DALLAS — La'el Collins has been referred to by owner Jerry Jones as the enforcer of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line.
Collins' enforcement led to his disqualification with 10:40 to go against Washington in what would ultimately become a tight and chippy 27-20 win on Sunday afternoon at FedEx Field.
After quarterback Dak Prescott completed a 10-yard pass to receiver Amari Cooper to pick up a third-and-eight from the Dallas 35-yard line, Collins came over to the Cowboys' sideline, where the play occurred, and slugged defensive end William Bradley-King.
Although there was no unnecessary roughness penalty called for a late hit out of bounds, despite how close Bradley-King's hit on Prescott occurred at the boundary, Collins was aggrieved and perceived that the Washington defender was skirting the lines with his play.
"It wasn’t really the late hit for me," said Collins. "I felt it was more so, I felt like he was rolling towards Dak’s leg. It was uncalled for. I’m just here to protect my quarterback at all costs, and that’s the bottom line."
Cowboys Chief Operating Officer Stephen Jones told "K&C Masterpiece" on 105.3 "The Fan" [KRLD-FM] Monday that he understood where Collins was coming from, but also stressed discernment in such situations as to not cost Dallas.
"I really liked the part of him running over there and taking up for Dak," said Jones. "[Prescott]’s the leader of the team. At the same time, you got to be smart. A play like that can ultimately cost you a ballgame if you’re not careful. So, you got to pick and choose your spots. But at the same time, I have nothing but respect for the fact that La’el was protecting his quarterback."
Collins may have also been avenging a late hit from the last time Dallas and Washington met at FedEx Field. On Oct. 25, 2020, linebacker Jonathan Bostic laid out a sliding Andy Dalton, who left the game and missed the next two with a concussion. Cowboys players stood around befuddled as Collins, who was missing the entire season with a hip injury, fumed back home in Dallas.
Said Collins: "I was at home, in my bed. When I saw that play, it just irked me. It made me feel some kind of way. You don’t take cheap shots on guys. We don’t play that type of game. We just line it up and go out there and play ball. We don’t play dirty, we don’t do none of that."
The Cowboys moved to 9-4 and next take on the New York Giants in Week 15 on the road. Dallas will host Washington on Sunday Night Football in Week 16 at AT&T Stadium.
Do you think La'el Collins was right to play the role of enforcer for his quarterback? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.