There’s no sugarcoating the state of the Dallas Cowboys’ defense right now. Through two weeks, the numbers are still ugly: 5.8 yards per play allowed in back-to-back games, plus 24 or more first downs surrendered each time. There were a few small signs of progress in Week 2, but not enough to make anyone feel good about where this unit is headed.
What does stand out, though, is Caleb Downs.
For the second straight week, the rookie looked like Dallas’ best defender, and he kept building the case that he’s already one of the team’s most important players. In a recent Pro Football Focus breakdown of all 32 first-round picks after Week 2, Dalton Wasserman singled out Downs again for strong work against Washington.
“Downs continued to impress as Dallas put together a better defensive performance in Week 2. He tallied seven total tackles, including one stop, while also recording his first career pass breakup.
Downs did allow his first career touchdown in coverage on a play where he was a bit late reacting to motion, but it was an otherwise good day for him. He and fellow rookie Jaishawn Barham enter Week 3 as the Cowboys’ highest-graded defenders.”
That touchdown came on a goal-line play to Stefon Diggs, with Downs getting trapped in traffic and unable to get to the flat. It looked more like a communication issue than a pure physical breakdown, and it’s the kind of thing Dallas should be able to clean up.
Even with that blemish, Downs made his presence felt. One of his biggest plays came when he delivered a violent hit on Terry McLaurin and jarred a completed pass loose. It was clean, perfectly timed contact, with Downs dropping his shoulder pad right into McLaurin’s midsection.
The stat lines varied a bit depending on the source. Pro Football Reference credited Downs with nine tackles, including six solo stops and three combined.
He wasn’t around the quarterback as much as he was in Week 1, but that also came with context: he played only three pass-rush snaps. Christian Parker may end up dialing up more blitzes for him as he keeps settling into his first season calling the defense.
Downs also showed up on special teams, where he made two important tackles on kickoff coverage that prevented what could have turned into bigger returns.
The workload is already heavy, and Dallas is asking a lot from him. So far, he’s handled it.
And with the Cowboys dealing with bigger problems on defense - especially in the secondary, where Malik Hooker, Cobie Durant, and P.J. Locke are all expected to miss Week 3 at least - Downs is giving them something they can actually count on.
In Other News...
Cowboys Could Benefit From The Chargers Tight End Desperation
The Chargers tight end depth has suddenly become a problem, and that sort of roster squeeze tends to send teams searching for help wherever they can find it. With David Njoku and Charlie Kolar on injured reserve, Los Angeles is down to just one healthy tight end on the active roster in Oronde Gadsden, while the other options are practice-squad players who have yet to see game action.
For the Cowboys, that kind of urgency can create an opening. Luke Schoonmaker has surfaced as a possible trade fit for a Chargers team that needs reinforcements, and his place on Dallas depth chart and contract status make him at least worth monitoring. Nothing has been agreed to, but the connection is the kind of situation that can turn a player from roster depth into a name to watch before long. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Win Sparked An AT&T Stadium Buzz Fans Couldnt Ignore
The Cowboys Week 2 win over Washington at AT&T Stadium gave fans plenty to talk about, but so did the sideline presence of Josina Anderson. Her cheetah-print outfit drew a wave of attention on social media during the game, adding an unexpected flashpoint to a night already packed with interest around Dallas and the matchup itself.
Anderson later posted a thank-you message to the Cowboys PR staff after the game, and the response was immediate, with the post drawing more than 100,000 views along with praise from fans and fellow reporters. Dallas left the field with a 37-20 victory, while Washington also had to absorb the blow of Jayden Daniels suffering a serious arm injury, making it a night that carried plenty of conversation well beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Showed Class In A Brutal Rivalry Moment
The late-afternoon trip to Washington turned into another physical chapter in a rivalry that rarely needs much help getting tense. Jayden Daniels went down late in the first half against the Cowboys and was forced out after dislocating the same elbow for the second consecutive season, a reminder of how quickly a divisional game can swing from sharp to severe. Dallas went on to win 37-20, but the bigger picture was the sight of a young quarterback leaving the field in obvious pain.
Dan Quinn confirmed afterward that the injury was a dislocation without fracture, and Marcus Mariota is expected to start until Daniels recovers. For the Cowboys, the moment carried a familiar mix of rivalry and respect, because even in a game with real stakes, there are still lines everyone recognizes. What happens next for Daniels will matter far beyond one November result, and Washington now has to wait on the next update while trying to steady itself at quarterback. [Read more 🡒]