All-Century Dallas Cowboys: The 5 best defenses since 2000 headlined by unit Quincy Carter should be grateful for originally appeared on A to Z Sports.
Now that everyone is celebrating 25 years of the 21st century, it’s list season.
This is the second of five posts counting down the 25 best in Dallas Cowboys history and this time we’re doing defenses. I’ll also be publishing offenses, players, games, and moments. It’s a varied list featuring unlikely rosters to produce top defensive performance and one built by Bill Parcells in his first year on the job.
Let’s dive in.
Advertisement
5. 2014, Unlikely heroes
The 2014 Cowboys, the season that many fans sustain to this day is the closest it’s been to it finally being “the year,” were a top 10 defense in both points and yards allowed.
And if that surprises you, well, you’re not alone.
“[The offense] will have to rise to top-three status (unlikely) if it’s to overcome a depleted defense,” Andy Benoit wrote for Sports Illustrated in 2014.
The defense overcame adversity by way of unlikely heroes: Barry Church Rolando McClain leading the team in tackles; Jeremy Mincey leading the team in sacks (6); Bruce Carter recording five interceptions at linebacker; and five players forcing at least two fumbles.
4. 2018, Leighton Vander Esch’s rookie year
Jaylon Smith’s and Leighton Vander Esch’s careers didn’t pan out as we hoped them to. But 2018 was extremely fun. The latter ranked third in the NFL in tackles as a rookie and Smith 15th while also adding four sacks.
That year, DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory combined for 16.5 sacks as the Cowboys wound up as a Top 10 defense to help the team make the playoffs.
Advertisement
3. 2023, NFL’s fifth best
It’s hard to remember given how things ended versus the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, but Dan Quinn’s defense in 2023 was a Top 5 unit during the regular season. That was in large part thanks to DaRon Bland’s nine interceptions and five pick sixes.
But that wasn’t all: Stephon Gilmore played lights out in coverage, Micah Parsons got 14 sacks, and Jourdan Lewis forced three fumbles, among other things.
2. 2009, DeMarcus Ware one of two All-Pro defensive linemen
The second best defense in points allowed was led by a 11-sack season from DeMarcus Ware. Mike Jenkins led the team with five interceptions and Terence Newman followed closely with three (he also forced three fumbles).
This is the squad that witnessed Ware suit up versus the New Orleans Saints to secure a legendary Sunday Night Football upset days after suffering a nasty neck injury. He’d go on to receive first-team All-Pro honors alongside Jay Ratliff.
Advertisement
1. 2003, The unit that carried Quincy Carter
In 2003, Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter started 16 games and passed for 17 touchdowns and 21 picks. So how the heck did they win 10 games? Well, they held opponents to 16 points or fewer ten times, going 7-3 in those games. They only allowed over 21 points in five games.
It was Bill Parcell’s first year in Dallas and it was a loaded defense: Greg Ellis led in sacks, while Terence Newman, Darren Woodson and Roy Williams patrolled the backfield, and Dat Nguyen joined Dexter Coakley atop the team’s tackle leaderboard.
View the original article to see embedded media.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.