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Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) breaks through the Dallas Cowboys defense during the first half an NFL football game at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n
How can you tell how good the\u00a0Cowboys<\/a> actually are? Recently, three games has been a good sample size. The Cowboys have either been 1-2 or 2-1 through three games in each of the last six seasons. The three years they started 2-1 they made the postseason. The three seasons they started 1-2, they didn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n That would suggest Sunday\u2019s game against the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil is pretty important for the 1-1 Cowboys.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here are five final thoughts before the Cowboys and Ravens kickoff in Rio de Janeiro:<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Production for the money?<\/p>\n The Cowboys made it clear they traded for\u00a0Quinnen Williams last season with the future in mind. They wanted Williams to be the face of their defensive transformation and a foundation for years to come. That\u2019s why they gave up multiple picks, including a first-rounder in 2027, for Williams at the deadline before signing him this offseason to an extension worth $105.9 million in new money<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n So far, the Cowboys have struggled to stop the run. The defensive interior looks vulnerable. Williams has been no exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n Williams said after Sunday\u2019s 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders<\/a> that he\u2019s been a little \u201cbanged up,\u201d though Cowboys owner Jerry Jones later said on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) that Williams wasn\u2019t. He said Williams has played \u201coutstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n So far, Williams has seven tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and two quarterback hits in two games. He has a 49.1 grade on Pro Football Focus, which is deemed below average on their scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Regardless, it appears Williams hasn\u2019t been his dominant self. Is scheme fit to blame? Williams said last year that he was excited to reunite with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton and play in a 4-3 system again. This year, under Christian Parker, the Cowboys run a base 3-4 defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Williams has been asked to do things that a defensive tackle would normally do in both a 3-4 defense and a 4-3 front. Sometimes he\u2019s asked to read and react. Sometimes he can take his shot. He\u2019s also been one of the most double-teamed defensive tackles in the league so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s more of Quinnen is a great player,\u201d Schottenheimer said, \u201cand he\u2019s going to find his way in this system.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cowboys need him to, especially against the Ravens’ rushing attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking of the Ravens’ rushing attack …<\/p>\n Breaking news: It won\u2019t be easy to stop. I\u2019m sure that\u2019s the first you\u2019ve heard of that this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a discussion because it\u2019s such an obvious X-factor in Sunday\u2019s game. The Cowboys have allowed opposing quarterbacks to run for an average of 6.6 yards per attempt. Jaxson Dart exploited the Cowboys mostly with designed bootlegs in the season opener. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels gashed the Cowboys by escaping the pocket, even when it appeared the Cowboys were designating players or designing their pass rush lanes to limit Daniels’ rushing ability.\u00a0<\/p>\n If those two were a challenge, imagine how tough it\u2019ll be to corral one of the greatest running quarterbacks of all time?\u00a0<\/p>\n Lamar Jackson is averaging 6.7 yards per attempt on 11 carries. Running back Derrick Henry is having a lot of success, as well. He\u2019s averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He already has four touchdowns in two games.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n