'Real' Cowboys' D needs to stand up, declare itself with 4 games left

For a few weeks, the Dallas Cowboys looked like they turned things around on defense. Following the bye week additions of Quinnen Williams, Logan Wilson, Shevon Revel and DeMarvion Overshown, their much-maligned defense improved across the board, beating the likes of the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in consecutive weeks.

What was once the worst-rated defense in the NFL had suddenly become an average quality unit. The defensive line, specifically, thrived during that stretch, rising to the level of No. 1 in PFF’s game-by-game grades.

In EPA terms, the Cowboys defense ranked 21st in the league, allowing a cool 0.000 in EPA/play during that glorious stretch. At 42 percent, Dallas even rose to 11th in success rate against. They held opponents under 20 first downs in each game, a feat only accomplished twice previously in the season. And they allowed an average of just 22 points against after averaging 31 points in the nine games prior.

For the first time in years, it seemed the Cowboys defense was headed in the right direction. After beating the two Super Bowl teams from last year, it appeared their defense finally had what it took to hold up against real playoff caliber offenses.

Then the debacle in Detroit happened.

In Week 14, the Cowboys quickly reverted to the defense of old, allowing big gains, broken plays and a windfall of points to the tune of 44 big ones. 44 points against tied a season high for the Cowboys, showing all those troubles from earlier in the year might not be left in the past after all.

So, which one is the real Cowboys defense? Are they the group that put Dallas on that three-game win streak following the bye or are they the unit that accounted for the 10 other games this season?

It’s not likely Week 15 will offer many answers since this week features the Minnesota Vikings and their 29th-ranked offense. Facing a hapless Vikings squad might be just what the doctor ordered after the disappointment of last Thursday but it won’t be very telling given Minnesota’s struggles to move the ball. In fact, none of the remaining four games this season are against top-10 offenses, so it’s a question the Cowboys may have to take into the offseason, or the postseason, if they’re so fortunate.

What the Cowboys can do is play clean football and dispatch the opponents they have scheduled. Better play from the back seven is required, so are bounce-back performances from various defensive line personnel. The door is cracked, and the Cowboys need their defense if they want to slip through the crack and make noise in the postseason.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 'Real' Cowboys' D needs to stand up, declare itself with 4 games left