Cowboys’ Quinnen Williams’ has perfect response to franchise expectations originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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New Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams knows that he is being looked at as a sort of savior for Matt Eberflus’ defense, but he knows he isn’t alone.
The defense has been awful for most of the 2025 season, but now, with Williams coming in to anchor the defensive line alongside Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark, the Cowboys appear to finally have a group capable of stopping the run.
Although we were told the trade of Micah Parsons would help with that, Dallas still gives up 143 rushing yards per game, so there’s that.
But when asked what sort of player the fans are getting, Williams gave the ideal response, one that will be welcomed by Cowboy Nation.
“Actions speak louder than words when it come down to that statement,” Williams said. “I hang my hat on being disruptive, dominant, and rushing the passer. This year, I’ve been taking a step forward and stopping the run.
“I’ve been reading a lot of stuff on Dallas stopping the run, so having the opportunity to come here and help those guys out of that and just help turn this thing around is going to be unbelievable for me.”
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Can Williams fix horror run defense?
Well, he won’t make it worse.
Allowing 143 yards per game on the ground ranks the Cowboys 29th in the NFL, and that has been a long-standing problem over the years. Dallas just gets steamrolled.
Yes, there have been times where the run defense has been good, but against the top teams, the Cowboys get gashed. Williams, along with linebacker Logan Wilson, in theory, should help with that.
With Dallas on its bye week, Williams will get two weeks to learn Matt Eberflus’ defense and fully immerse himself in the playbook so when it comes to taking on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11, he can hit the ground running.
Many have scoffed at the trade, but to fix a defense that has so many holes, you have to start somewhere —so why not start with an All-Pro defensive tackle with skins on the wall who is a game wrecker?
