FRISCO, Texas -- Lincoln Financial Field is always a different place to play for the Dallas Cowboys.
Philadelphia Eagles fans are as rambunctious as they come, and while the Cowboys have already been eliminated from playoff contention before Sunday's meeting (1 p.m. ET, Fox), the atmosphere should still be captivating.
Brock Hoffman, the Cowboys' right guard, will love it.
Nobody talks more on the field than Hoffman. In hockey parlance, he is the Cowboys' enforcer. In football lingo, he plays to the echo of the whistle.
Two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, Hoffman, who moved to center because of Cooper Beebe's absence due to a concussion, lost his voice in the fourth quarter.
"Because he was making so many calls or talking s---, one of the two," offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.
The Cowboys' offense found its identity when Hoffman replaced future Hall of Fame guard Zack Martin, who underwent season-ending right ankle surgery, five games ago against the Washington Commanders.
Running back Rico Dowdle finds himself 97 yards away from 1,000 on the season, mostly because of three straight 100-yard rushing games since Hoffman has started. Cooper Rush has been sacked just six times in the past five games.
It's not all because of Hoffman, but teammates and coaches don't dismiss what he has brought to the huddle.
"Super consistent," coach Mike McCarthy said. "His attitude and energy, what he brings to the workplace has just been on point since he's been here. Super professional, so well-prepared. He's got a connective personality, and he definitely deserves a lot of credit for the mindset and play style that he's really pushed along up front."
Cornerback Jourdan Lewis called him a "force multiplier." Schottenheimer said Hoffman has "in a lot of ways galvanized the way we play."
"He is not going to back down from anybody. His confidence in himself is extremely high," Schottenheimer said. "He doesn't look it himself, as a guy that's undrafted. He's been through the journey. Been in Cleveland, been here, been cut, been brought back. He's now starting."
Schottenheimer called him the "alpha." How does a former undrafted free agent, who had one career start entering this season, become the alpha?
"I think it just comes from the way I play the game," Hoffman said. "I think it's a lot of my upbringing with my dad being a former college coach. Back in the day, football was a little bit more physical, I guess, than nowadays, but I still try to bring that old-school mentality to the game."
Hoffman's father, Brian, coached at Catawba College, but it was actually his mother, Stephanie who installed the spirit.
"I remember in the third grade she called me soft," Hoffman said. "She called me another word, but soft is what I would say. And ever since then, I was never going to be a soft football player."
He has not forgotten those words. He said the best way to describe his play is "physical and nasty."
Now 25, Hoffman still plays with that edge.
If there's a tussle after the whistle, Hoffman is likely to be involved. If there's some jawing back and forth, figure that it's Hoffman. During a break in play versus the Panthers, one defender yelled at Hoffman almost the entire time. Hoffman chirped back. Against Washington, linebacker Frankie Luvu appeared to throw a punch at Hoffman as he blocked him down the field.
What's the funniest thing Hoffman has said on the field?
"I can't say that," Hoffman said as the not-safe-for-publication thoughts went through his mind. "I probably can't say anything. We'll keep that for the field."
Defensive end Chauncey Golston is on the Cowboys' field goal unit with Hoffman.
"It's not what he says, it's more so what people say to him because they get mad," Golston said. "I can't say what, because, you know, I'm on camera. But, yeah, it's some impolite words that are said to him. He takes it like a champ though."
The words this week might come from more than the Eagles' defenders. He might hear it from the fans too.
That's fine by Hoffman.
"Honestly, I feel like I've always gotten up a little extra for those road games just because I like the hostile environments," Hoffman said. "This will be my first time actually playing against the Eagles in my time here outside of just special teams. It being in Philly, how can it not motivate you, you know what I mean? You go into a hostile environment versus a rival in the [NFC East], you gotta be up for those games."