Why Cowboys' offense can survive in Frederick's absence

Two weeks away from the regular season, the Dallas Cowboys fan base is already punching the panic button. That's what happens when two All-Pros go down in the span of a couple days.

First, standout guard Zack Martin injured his knee when a Cincinnati Bengals cornerback chopped Martin's legs as he looked to make an open-field block. Then, center Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which a person's immune system attacks their nerves.

While the Cowboys got lucky with Martin's prognosis (he should be back Week 1), Frederick's situation is murkier. It could take weeks for him to heal, or it could take a year. Former Denver Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth dealt with the disorder in 1993, and he ended up missing half of the season. Right now, it seems likely that Frederick will be out for at least the early portion of the season.

It's easy to understand why Cowboys supporters fear the prospect of playing without Frederick, a four-time Pro Bowler and 2016 All-Pro who has yet to miss a game in the NFL. The 27-year-old is the unquestioned leader of the Cowboys' offensive line. He sets the protection up and is largely responsible for giving quarterback Dak Prescott the room to step up in the pocket.

Replacing Frederick will be six-year veteran Joe Looney, who has started 13 total NFL games. Fortunately for Dallas, Looney is currently playing at the highest level of his career.

In 2017, his first campaign with the Cowboys, he was below average in his three regular-season appearances, struggling to displace defenders in the running game and lacking the movement ability to thrive in pass protection.

This year, however, Looney looks like a totally new player. He's slimmed down, vastly improving his movement skills, and taken a liking to the techniques being taught by new offensive line coach Paul Alexander.

One of the main responsibilities for a center in the Cowboys' offense is to identify the defensive front and set the protection for Prescott. Looney's proven capable in that regard during the preseason. Here's a good example:

On this play, the Bengals have seven defenders near the line of scrimmage with four defensive linemen, two linebackers, and a safety. Cincinnati looks to disguise the call with some pre-snap movement. But Looney isn't fooled and the Cowboys are in perfect position to stymie the blitz, leading to a first-down completion.

Looney is strong in pass protection, showing good mental processing in identifying and passing off stunts and twists. At the point of attack, Looney plays with good balance and decent hand usage, giving him the ability to do just enough to get the job done.

With Martin to his right and rookie guard Connor Williams to his left, look for Dallas to slide Looney toward the first-year player in an effort to shore up the protection. Martin doesn't need the help, but the rookie certainly might, especially early on in the season. This play is a great example:

Here, the San Francisco 49ers are playing a wide front with no defender in either A-gap, the gaps directly to the right and left of Looney. This gives Looney the freedom to help one of the guards secure his block, and immediately after the ball is snapped, Looney assists Williams.

In the run game, the Cowboys need to make some adjustments, since Looney can't effectively implement the full scope of Dallas' run schemes. He does well with down and angle blocks where he can use his body and strength to wall off defenders, but he struggles with pulling into space and hitting his landmarks on zone runs.

Expect Dallas to play to Looney's strengths in the run game, as the team does here:

In this example, the Cowboys run a "Duo" concept with Rod Smith as the running back. Looney is tasked with blocking the backside defensive tackle in combination with Williams, who is supposed to move to the second level once the block is secured. Even though Looney doesn't generate the kind of push that his counterparts do, he uses effective body positioning and grip strength to sustain his block and give Smith a nice running lane. It's not pretty, but it works.

While he'll never be confused with an All-Pro, Looney is a smart and tough veteran who can do a good enough job to allow the Cowboys to get by. It won't be easy - the Cowboys face two of the better interior defensive lines in football in their Week 1 and 2 games against the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants, respectively - but it's possible for the Cowboys to overcome the loss of Frederick for at least a few weeks.

John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.

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