LAS VEGAS — Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was going through his postgame locker room experience from Monday night’s win over the Raiders when a question popped into his mind.
“How about the defense?” he rhetorically asked unprompted.
It’s a question, if asked at most points during the first nine games of the season, that would’ve been met with blunt opinions and criticism from most eternal perspectives. But there was a difference after Monday’s game.
The keyword being difference.
Cowboys
The Cowboys had a lot of changes on Monday from the last time they played. Their two starting safeties to start the season, Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, returned. Their two trade acquisitions, linebacker Logan Wilson and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, both added value despite being in new systems. The Cowboys also saw the season debuts of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and rookie corner Shavon Revel Jr.. In addition, they also started second-year corner Caelen Carson for the first time this season.
The Cowboys entered Monday’s game averaging 6.1 yards per play. Against the Raiders, they allowed 4.7 yards per play and 236 total yards. They set the tone early by forcing a field goal after quarterback Dak Prescott was sacked and stripped by Maxx Crosby deep in Dallas’ territory.
The narrative through the first nine games of the season was about an offense being held back against a struggling defense. On Monday, the defense helped lift the offense up.
“That’s what complementary football’s about,” Prescott said.
“I think that’s where we all took off right there. Seeing the confidence that gave the whole group. Worry about yourself, focus on your job, and we can play complementary football now, and tonight was a good example of it.”
Overshown noted the additions made were helpful, especially coming off the bye, but he also credited the approach to the defense. The Cowboys used heavy rotation at all three levels of the defense, allowing them to stay fresh.
“We played with energy today,” said Overshown, who had a tackle for loss in his season debut. “We played with fire and I felt like that whole game, whether they were getting three or drive the field or whatever it was a quick sudden change, we kept the goal the same: to keep them out of the end zone and do what we have to do to keep them out of the end zone. We ended up giving them one, but I feel like we played great.”
It’s what prompted Schottenheimer, when reflecting on the game, to bring up the defense. He followed his rhetorical question with an answer of his own.
“I don’t even know how many hits they had on the quarterback. I know Geno [Smith] is going to be sore,” Schottenheimer said. “Really, really proud of that group and what they’ve had to go through. It was pretty cool to see those guys step up and the fire that they played with.”
Ultimately, the Cowboys have made it known they were counting on their reinforcements to have an impact. In their first showing, the reinforcements backed it up.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.