Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys played to their strengths of their defensive personnel better than they have all season against the Commanders.
Yet under defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys proved that adaptability — not rigidity — can spark a defensive revival.
Eberflus, long known for his predominantly zone-based system, changed course.
Instead of relying on spot-drop coverage and soft zone looks, he unleashed a man-heavy attack — calling man coverage on more than 45% of defensive snaps, the highest rate of the season. The impact was immediate.
While in man coverage, the Commanders’ passing game completely collapsed:
- 5-for-15 passing
- 57 total yards
- One pick-six interception
- One forced fumble and one recovery
- 45.7 passer rating
That shift let the defense play fast, physical, and instinctive — finally matching scheme with talent.
Man Coverage Ignites the Pass Rush
As Sports Illustrated reported, the Cowboys’ man coverage didn’t just help the secondary — it reignited the pass rush that had been under fire all year:
“ Rookies Shemar James and Donovan Ezeiruaku recorded their first career sacks, while Jadeveon Clowney and Kenneth Murray also each recorded one. For good measure, James forced a fumble when he got to Jayden Daniels, and Clowney recovered the fumble. There was a lot made of the secondary playing better in man coverage against Washington, but the pass rush deserves as much credit.”
The correlation is clear — when coverage holds, the front can feast.
Tight man defense forced Jayden Daniels to hesitate, giving Dallas’ rushers the extra second they’ve been missing all season.
Elite offenses like the Cowboys are hard to come by and even harder to maintain, and Dallas has work to do to keep their best play makers in place.
Third thing learned: Dominant offenses are worth investing in
Seeing George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb and Javonte Williams all on the field together and playing at the top of their respective games is enough to leave Keith Sweat Twisted. It’s entertainment at the highest level and utterly memorizing even if the pass protection still looks suspect.
The dominance of the offense combined with the draft picks sitting in the arsenal says the Cowboys would be wise to further their financial investment in the unit. No one else in the NFL has two first round picks in each of the next two drafts, so Dallas is uniquely qualified to go all-in on their offense now, while going all-in on their defense come draft day over the next two Aprils.
To clarify: Pickens and Williams might be worth re-signing.
Final thoughts
The Cowboys are...
