The Dallas Cowboys defense looked undeniably better in Week 5 against the New York Jets. Why was that
Did the Dallas Cowboys fix their defensive woes for good in their Week 5 win over the New York Jets? Not so fast. It was, however, the best performance we’ve seen from the unit defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus leads. So what clicked?
According to Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, it was simple: The team pressured the quarterback.
“When they pressure like that, we can call whatever,” Diggs told reporters via Dallas Morning News reporter Joseph Hoyt.
The postgame message carries even more weight than it seems, considering earlier in the week, Diggs told reporters he had asked Eberflus to call more man coverage. The defensive coordinator suggested he probably wouldn’t change the scheme much. Fortunately, a better pass rush means the gap between the cornerback and coach matters less.
The Cowboys hit Justin Fields 14 times on Sunday, including five QB hits from Dante Fowler Jr. Additionally, they sacked the opposing quarterback five times, including two times by James Houston (the NFL credited him with 1.5 sacks), who had another standout performance.
The defense benefited tremendously from the Jets’ need to consistently drop back, a product of a 20-point halftime lead that forced them to play catch-up. Fields dropped back over 50 times Sunday, attempting 46 passes by the end of the game.
Does the Cowboys’ production getting after the quarterback mean the defense is fixed? I’d take it with a grain of salt. The Jets offense entered Week 5 allowing the highest-pressure rate in the NFL, per Sports Info Solutions. But there was a clear improvement.
Not to mention, the Cowboys’ run defense and coverage had some rough moments, even in Sunday’s win. Breece Hall averaged over eight yards per attempt in 14 carries.
