As the NFL season enters its fourth week, the Dallas Cowboys’ defense has unquestionably risen to the occasion.
Under the leadership of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, this unit has demonstrated its prowess, ranking second in Expected Points Added (EPA) per play and fourth in success rate in 2023.
Notably, the Cowboys’ pass coverage leads the league in expected points, and the team as a whole stands second in total takeaways.
Few would dispute their claim to being one of the finest defenses, if not the best, in the NFL this season. While there have been occasional lapses in run defense, this is a comprehensive unit blessed with both depth and star power.
However, the Cowboys’ defense is now about to face its toughest challenge yet, based on their upcoming strength of schedule. Despite the caliber of their opponents in the first four weeks, the true gauntlet lies ahead.
Starting in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys will confront the most daunting remaining schedule in the NFL.
The 49ers boast the league’s second-ranked offense, while the Chargers are close behind at fourth. Subsequently, Dallas will take on the eighth-ranked Rams and the 10th-ranked Eagles, setting up a four-game stretch against top-10 offenses.
After a post-Thanksgiving showdown with the seventh-ranked Seahawks, the Cowboys will once again face the Eagles, followed by clashes with the third-ranked Bills and the top-ranked Dolphins.
This challenging stretch marks yet another four-game sequence against top-10 offenses.
While the Dallas defense has been dominant this season, it’s crucial to note that they have only faced one top-10 offense thus far, and that opponent, the Arizona Cardinals (ranked ninth), had little difficulty against the Cowboys’ defense.
All three of the Cowboys’ victories this season have come against bottom-five offenses, which means they have yet to be truly tested.
However, that is about to change as they prepare to confront a series of formidable offenses in the coming weeks.
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense may be riding high on its early-season success, but the trials that lie ahead will truly measure its mettle.
The path to sustaining their impressive defensive performance will require them to prove themselves against some of the NFL’s most potent offensive units.