For quite some time, the Dallas Cowboys have been known to have one of the worst run defenses in the entire National Football League. Year after year, the interior of the defensive line got gashed, especially in the biggest of games. That isn’t a recipe for any team aspiring to contend for a Super Bowl. However, with a couple of trades this season, the team’s lackluster unit has become a strength.
After trading superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for Kenny Clark in the offseason, and acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets via trade deadline acquisition, the Cowboys' defensive interior looked dominant in their first game together against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cowboys have been criticized for a lack of “girth” in the interior of the defensive line in recent years. Now, that is not the case with Williams, Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa. Not only are the three vital in stopping the run, but affects everything else on the defensive line and the second level. If the team can stop the run, that can allow the back end of the defense to step up in ways that are needed.
Before Monday night’s game, executive vice president Stephen Jones told fans to expect a heavy load of Williams from the jump. The Cowboys followed through with that promise, and Williams’ impact was felt immediately and often. In his debut, Williams forced five pressures in just the first half, tied for the most in any half by a Cowboys defensive tackle since at least 2018, per Next Gen Stats. He finished the game with 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hits on Geno Smith.
Williams’ impact isn't just shown on the stat sheet, though. His presence allows for players like Odighizuwa and others who might have been struggling to emerge and win their matchups. Williams and Odighizuwa, specifically, combined for 11 pressures on Monday night.
It is important to note that the Raiders have been a struggling offense for the majority of the season.
Their offensive line play is poor, and there aren't many offensive weapons that strike fear into opposing defenses. With that being said, the Cowboys came into the game allowing 143 yards on the ground, 4.8 yards per carry, and almost 31 points per game. The Cowboys flipped the script and quickly forced the Raiders to shy away from the run, holding them to 27 yards on the ground and only 2.3 yards per carry.
Regardless of the Raiders’ struggles, this is impressive for a Cowboys defense that has made mediocre run teams look great time and time again. The first game for the new look defense was promising, and fans should be excited to see what the revamped unit will continue to look like. With a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on deck, Dallas will need this MNF performance to carry over to Week 12.