Football is the ultimate team game. In the NFL, all 53 members of the roster play a role -- big or small -- in what happens on Sunday. Nevertheless, the nature of the league's roster sizes makes it nearly impossible for each and every player to get the appreciation he deserves.

The Dallas Cowboys are the NFL's most popular team, which means they have more eyeballs glued to their day-to-day activities than any other team. Having said that, even they -- with all of the constant media attention -- have players who operate under the radar and go underappreciated by the media and fan base as a whole.

Not anymore.

The goal today will be to shine a light on the players who do the dirty work that enables the stars to lead the team to success. These players don't rack up gaudy stat lines or even start in some cases, but their value to the team and impact on gameday should no longer go understated.

Without further ado, let's dive into the most underappreciated Cowboys on the 53-man roster.

Anthony Brown, CB

While it's common for a team's backup quarterback to be more popular than the starter, especially if the starter is bad, that sentiment is not quite as common at other positions. The Cowboys have a unique situation where the team's No. 4 cornerback, Jourdan Lewis, is more popular and receives more respect than No. 3 Anthony Brown.

This is not to say that Lewis doesn't deserve the adulation -- he does and could probably start for a lot of teams -- but it is to say, however, that Brown deserves for Cowboys fans to put some more respect on his name.

There's a reason Lewis hasn't been able to break into the top-three cornerback slots without an injury, and it's not just because he is short (though that certainly plays a part). Brown's level of play has been the biggest reason Lewis has been subjugated to the No. 4 spot on the cornerback depth chart.

Listed at 5-11, 197 pounds, Brown has the size, length and speed to perform admirably on the outside in case of an injury to Byron Jones or Chidobe Awuzie. Nevertheless, Brown earns his keep in the slot, where he saw a ton of improvement in 2018.

Exhibit H.



Anthony Brown's development from off coverage has been impressive imo. Watch how he anticipates and blankets the crosser then attacks the catch point to cause the PBU.



Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/QtkEa1Chxr — John Owning (@JohnOwning) June 4, 2019

Last year, Brown took major strides in off coverage, where he could read the receiver's release along with the quarterback's eyes to put him in position to make plays.

This year, Brown could see a similar bump in his ability to press receivers from the slot.

Doesn't get targeted but eyes on Anthony Brown in the slot. Watch how patient he is in press coverage. Doesn't bite on the WR hinting inside, which enables him to maintain good position and land a jam on WR. Slides into perfect leverage with the single-high safety. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/TXaBtGZRhy — John Owning (@JohnOwning) August 12, 2019

Because receivers are blessed with a two-way go to release from the slot, it is incredibly important for a cornerback to be patient through the release, an area Brown appeared to be most improved in during camp. Brown's patience allows him to play the proper leverage given the coverage and receiver's route, putting him in a position to succeed if targeted.

Anthony Brown gives Gallup no space to get his feet inbounds pic.twitter.com/TI3cXzp5VY — John Owning (@JohnOwning) August 13, 2019

When Brown is a little more assertive with his jam at the line of scrimmage, he possesses the make-up speed necessary to cover himself if beaten early. He uses his 4.3 speed to quickly reduce any initial separation allowed at the line of scrimmage.

On top of his ability in coverage, Brown is also an effective blitzer and run defender, as he's not afraid to stick his nose in a fray that's above his weight class. He does all the little things well, which is incredibly important for the defense to be successful as a whole.

Because Brown is quiet, he doesn't receive the praise some of his more talkative teammates get. For being the team's starting slot cornerback who makes plays in coverage, as a blitzer and when defending the run, it's time Brown gets the respect he deserves.

Antwaun Woods, NT

Typically, fans view games through a results-oriented point of view, which is why the lion's share of acclaim goes to the players who rack up stats rather than those who did the dirty work to make that possible.

Nose tackles matter, too!

Exhibit A.



This play encapsulates a lot of what makes Antwaun Woods effective. Quick off the snap and power out of his stance. He muddies up the backfield, using his hands and length well to quickly disengage after initial push, and shows off his hustle to help finish the play. pic.twitter.com/jcos6TnyK9 — John Owning (@JohnOwning) June 12, 2019

Since arriving in Dallas last season, Antwaun Woods has done nothing but exceed expectations. At first glance, his stat line doesn't appear worth writing home about -- 34 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1 pass deflection -- but that ignores Woods' role in the Cowboys' defense.

While a results-oriented viewpoint would likely cause Woods to go overlooked, a process-oriented perspective makes it easily apparent how important he really is -- a key cog on a defense that appears primed to be a top-10 unit in the NFL.

Given the nature of the nose tackle's responsibilities in the Cowboys' defense, Woods is never going to rack up the gaudy stats that catch the eyes of the casual fan, as his role is complementary in nature. The goal of the nose tackle in the Cowboys' defense is to be powerful and disruptive enough to demand and occupy double teams up front in an effort to give the linebacker free rein to the ball carrier.

Woods did exactly that in most games last year, with the notable exceptions being against the Colts and Rams -- games in which the Cowboys were dominated on the ground to the tune of 178 and 273 rushing yards, respectively. That goes to show his value in terms of the defense's ability to stop the run.

Antwaun Woods' PBU. Nice job of using his hands to obstruct passing lanes and deflect the pass. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/4yPJK5zxMn — John Owning (@JohnOwning) August 18, 2019

Because of his skill set and playing style, Woods is never going to be a great pass rusher, though he's done a great job getting his hands in passing lanes to deflect passes.

Nevertheless, if training camp is any indication, Woods should be even more effective against the run. He's holding his ground and occupying against double teams at a better rate while disassembling single blocks with more consistency.

So next time you see Jaylon Smith make a thunderous tackle near the line of scrimmage against the run, make sure to position your gaze to the line of scrimmage during the replay, as Woods likely played a big part in the mechanisms that enabled Smith to make the play. Then, tip your cap to No. 99.

Joe Thomas, LB

Unless your name is Jourdan Lewis, if you're a backup on the Cowboys' roster, you're typically not getting anything in the way of appreciation from the fan base.

Joe Thomas is one of the better backup LBs in the NFL and deserves more respect from DAL fans. pic.twitter.com/33KkG8rjjK — John Owning (@JohnOwning) June 24, 2019

Having said that, Joe Thomas isn't your typical backup, and thus deserves more appreciation than what is typically afforded a reserve. While most reserves are tasked with backing up a singular position, Thomas, on the other hand, is a "super" reserve who backs up all three linebacker spots while playing on nearly every special teams unit.

Although Thomas is certainly a skilled linebacker, he may be an even more skilled special teamer, which is where he's cut his teeth for the most part through four NFL seasons. Given the active roster limits on gameday, Thomas is incredibly valuable to the coaching staff because of his ability to wear so many hats.

Thomas may be a backup by title, but he is undoubtedly skilled enough to be a starter and would likely be one if the Cowboys didn't have the best linebacker corps in the league. He could start for a large portion of teams.

Great play by Joe Thomas here despite dropping the potential pick-6. Does a great job of getting enough depth with his drop, which enables him to attack downhill when the TE veers outsides. This allows Thomas to undercut the route for the near-INT. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/TF8mLK6D4y — John Owning (@JohnOwning) August 25, 2019

Listed at 6-1, 233 pounds, Thomas is a part of the new age of linebackers who can flow from sideline to sideline while excelling in coverage, making him the perfect backup for either Smith or Leighton Vander Esch.

Moreover, despite being sub-240 pounds, Thomas' technique to defeat blocks enabled him to play near the line of scrimmage and take on blocks at the SAM linebacker position when Sean Lee was hurt during camp.

#Cowboys LB Joe Thomas is such an underrated player. Watch him slice inside Joe Looney to make the would-be stop on Tony Pollard.



I'm steadfast in my belief that he could start for a lot of teams in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/ZhHJpsZgeA — John Owning (@JohnOwning) August 8, 2019

Thomas also does an excellent job of avoiding blocks through the trash while pursuing the ball carrier, which is why he's usually in good position to make a play near the line of scrimmage against the run.

If the team is missing any one of its starters at the linebacker position, Thomas is the reason the defense won't miss a beat, which is why he deserves more appreciation.

Enjoy this post? More film studies:

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Twitter: @JohnOwning