Sturm: The Parker Report - Plenty of Work To Be Done

[dpf1123]

The Parker Report - Plenty of Work To Be Done​

We focus on the kids as the defense tries to mix in a few stops and get off the field.​

Bob Sturm
19 hours ago



Every week, we will spend an entire day reviewing the Cowboys defensive performance in the latest game. We will do it with numbers and with film and will try to figure out what led to the successes or the failures of that side of the ball. We call it the Parker Report in 2026 for obvious reasons. Please leave any questions or comments below. This will often appear on Tuesdays or Wednesdays after Sunday games, depending on the order we choose for that particular game.

We will cover

• Overall Defensive Evaluation - Needs More
• An Explanation of my Disposition
• Defensive Positivity Against Washington
• Feature Players: Caleb, Jaishawn, And Quinnen Williams
• Film Study, Splash Plays and Playing Time

OVERALL DEFENSIVE EVALUATION​

I would say that in some ways, this defensive performance in the win vs. Washington was better. And, I would also say that in some ways, it was much worse.

Giving up nearly 400 yards and 24 1st downs to a team that did not have its starting QB is not good enough in a home game in which you are favored. Yes, gross numbers are not always useful, especially when you have a double-digit lead, but we all saw the 1st half when Washington had 14 1st downs and 225 yards. In other words, the Commanders slowed way down when they lost Jayden Daniels on a play where Dallas really did nothing to dismiss him from the game.



Zero sacks and one takeaway is not good enough; five explosive plays is too many. Add in two more that were 18 yards each and probably four more that were not completed or not verified with replay, and we are now looking at as many as 10 explosive plays, which is very, very poor.

Also, this is the 32nd-best 3rd-down defense right now, and with Jaxson Dart, Jayden Daniels, and Marcus Mariota doing all of the converting, that is not exactly Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.

So, the defense is not terribly close, and they must face their boogeymen on Sunday in Brazil as Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry meet them in Rio de Janeiro. On Friday, we will review how last time went against that dynamic duo.

But, they did get a few stops. Technically, five stops, but in reality, more like one stop per half. That is not great, but the offense has to make it work.



An average NFL game is roughly 10 possessions per team. For whatever reason, these two games have been lower with each team getting the ball around eight times.

The plan would be to get one stop per half and force two field goals. If you do that, the math works out to roughly 26 points against and like we said yesterday, they need to get to 30.

Now, it will never work out that well, but that is our path to winning games. Bake in as many as six scores for the opponent per game, but only two or three touchdowns can make 31 points win. Not pretty and not preferred, but it is a reasonable goal to reach here as the first step to building this defense properly.

An Explanation of my Disposition​

I want to put this in here because during Cowboys season, I get called a homer and a hater from time to time. Obviously, those are opposite terms, but people get mad about their favorite football team and sometimes take it out on their local media member.

If you have listened to me for almost 30 years and/or read me for almost 20 years, you know I am not a homer, but also not a hater. If I am either, I prefer to slant a bit to the homer side because I like fun football teams and want to see good and interesting outcomes. If you want someone to “rip them a new one” every time they disappoint us, you might find this reading to become a bit of a beat-down over time. If the football is depressing, you might not want to read an incredibly negative review all the time.

I have found I can find positives in all the negatives, and I can find negatives in the positives. I am inspired by coaches who take this approach. When we win, there are things we didn’t do well, and when we lose, some players still did a nice job.

I know you have many choices for Cowboys coverage, but I am very appreciative that you picked this one. I hope my upbeat approach that looks for good things amidst the bad is an approach that makes even mediocre teams and seasons somewhat enjoyable.

Negativity is appropriate at times, but some people cannot discuss any Cowboys topic without it flooding in, and I find that tiresome from an editorial tone standpoint.

Defensive Positivity Against Washington​

OK, it wasn’t great, but when people ask “What makes you think this is any better than 2024 or 2025?” I answer with a few names, in this order:

1. Caleb Downs
2. Donovan Ezeiruaku
3. Jaishawn Barham
4. Malachi Lawrence
5. Shavon Revel

These are my young core – in this order. In 2024, you had none of these guys. In 2025, you had one of them before Thanksgiving, just Donovan Ezeiruaku.

Now, you have all five and combined, they played 223 snaps on Sunday. That is excellent news because all five are starter-caliber and several can be “plus-starters” to show how high this ceiling can ultimately be by the end of the season and the near future.

So, it gives me great joy to point out that I thought all three of the top players on this board had excellent games or at least flashed quite a bit. Let’s look at Caleb Downs key plays:

Caleb Downs, No. 13 - Week 2​

For me, the goal of Caleb Downs in September of his rookie season is to be around the ball, look the part, make a few plays, learn a few lessons, and get comfortable.

And here we are through two weeks and we have seen him get a sack, force a fumble, get a tackle for loss, knock out the ball with a big hit, and even get near recovering another fumble. They are blitzing him and covering him and playing him at the line and in the secondary. He looks the part.

Yes, he had some issues of confusion and coverage was not perfect. But, I really find him to be a piece that is convincing and exciting. This is the best young piece on your defense.

Jaishawn Barham, No. 55 - Week 2​

I am really impressed with Barham. Really impressed.


Just look for the big LB with the big hair and watch him seek and destroy. Play downhill, play with violence. Get under blocks, and end plays. Barham responded well and fights his tail off. Again, it wasn’t perfect, but it shows you what he might be. And what he might be is a real dude at middle linebacker that has the power and ballast to do the job better than anyone on this roster.

Then, he forced the takeaway that swung the game? He fires through the line on running plays in a way I have not seen in forever. This is not Kenneth Murray anymore. And, no disrespect, but this is no DeMarvion Overshown, either. This guy brings the pain.

He also looks like he was exhausted and perhaps even out of game shape, slightly. So, he will get better there. He also vomited twice before a 3rd Quarter play and I feel like you need to see it, even if you don’t want to.

Viewer discretion is advised - Push play if you dare.

So, what is up with Quinnen Williams?​

Perhaps you heard that the Cowboys spent $105m a few weeks ago on the superstar DT that the entire league admires and validates as a stud.

Predictably, fans are waiting to see shock and awe to see the showpiece that they basically wanted to make us forget Micah Parsons. But, the Quinnen Williams show has not been quite as inspiring as many of you had hoped.

Let’s take a look at his reel from Sunday.


The first snap was awesome. TFL. Will take that. He is in the middle of the chaos quite a bit , but the run plays are not being disrupted enough and then there is a two play-sequence where he appears to get pancaked (0:55) and then the next play thrown (1:06). Brandon Coleman will not soon forget that sequence, but it has people concerned that “he isn’t right” to have that happen on back to back plays.

Then, the discussion started about whether this scheme fits his abilities well and I think it is way too early to discuss that – especially since the team has traded a 1st, a 2nd, and committed about 160m to get him. If they don’t have the correct scheme to use their best player, then this place is even more screwed than we first thought.

I think he will be just fine, but yes, you would like to see more than that from him. They need him to be great.

FILM STUDY​

Lots of tape to look at this week!

1Q - 8:48 - 3-5-WAS 24 - J.Daniels pass short right to R.White to WAS 26 for 2 yards (J.Barham). DAL-P.Locke was injured​

I applaud Washington’s sense of humor on their first 3rd down of the day as they attack the flat in front of Jaishawn Barham after what happened to him against the Giants at the end of the day. I suppose it could also be pure coincidence, but I would doubt it. Jaishawn had waited all week for this moment, so you had to feel confident he would close on Rashaad White and end the first series with the simple goal achieved of “get off the field” right away.

1Q -​

Ok, the first play-action fake to the right side of the screen and when Jayden rolls out against the grain, we see Kenny Clark really biting down the line (with some help from Washington) and that leaves a huge opening for Jayden to go get an easy conversion on his feet. This was a foreshadowing of what was coming in the 2nd Quarter. The Cowboys seemed to find the containment of Daniels to be a low priority at first.

1Q -​

So, they have Washington in a nice hole here on 3rd and 18. They will play a safe zone and get their 2nd stop in two series here with a decent defensive snap. The Cowboys put the rookies out to rush the passer as 99-LT Overton and 57-Malachi Lawrence join 40-Von Miller and 91-Otito Ogbonnia. Overton with a quick win, but he overshoots Daniels and Lawrence doesn’t get the right angle to finish the play, so Daniels sets up and fires a ball to McLaurin past the sticks. 3rd and 18 should hit about 5% of the time, so this was not a great one to concede so easily.

1Q -​

Sometimes, you might just say, “Jayden is just a special athlete” when you look at this play where your starting pass rush is back out there and they seem to do almost everything right. The coverage is quite good as well and Jayden thinks about that shallow crosser, but now his pocket is breaking down. I would say 92-Quinnen Williams has the best shot on him and 7-Rashan Gary is keeping him contained until they both decide to go for the kill and that is where Jayden wiggles out of trouble with quickness and leaves both in the dust. He is tough to corral and this one was another 3rd down where he defies the Xs and Os.

2Q - 9:12 -2-6-WAS 38 - J.Daniels scrambles up the middle to DAL 42 for 20 yards (J.Thompson).​

Now, Jayden is looking for chances to scramble because it has worked a few times. Caleb Downs is going to bring a blitz pressure here and the Commanders pick it up nicely. Then, 92-Quinnen and 97-Clark run a twist right in front of Daniels, but somehow both allow a window right between them as most of this rep is solid. I am going to speculate with the Cover 3 behind it that this is Barham’s assignment that he over-runs with the cross-action TE and he should remain more center so Daniels has to run right at him. Once Jayden has the angle, you probably aren’t running him down if you are a LB who ran about a 4.6.

2Q -​

This is the first of the many “almost” moments for Washington. Von Miller and Malachi Lawrence are the edges, but Daniels has time enough to step up and fire a solid ball to McLaurin again who has an angle on DaRon Bland. It looks like a touchdown and is called a touchdown, but in the end we will give Bland a PBU splash for barely breaking it up and causing it to fall incomplete. It was not a very convincing pass breakup or coverage rep from Bland, but he got away with it. Also, 34-Jalen Thompson in center field on this Cover 3 might need to drop a bit deeper so his angle is better on his help. Close call.

2Q - 7:55 - 3-2-DAL 34 - R.White up the middle to DAL 27 for 7 yards (M.Bell).​

Ok, this is that Quinnen Williams rep that folks are a bit disturbed by and suggesting that “he doesn’t look right” as he is thrown out of the way by Washington’s backup LT 74-Brandon Coleman from TCU. Its a 3rd and 2, so they don’t need much movement, but Quinnen looks really off-balance here or out of position and for a player of his caliber to be thrown like that and to concede that 3rd down almost entirely because of that, was not a great piece of film to see. Donovan Ezeiruaku is on the edge and could have pinched that in some, but for me, this is 92 with one of the worst reps I have ever seen from him. It happens, but you don’t like to see it.

2Q - 6:40 - 2-4-DAL 4 - J.Daniels pass short left to S.Diggs for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.​

There were a few moments in this game where you nodded at DFW guy and Washington OC David Blough and congratulated him on catching the Cowboys trying to get Caleb Downs to chase Stefon Diggs in man coverage on the goal-line. The motion reveals the coverage, but you might even notice that Downs gets there late already, so when Diggs moves slightly, Washington is excited to get the play snapped before the rookie can recover at all. Once they get it done, it is over and the touchdown is scored. Aside from scheming up some help for this, it is always going to be very tough for Downs to handle this on the goal-line. Good scheme from Blough.

2Q - 4:20 - 2-1-WAS 44 - J.Daniels pass incomplete deep right to T.Burks.​

This is one of the most common Cover 3 beaters you will see out of play-action and 12 personnel. First the play-fake and then Daniels just reads the safety in single-high which is Jalen Thompson again. This would normally be Malik Hooker and he is probably better at this, but you have a go route from Treylon Burks and then a deep over from McLaurin. The read is pretty simple, if the safety drops to Burks, Daniels hits the over to McLaurin. If the safety dives on McLaurin, then going up top to Burks. Meanwhile, Cobie Durant is hoping for help over the top and none comes, so Burks is wide open. The 5-man pressure doesn’t get very close to Daniels and he just misses this throw. You would not expect this to be anything but a touchdown at this level so this game should probably be 17-17 right here.

2Q - 2:51 - 2-9-WAS 49 - J.Daniels scrambles right end to DAL 42 for 9 yards (C.Downs)​

Lots to see here, as Dallas has a blitz schemed up that has Barham coming free but he is picked up wonderfully by the RB and that gives Daniels a chance to escape because everyone got too upfield again. 40-Miller and 90-Bullard do not cooridinate their rush and Daniels is out of there quickly. This is where you want to see Caleb Downs finish this play, but again, Daniels is special, too. He moves the chains again. Unfortunately, this would be his last big moment as his injury would hit after that and I am not interested in reviewing that cut again.

So, here comes Marcus Mariota for the 2nd half.

3Q - 14:27 - 2-6-WAS 44 - M.Mariota pass short right to T.McLaurin to DAL 30 for 26 yards (J.Thompson; J.Barham).​

This play is upsetting because it cannot be this easy to go get an explosive against this defense. I need 28-Shavon Revel to tackle and play more physical and I bet the Cowboys do, too. This is a simple Cover 3 zone and the way he acts with McLaurin is a very bothersome moment. He is not set to tackle and really gives me very little of anything and lets someone else do it. I need much better here from 28 because this nonsense right out of the locker-room is not going to work. Revel can take a starting corner job, but not if he makes Trevon Diggs look physical.

3Q -​

So, now Revel has been noticed, so Washington wants to go after him. This is another moment where on a 2nd down, the Commanders will take another shot. This time, not much pressure so Mariota has a comfortable throw into Dyami Brown vs Revel. Revel is in a decent position but doesn’t really find the ball and in my mind, this is a touchdown once Brown gets his knee down. Instead, it is incomplete in the scorebook. But, you can see that this is a league that can punish no real pass pressure. Dallas will force a field goal here, so that point swing was significant.

3Q -​

Here is the big moment for Dallas and Washington thinks they have them all caught up for a screen play on their drives starter. LB 55-Barham is on his read nicely and closes down Dyami Brown well, plus gets the ball out. From there, Caleb Downs slides in but Dee Winters recovers it at the last second. Huge takeaway and it sets up a Dallas touchdown that kills the game. If the defense can do this once in a while, everything changes quickly. Heck of a moment for the rookie LB.

3Q -​

This is called, “Donovan Ezeiruaku is a good pass rusher, but will only prove it when he can close the deal.” Here, Eze has two different shots at a sack and Mariota gets away twice. It falls incomplete, but at this point of the game, the Cowboys are getting pass pressure. But, still, no sacks to show for it at all.

3Q - 4:11​

Here again, Malchi Lawrence and LT Overton (he was solid!) are two rookies that both look promising in getting a pass rush, but finish these plays. The QBs in this league are good at moving in the pocket and getting a throw away. These reps are showing that the Cowboys are not that far away from a few finishing plays. The pass pressure is better than Week 1.

3Q - 2:49​

Rashan Gary has been quiet in these first two weeks and I promised him to be better than quiet. Here is a rep where he draws a holding penalty and then closes down the play as well. I see enough players in this defensive front who are disruptive that I am going to give them a few more weeks before we hit any pass rush panic button. Just have to finish these plays. The pressure is much better this week since the opponent actually was forced to pass.

SPLASH PLAYS - WEEK 2​

Let me know if you think we missed any. We missed a few last week, so we got to get back on our game.

Conclusions​

I thought the defense was passable, but mostly because the offense had given them so much wiggle room. They need that right now. They need this crutch and while we hope they won’t always need it, they do at this point.

So, let’s continue to monitor the situation weekly and watch the growth of things.

But, yes, the Ravens challenge is coming and we will be all over it on Friday.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Texas Ace]

This is not Kenneth Murray anymore. And, no disrespect, but this is no DeMarvion Overshown, either. This guy brings the pain.

When Overshown returns, he needs to be moved out to WILL where his skillset belongs......at least until he suffers another inevitable injury.

If this team is going to trade for anyone, it should be a LB.

I look at EZ and Lawrence and see guys who at least have the potential to be good pass rushers.

At LB, you have Barham and a bunch of JAGs.

I'd put LB above pass rusher today as our most important need on defense.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

When Overshown returns, he needs to be moved out to WILL where his skillset belongs......at least until he suffers another inevitable injury.

If this team is going to trade for anyone, it should be a LB.

I look at EZ and Lawrence and see guys who at least have the potential to be good pass rushers.

At LB, you have Barham and a bunch of JAGs.

I'd put LB above pass rusher today as our most important need on defense.

I agree, to me Barham is a guy who is going to get better every single week. And you see the fit and the potential at LBer with him that makes him an excellent fit for this defensive scheme. Let Overshown and Winters fill the other spot. They can rotate or you can make Winters a subpackage guy until Overshown inevitably gets hurt again. Winters has not impressed me to this point. I knew he wasn't going to be overly physical but I at least thought his speed would show out a little bit. But so far it hasn't stood out at all. He is just a guy back there kind of cleaning up tackles 5-7 yards down the field and blowing coverage.

 

[Smitty]

Literally amazing that he asks the question “what makes you think this defense can be better than 2024 or 2025, and proceeds to list 5 player names… and none of them are Quinnen Williams.