The Dallas Cowboys had their biggest win of the season on Sunday. It's not just that they took down a divisional rival in the Washington Commanders, but that their defense finally showed up to make some plays.
There was a lot of pressure on defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after another meltdown last week. Now, this 41-22 win over the Commanders might be just the catalyst this secondary desperately needed to straighten the course of the ship down the stretch.
Cowboys CBs Might Finally Turn a Corner After Week 7
Sunday was a perfect storm for the Cowboys' secondary. Trevon Diggs was out with a concussion, and, ironically, the cornerbacks unit fared so much better without him. He's been a liability all year long, and his constant public criticism of Eberflus' schemes and temper tantrums on the sidelines might not help boost team morale.
What certainly helped in that regard was watching DaRon Bland turn back the clock and finally having a good game this season. He picked off Marcus Mariota's second pass after he replaced the injured Jayden Daniels, and he drove it all the way back to the endzone for a 68-yard pick-six. It was Bland's sixth career pick-six, and the first since his Week 12 of 2023 against the same opponent. He's now midway through Rod Woodson's record of 12 TDs returned off INTs.
Help might also be on the way for this secondary. According to team insider Nick Harris, rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr. finally got back on the field to do some light practice, and while he still hasn't been cleared to return, it's great news after several setbacks in his recovery:
"Rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr. (knee) is still waiting to be cleared for his first NFL practice, much less game, but it was good to see him back out with the rehab group during the media portion of practice for the first time in a few weeks," Harris wrote on X.
Revel sustained a season-ending ACL injury in his final year at East Carolina, and the injury caused him to drop to the No. 76 spot. The Cowboys always knew they would have to be patient with him, but he drew first-round grades before that injury, so he was worth the wait.
Eberflus' defense held the Commanders' explosive attack to just 341 total yards, including 205 passing yards. They didn't give up as many big plays as they usually do, and a lot of that has to do with a strong secondary performance.
Assuming Sunday's effort wasn't a mirage, it looks like the Cowboys' CBs are finally living up to expectations, leaving fans excited for what's to come.