Sunday's defensive performance against the league's top ranked offense, the Philadelphia Eagles, was a day to build confidence and for the young players, gain valuable experience.
“Well I think you have to give it players and the assistant coaches,” says Head Coach Bill Parcells. “They came up with a good plan, and they executed it pretty well. But this is early on here in the race, folks, so, I don't think you need to get the hats and horns out yet.”
But it is worthy of mention, anytime a defense allows the Eagles just 129-yards total offense, the fewest yards for a Cowboys defense against any team, since 1996. The 19-yards allowed on the ground ranks fourth best in club history.
“Thing is we need to continue to feed on that confidence, and just know that we can go out there and compete, with high level teams,” says Cowboys Cornerback Aaron Glenn. “I mean it give you a lot of joy, you know to go out there and play the way we did against this Eagle team.”1
Cowboys Safety Roy Williams says, “I mean there is always something you can learn and build on, from every game. But this game, it was a good game for us, I know it built a lot of confidence in a lot of young players, and some of the veterans that are here, so I mean, it was a good game for us.”
The Cowboys changed their defense during the off season, and now after five regular season games, things are improving. But is that the real reason?
“I can't put my finger on it,” says Defensive End Greg Ellis. “Bill may be able to, but whatever it is, we need to take that approach, every game, obviously.”
Sunday’s game was also good for Dallas’ defensive ranking. The Cowboys jumped from twenty-third, to tenth overall in the league. That's a giant step for a defense that went philosophical changes, not very long ago, and a defense that never ranked higher than fifteenth last year.
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