In the end, the final 28-20 score of the Cowboys loss in Week 1 to the Giants on Sunday night probably does not reveal what a dominant performance it was for New York, how completely the team’s offense dismantled what was supposed to be a new and vastly improved Dallas defense. The real story was told in time of possession, where the Giants controlled the ball for 36:40, with the Cowboys holding it for just 23:20, and limited the Cowboys to just two possessions in the entire second half.
There were times that the Cowboys defense just needed a big play, a big sack, something to slow the Giants’ steamroller offense. There were just not enough of those moments. For years, it would be on Micah Parsons to come up with those kinds of players. But now that mantle of defensive leader has been passed to captain Quinnen Williams, and with the way the Cowboys’ defense played, he’s getting some heat.
Quinnen Williams Forced a Turnover
Williams, it should be noted, forced the one turnover the Cowboys got, on a punch-out fumble in the second quarter when he tackled Tyrone Tracy. But according to former Cowboys receiver and DLLS Cowboys analyst Jesse Holley, that was not enough from the team’s defensive anchor.
Said Holley on Monday: “When you needed him to make more plays, I get he had the punch-out, that was cool, that was good, but I wanted more. You look to those guys to have more of an impact when you’re drowning. He has to be your life raft.”
Cowboys Were ‘Drowning’
Now, Williams was double-teamed for much of the game, and there’s value in that–his presence should have allowed others to step in and make plays, especially against a Giants running game that posted 165 yards on 37 carries. But he is meant to be the Cowboys’ star on the defensive front, and the team needs more than one big play in a 60-minute outing.
Again, Holley said: “The one elite player that we feel that we have on the defensive side is Quinnen Williams. Was he elite? He wasn’t elite. When you’re drowning, you look to the elite guys and go, hey go give us, go get us something. Go get us a sack, go get us a tackle for a loss, go get us something. And I was looking for Quinnen to have more impactful plays.
“I get the double teams, but he has always been that. He always has been double teamed, him being double-teamed is not a new phenomenon for him or any defensive coordinator who has had him. … Coming into the game, you telling me he was double-teamed all the time doesn’t change the fact that we thought he was elite in spite of that.“
Quinnen Williams: Cowboys Will Take ‘Constructive Criticism’
To Williams’ credit, he took responsibility for the Cowboys’ poor showing in the opener. He did say that the defense as a whole has to do some soul-searching heading into this week’s matchup against the Commanders.
Williams indicated that process is already underway.
“The guys we got in our locker room, especially on defense, are unbelievable when it comes down to taking constructive criticism and accountability, first of all, and let’s move,” he said. “We had a lot of mental errors, a lot of busts today, and just really need to be critical with that going into this week; and focus on getting better. We’ve already said it to each other, and we hold each other accountable to get better.”
Cowboys ‘Elite’ Captain Called Out After Struggles vs. Giants