Clowney and Bland delivered season-best defensive performances for the Cowboys. Discover who else shined and who struggled in the Commanders' beatdown.
The Dallas Cowboys' defense rebounded from a disastrous effort in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers to help the team to a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 7. Perhaps tired of hearing about how many points they’ve given up this year, the defense not only tied a season-best in points allowed, but contributed six of their own, courtesy of a pick-six.
Let’s take a look at the top two performers on that side of the ball according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), as well as which player struggled the most. Each player mentioned played a minimum of 25 snaps.
Jadeveon Clowney, DE, 89.6
After posting a 30.6 grade in Week 6, Jadeveon Clowney roared back to life on his way to his best game as a Cowboy. Not only did he earn an 88.6 pass rushing grade by recording four pressures, two batted passes, and his first sack of the season, but he also showed the all-around skill set Dallas thought they were getting when they signed him.
By recording three stops (tackles that constitute a failure for the offense according to PFF), Clowney posted a 67.1 run defense grade, his best since a 74.0 such mark in his team debut in Week 4. It’s worth noting that his pass rush grade in that game was only 58.1
It took until his fourth game with the team, but the Cowboys finally got a complete performance from Clowney. If he can come close to replicating this output consistently, the floor for this defense may be higher than we thought.
DaRon Bland, CB, 83.4
This is the type of performance that Dallas thought they’d be getting regularly when they signed DaRond Bland to a four-year, $90 million extension right before the season. Up until now, the highest overall grade that Bland had earned was 64.6 in Week 6, a game in which he posted the second-best coverage grade of the season at 66.5.
The fact that he followed up a season-best day with his first elite performance of the year is encouraging for multiple reasons, of course. But, with the oddness and borderline subterfuge surrounding Trevon Diggs, this rebound couldn’t be coming at a better time.
It’s worth mentioning that Bland’s pick-six against the Commanders wasn’t just his first score since his All-Pro 2023 season, but also his first interception since then as well, a moment that was both fondly reminiscent of the past while encouraging for the future.
Sam Williams, EDGE, 37.2
For all the deserved sunshine pumping surrounding the Cowboys' defense after the game, there are still a few rain clouds. Perhaps none are more prominently raining on the parade than Sam Williams.
While it should be pointed out that he’s returning from a 2024 ACL tear, I think it’s fair to say that more was expected from the former second-round pick this year than the one sack, 12 hurries, and overall 40.8 grade he’s posted in 244 snaps.
Hopefully, his 37.2 grade and total shutout (no pressures, hurries, hits, or tackles) represents the nadir of his once promising career, and he can start his climb back to being a net positive for Dallas. But, for a Cowboys team with designs on a postseason birth, the question of how long they can wait around for him to bounce back is becoming more and more pressing.