Why the Cowboys “new look” defense is more than just a few new faces

The Dallas Cowboys are winning football games. It’s a great feeling. Their three-game winning streak has some wondering just how good this football team is, as they have now put themselves in a position to make a run at the playoffs. One of the big reasons for their recent success is the improved play on defense. In the past three games, they have:

• Kept the Raiders out of the end zone until the fourth quarter

• Held the Eagles scoreless for the final 40 minutes of the game

• Shut out the Chiefs in the second and third quarters of the game

These defensive spurts have allowed the Cowboys to climb back into games after slow starts against the Eagles and Chiefs, as well as forcing the Raiders to play from behind most of the game. The improved play has come following the move to acquire former New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, which has everyone raving about the trade, but it’s not just that. The team has benefited immensely from the addition of several new players. The changes are rather significant, so we thought we would break down each position group to fully understand why this Cowboys’ defense is playing so much better.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Before: Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, Solomon Thomas, and Jay Toia

After: Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, and Solomon Thomas

It goes without saying that this is the group with the most impactful change. Anytime you add one of the best interior defensive linemen in the game to your roster, it’s going to make a big difference. And the Williams trade is the gift that keeps on giving because it has created a trickle-down effect. The Cowboys essentially replaced their worst DT, a seventh-round rookie, with a veteran All-Pro, while everyone else moved down a spot on the depth chart.

Williams plays roughly 70% of the snaps. Clark and Odighizuwa play essentially the same amount as before, with a slight downtick from 65% to 60% because Matt Eberflus loves to use five-man fronts at times. Thomas, who has now been reduced to DT4, has seen his snaps drop slightly, going from 40% to 30%.

Collectively, this foursome has drastically improved the defense’s interior. They have shut down running lanes and are constantly getting pressure up the middle, forcing quarterbacks to either get rid of the ball or break the pocket and bounce outside. The Cowboys’ defense has improved significantly since the beginning of the season, and most of it all starts here.

DEFENSIVE END

Before: Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland, Dante Fowler, and Donovan Ezeiruaku

After: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, and James Houston

It was expected that this unit would undergo an experimental period after the Cowboys traded away their All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons right before the start of the new season. The team had several intriguing options on the edge, but wasn’t sure which ones would stand out the most. The team also suffered a heartbreaking blow with the sudden passing of second-year defensive end Marshawn Kneeland.

The biggest change is the emergence of rookie second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku. He went from fourth on the totem pole at the beginning of the season to now the edge who is getting the most reps, going from 35% to 60% playing time. Another big change is the signing of Jadeveon Clowney, the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Clowney didn’t get on the field until Week 4, and his reps have gradually risen to where he’s now playing 45% of the defensive snaps. Dante Fowler (40%) and Sam Williams (30%) have seen a drop off in playing time, while James Houston’s reps (30%) have gone up.

Ezeiruaku and Clowney are the two standouts as they are disruptive against both the pass and the run. Ezeiruaku impresses more and more with each new game, and Clowney is showing everyone that he still has plenty of juice left in the tank. On Thursday, he had his first two-sack game in over two years. While Ezeiruaku and Clowney are playing the best right now, the depth guys are making a splash every week. This group of five provides a fresh rotation of pass rushers, and each is contributing.

LINEBACKER

Before: Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, Damone Clark, and Marist Liufau

After: DeMarvion Overshown, Kenneth Murray, Logan Wilson, and Shemar James

The personnel transformation here is quite substantial, as the team’s linebacker group has undergone a complete makeover. The biggest change comes from DeMarvion Overshown’s return. He’s taken over the top spot as his playing time has ramped up. He’s gone from 50% to 60% to 70% against the Chiefs. Overshown’s presence has been immediately felt. His sideline-to-sideline speed is quite impressive, and while he’s still getting his legs underneath him, he’s a big upgrade for the team’s linebacker position group.

Much to the chagrin of many fans, Kenneth Murray remains a part of the linebacker rotation. He’s the only name on both lists, which speaks to how much change this group has experienced. The coaches love him, and he does show up with a splash play here and there, and recently, he hasn’t been the liability he was earlier in the season. Despite his presence, he has seen a huge reduction in playing time, going from 100% in the opener to just 55% on Thursday. The tandem of DeMo and K9 provides a much stronger starting unit than they had before.

It’s not just the starters that have gotten better. The depth has also improved. The team has been without free agent linebacker Jack Sanborn for the last six games, but went out and traded for Logan Wilson at the trade deadline. Wilson slides into the LB3, earning 45% of the reps, taking over the duties from recently released Damone Clark, so that’s a big improvement. And the rookie Shemar James has jumped Marist Liufau on the depth chart, playing roughly 20% of the defensive snaps. Liufau remains in the mix, but only plays sparingly on defense, with most of his reps coming on special teams.

CORNERBACK

Before: DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs, Kaiir Elam

After: DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel Jr., Reddy Steward, and Caelen Carson

This is another position group that has undergone significant change. DaRon Bland has been the one constant with the group as the enigma that is Trevon Diggs continues to have everyone baffled. Diggs played in the first six games of the season, albeit not very well, before getting hurt. It’s become evident that there are (non-health) things going on that have made the Cowboys sour on him, and the feeling appears to be mutual. He may return soon, or he may not. Honestly, this whole situation is quite the conundrum. What we do know is that the Cowboys’ cornerback group has had a rough go, whether he’s been on the field or not.

Fortunately, the team has gotten healthier with the recent additions of rookie Shavon Revel Jr. and second-year corner Caelen Carson. They are now stronger on the outside, leading to the release of Kaiir Elam, whom they traded for in the offseason to add depth. While the Elam experiment didn’t go according to plan, they did find a quality slot corner in Reddy Steward, who they claimed off waivers after the Vikings released him during final roster cuts. Steward played for Eberflus in Chicago last year.

It’s taken a bit, but this unit is starting to come together. The flexibility of Bland and the reliability of Steward give the team options as they don’t have to rely quite as heavily on both the youngsters, Revel Jr. and Carson, but rather see which one offers the most consistent play on the outside. Both are very raw, and the more reps they have, the better they’ll become. Anything they get from Diggs at this point should be viewed as a bonus, assuming he’s an asset on the field and not a liability.

SAFETY

Before: Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, and Markquese Bell

After: Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, and Markquese Bell

This is the group with the least change; however, midseason injuries to both starters, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, forced them to rely on their backups. Hooker is a solid free safety, and Wilson offers some high-risk/high-reward play. The team has also been without backup safety Juanyeh Thomas, who has dealt with leg injuries and migraines this season, putting more of the backup workload on Markquese Bell. Both Bell and Thomas are undrafted free agents, as is rookie Alijah Clark, who’s also been thrown into the fire with all the injuries they’ve had at safety this season.

This position group hasn’t changed, but they’ve gotten healthier with the return of their starters. It’s a much more reliable unit than it was a few weeks ago.

When you look at the defense as a whole, the Cowboys have essentially gained six new starters by either making a trade, getting an injured player back, or, in the case of Ezeiruaku, promoting a promising young rookie. The new starters are as follows:

DT1 – Quinnen Williams

DE1 – Donovan Ezeiruaku

DE2 – Jadeveon Clowney

LB1 – DeMarvion Overshown

LB3 – Logan Wilson

CB2 – Shavon Revel Jr.

That’s a lot of starters. Not just that, but most of these starters have bumped previous starters down the depth chart, meaning their depth has also gotten stronger.

More than half their starters have been upgraded. Additionally, 13 of the 20 main defensive players now feature better players at their respective spots on the depth chart. That’s 65% of the defense. So, when they talk about this new-look Cowboys’ defense, it’s not just players being acclimated with Eberflus’ system or getting a few players back from injury. It’s a new look because it consists of a new cast of characters that make up the majority of the defense. That’s big. And with big changes could come a big swing in the season as this team attempts to make a serious playoff push.