Until the Dallas Cowboys' defense puts together a complete performance, we're going to have to keep singling out individual performances to praise. Even though the Commanders only scored 20 points, it felt like Dallas had to score points on every possession before Jayden Daniels got hurt.
Christian Parker still has a lot to clean up, but Cowboys fans can take solace in the early signs from first-round pick Malachi Lawrence.
Unlike Caleb Downs, Lawrence has yet to make a splash play in two games. However, if you dig a little deeper than just the box score, the No. 23 overall pick is coming on strong.
Take a look at this pass-rush win rate graphic and you'll notice Lawrence is ahead of household names like Aidan Hutchinson, Maxx Crosby, Nick Bosa, and Will Anderson. Granted, Lawrence hasn't played nearly as many snaps as those guys, but even being in that company this early is a fantastic sign for the rookie's long-term outlook.
Pass rush win rate leaders through week 2 for edge rushers (via PFF and SumerSports) pic.twitter.com/1SJInJjblu
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) September 21, 2026
Cowboys rookie Malachi Lawrence has been effective despite minimal production
This is why it's important not to box-score watch. In two games, Lawrence has six combined tackles (zero tackles for loss), one quarterback hit, four pressures, and two stops.
Not an imposing stat line by any stretch, but Lawrence's pass-rush win rate is among the best in football after two games.
According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence's 26.9 percent pass-rush win rate is third among edge defenders who've played at least 20 snaps. It's fifth among all edge defenders.
Most three-down EDGEs have played north of 60 snaps, so Lawrence's sample size (27 pass-rush snaps) is smaller compared to most pass rushers. But again, the fact that he's producing at this rate in limited opportunities is incredibly encouraging.
The Cowboys aren't asking Lawrence to carry their pass rush yet, but he's making a strong case for more opportunities.
He had a 37.5 percent win rate in true pass sets on Sunday, and his 73.0 pass-rush grade through two games is the highest among rookie edge rushers, per PFF.
Between Lawrence and Donovan Ezeiruaku, there's a lot to be excited about with Dallas' pass rush. It remains to be seen if either player can develop into a true No. 1 pass rusher, but they don't need to have that answer right now. Both are young, ascending players who already look capable of giving the Cowboys a dangerous one-two punch off the edge.
The sacks are going to come from Malachi Lawrence
For Lawrence and Donovan Ezeiruaku, the next step will be finishing off their pressures with sacks. While pressures are a better barometer for edge rusher performance than sacks, at some point, you have to get the quarterback down.
There were several instances on Sunday where Lawrence (and Ezeiruaku) failed to finish off excellent reps. They could have combined for five sacks.
Some of that can be attributed to Jayden Daniels' wizardry and ability to evade pressure. But some of it is on the players to have the composure to finish once they get into the backfield.
Winning the rep is only half the battle against mobile quarterbacks. One false step or overaggressive angle is all he needs to turn a would-be sack into a scramble or a completion on a broken play.
The encouraging part is that they're consistently putting themselves in position to make those plays. If the finishes start catching up to the pressure they're generating, the sack numbers won't be far behind.
Lawrence, in particular, is only two games into his young career. The fact that he's already winning this consistently against NFL competition should have Cowboys fans bullish on his future.
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