fact they are challenged with their time this offseason makes it even harder. For Cowboys fans, look for progression week to week."
Smith is supposed to be a solution to some these problems. While he ranks fifth in the NFL in tackles with 32, this defense needs more than a run stop four yards off the line of scrimmage.
They need Jaylon Smith to make plays that change games.
They need Jaylon Smith to blow up a play at the line. They need Jaylon Smith to force a fumble, or intercept a pass. They need Jaylon Smith to come up with a fumble and return it for a touchdown.
They need him to be the Jaylon Smith before he ripped up his knee. In fairness, we know it's not that he's not trying. It's just not there.
Now, there were glimpses of that player in 2018, when it looked as if it was back. He was active, fast, and a hitter.
One play in particular made it look like the pre-knee injury Jaylon Smith was in the NFL. The Cowboys played Houston on a Sunday night, and Smith made a play, and hit, on Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson that prevented a touchdown before the end of the first half.
It was a breathtaking play, one only made possible by special players.
But, unfortunately, ever since the Cowboys' last playoff game, a 30-22 loss to the L.A. Rams in January 2019, that's not the Jaylon Smith have today.
The Jaylon Smith of today will collect some tackles. Have some pressure. Be part of zero turnovers so far in 2020, and only part of four in 2019.
He is a trusted pro, and an accountable teammate who plays every Sunday. Since the start of the 2018 season, he has not missed a start. That's worth a lot.
Factoring in the severity of the injury he sustained at Notre Dame, that Jaylon Smith has become a reliable NFL starter is miracle-ish.
The problem is his team needs him to be more than a miracle.
