The Dallas Cowboys got back to winning ways Sunday afternoon, with an impressive win over the rival Washington Commanders. After the defense was treated like a dart board for the loss against Carolina, Matt Eberflus and his unit brought more juice. The offense exploded scoring 37 points, but the defense made key stops to keep them on the field more.
That brand of complimentary football is what it will take for the Cowboys to be contenders this season. Several defensive players stepped up to help this unit, with these three in particular who are seeing their stock rise as Dallas improved to 3-3-1 on the season.
3 Cowboys defenders whose stock is soaring after win vs. Commanders
1. DaRon Bland
DaRon Bland was heavily criticized last week for his poor coverage on the game's decisive play. The scheme factored into what he did in playing off Hunter Renfrow. However, that much of a cushion left Renfrow wide open to pick up the first down to seal the Panthers' win. This week Bland turned back the clock to 2023.
Bland led all defensive backs with seven tackles, but his signature moment came when the game was still in question. After substituting for an injured Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota escaped a sack but instead of making a big play, he found Bland instead. Bland returned the interception for a touchdown, marking his first pick-six since 2023 when he set an NFL record with five pick-sixes.
The play was a backbreaker for Washington and all but clinched the game for Dallas. For a player Dallas paid $92 million to before the season, big plays like that are what Bland is getting paid for. For Bland to make a huge play like that to fire up this defense even more was huge. This group needs to gain more confidence and Bland's impact was felt on that interception.
2. Shemar James
With DeMarvion Overshown still out until mid-November, the Cowboys have been trying to piece together their linebacker corps. Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn have been the starters in the middle, but on Sunday that was Murray and rookie Shemar James.
Eberflus shook up his defensive lineup giving James a chance and it paid off. He finished tied with Murray with nine total tackles and two quarterback hits. What helped James thrive on Sunday was the changes Eberflus made to his scheme. The defense blitzed a lot more than they have all season, and on one of those plays James had his signature moment of the day.
With Washington only down 12, the game was still teetering on who was going to take control. After completing a 15-yard pass that took them into Dallas territory, the Commanders looked in business. Dallas gambled with a blitz up the middle by James and he caused a fumble that Jadeveon Clowney recovered.
All season long, this defense has struggled to generate takeaways, and James got this group going with that big play. Jack Sanborn was active for the game after coming back from a concussion, but did not play a single snap. James played the whole game and looks like he is ready to be a starter moving forward.
If he can build off this performance, this linebacker room will be in even better shape when Overshown returns.
3. Jadeveon Clowney
After the Micah Parsons trade and seeing his defense struggling after two weeks, Jerry Jones brought in help in the form of Jadeveon Clowney. Despite his slow start, Clowney had his best game as a Cowboy against the Commanders.
The former No. 1 overall pick not only recovered the fumble caused by James, but he got his hands in the passing lanes too. He had two passes defended. One of Clowney's key traits is his long arms. If a defensive lineman is capable of defending passes at the line of scrimmage, it is a big plus.
Clowney also had his first sack of the season and as a Cowboy when he brought down Mariota at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The sack played a big role in eventually killing Washington's drive. The Commanders almost converted on 3rd-and-long two plays after the sack, but they went for it on 4th -and-1 and failed. The stop killed any momentum Washington had.
The Cowboys are not going to solve the Micah Parsons problem overnight. However, Clowney showed what he was brought in to do in the win. His veteran presence is much-needed for a group comprised of young talent such as Donovan Ezeiruaku, who also had his first career sack. If Clowney shows a bit more impact on this pass rush every week, Dallas' defense might be able to keep turning things around.