Maybe the folks who eviscerated the Dallas Cowboys for trading for Quinnen Williams would like to retract those critiques?
Sure, it's only one game, and the Las Vegas Raiders are hardly a worthy opponent, but Williams put forth one of the best games from a Cowboys defensive tackle in the last 10 years, if not longer. And it was his first game for the team since he was acquired before the NFL trade deadline.
Like every Cowboys fan and individual in attendance at Allegiant Stadium, Brian Schottenheimer was blown away by Williams in his Dallas debut. Seemingly at a loss for words, Schottenheimer kept his analysis short and sweet.
“Q’s a really good football player," Schottenheimer said. "We should keep him."
Quinnen Williams was as advertised in his Cowboys debut
Williams was an absolute tour de force in the Cowboys' 33-16 victory, racking up seven pressures, 1.5 sacks, and five quarterback hits. While formidable, that stat line doesn't fully quantify Williams' impact.
Even when Williams didn't get a hand on Geno Smith, he collapsed the pocket consistently and created favorable matchups for Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa, who had his best game of the year. That is not a coincidence. Williams' impact was obvious on virtually every passing down.
A former All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler, Williams is the kind of player who makes everyone around him better. While the Raiders' offense is nothing to write home about, it's no coincidence that the linebackers and secondary had their best games of the season.
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Granted, the returns of Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, and Shavon Revel Jr. helped the cause, but Kenneth Murray had arguably his best game as a Cowboy. Fans also saw a much-improved version of DaRon Bland. It's a lot easier to play cornerback when opposing quarterbacks aren't allowed to go through their progressions and pick apart a zone.
Jerry Jones had a smile on his face whenever the ESPN broadcast panned to him in the owner's suite. He couldn't have asked for a better return on investment in game one.
It remains a long shot that the Cowboys will make the playoffs. But Williams will make the defense functional as Dallas reaches the gauntlet of its schedule. And it can't help but make you feel giddy about 2026 as long as the front office hits on its two first-round picks.
That's why the Cowboys made the trade.