The Dallas Cowboys got back to their winning ways on Monday night with a 33-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. After a poor two performances, losing Marshawn Kneeland and acquiring new faces on defense, a lot was going on around The Star. Fortunately, the team rallied and got a much-needed bounce-back win.
The game attracted a lot of attention on the defensive side of the ball. Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson made their debuts after being acquired at the trade deadline, and DeMarvion Overshown returned from injury, along with rookie Shavon Reveal.
Some of the new faces saw their stock rise immediately, while others had a bounce-back performance. These players deserve more attention after this win.
3 Cowboys who are seeing their stock rise after win over the Raiders
1. Quinnen Williams
Jerry Jones did not play around at the trade deadline this time. He sent some draft picks and first-round bust Mazi Smith to the New York Jets in exchange for Pro Bowler Quinnen Williams. Many believed he would make an immediate impact alongside Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa.
His Cowboys' debut proved that. Williams led all interior defensive linemen in tackles and he even picked up his first sack with his new team. The former Jet also led all defensive players in quarterback hits with five and had a 21.4% pass rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.
Needless to say, Jones was all smiles in the owner's box as the camera showed after his first sack. The Cowboys desperately needed to shore up their bottom-barrel run defense. It's only one game, but Williams looks like he will be a big part of the improvement there.
While the defensive line still needs to find that edge rusher who can produce even a fraction of what Micah Parsons gave them, beefing up the interior of the line with proven players is a strong start. The move itself might have come too late for this season, but Brian Schottenheimer now has a solid piece on defense to build around.
Williams is highly regarded as one of the best defensive tackles in the league. For Dallas to get him was a big move, and just based on his first game, it seems like a winning one.
2. DaRon Bland
After getting literally put on ice skates by Marvin Harrison Jr. a few weeks back, Bland had a big bounce-back game. Sure, the Raiders just traded No. 1 receiver Jakobi Meyers, but a "get right game" is always welcome. Bland showed some of the same fire in this game as he had in his best game against Washington.
He led all defensive backs in tackles with 10 and had two pass breakups, one nearly being an interception. Matt Eberflus' scheme has been heavily criticized all season for having his defensive backs play too far off the receivers. While they did still play zone in the Raiders' game, Bland set the tone early.
Bland had airtight coverage on Tre Tucker, preventing the Raiders' offense from gaining momentum early. One of his pass breakups came on the team's second drive when he played the ball well, not allowing Tucker to get to it on a long second-down play. Instead, the Raiders had to settle for a field goal, and Dallas scored shortly after to seize control of the game.
Bland is still working his way back to Pro Bowl form, but he played his best game in weeks on Monday night. Cowboys fans might still be wondering if the huge contract extension was an overpay, but it is better to have Bland healthy and on the field than not.
3. Donovan Ezeiruaku
Rookie pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku had another solid game. When Parsons was traded, the rookie was immediately looked at as a pass rusher for the future. He finally picked up his first sacks earlier in the year, but Monday night, he had his first signature moment.
With the Cowboys cruising their way to a victory, the Raiders had to start a drive at their own two-yard line. Ashton Jeanty got the handoff and was immediately met by Ezeiruaku in the end zone, giving Dallas a safety and erasing any hope of a comeback. The play marked another step in Ezeiruaku gaining more confidence going forward.
Lately, Ezeiruaku has been generating more pass rush pressure and is starting to emerge on a defensive line that's looking for future starters on the edge. Right now, the former Boston College Eagle looks like an absolute steal as the No. 44 overall pick. He's arguably been the best rookie EDGE in the NFL this season, and he looks like a future star in the league.