FRISCO, Texas – Through the first eight games of the season, it goes without saying the Cowboys defense isn't where their coaching staff or players have wanted it to be. Dallas had success in the first half against the Cardinals in Week 8, but gave up four straight touchdown drives down the stretch to ultimately lose 33-30.
The natural question is why have they struggled? For Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams, the answer revolves around the word "execute," which he used over two dozen times in his interview on Wednesday.
"I think the biggest thing is execute," Williams said. "We gotta execute. We haven't been executing this whole season. We executed for three quarters, and didn't execute that last quarter, and the film says it all. I think the biggest thing we've got to focus on is execute, and continue to stack days. At the end of the day, we've got to execute."
The Cowboys feel that they've executed in flashes this season, but have yet to put together a full four quarter performance up to their standard. Their Week 8 loss the Cardinals was the closest they got, holding Arizona to three points in the first half, getting pressure on the quarterback and forcing two turnovers.
It was the second half though that took all the attention. Still, did the start to the game at least tell Williams and the defense something about what they could be if they are able to put four consistent quarters together?
"It'll tell you that we're beating ourselves as a defense," Williams said. "We're the problem. We're the reason why we're losing these games. If we execute, then we can be the reason why we win. The first three quarters is an example of the execution that we can do, and the possibility the defense that we can be if we execute. We've just got to continue to do it and do it for all four quarters."
Williams believes that the Cowboys have the right players in the locker room to overcome their struggles because of the shared experience Dallas has from veteran players, as well as some of their younger contributors.
"We've got a great group of guys in the locker room, we've got a great group of leaders, we've got a great group of guys on defense, young guys and old guys, who know how to win, who know how to execute and know how it's supposed to look when we execute," Williams said. "It's one of those situations where we can't just talk about it, we got to go out there and do it, and the actions have to be louder than words."
The Cowboys have nine games remaining in the regular season with a 3-5 record to their name. Williams believes there is enough time to get back on track, but that the focus of their actions has to be on the present.
"I think the biggest thing is just focus on today," Williams said. "Focus on executing today outside at practice, focus on executing in the meetings as we go through, focus on the communication and executing tomorrow, and attack each and every day. And also attack on Sunday, execute on Sunday. Then redo the whole entire process back over again, and just take it day by day, week by week, and lift our head up in the end."
In the last three weeks, Williams has recorded four sacks, seven tackles for loss and 14 tackles for the Cowboys defense.
"I feel like I'm going in the right direction on what I want to do, what I want to be, who I want to be, how I want to be able to affect the game," Williams said of his recent performance. "Like I said, I've got to continue to execute, continue to do the things that I know I can do to help this defense turn around and help this team win football games."
Still, Williams put the blame for Dallas' defensive struggles to execute on himself.
"I don't focus on that at all," Williams said when asked if it frustrated him that he was having personal success, but the defense as a whole hasn't been successful. "I'm a part of this defense. I'm the reason why we're giving up touchdowns in the fourth quarter. I'm the reason we haven't been stopping the run as well, and I've got to do better. I take accountability first and foremost. When it comes down to executing, I try to execute at the highest level every day and not let words be just words and let it be by action."
Up next, the Cowboys face the 2-6 Colts on the road. Indianapolis has recently traded away some of their major players, like G Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks and DL DeForest Buckner to the 49ers.
For Williams, the changes and struggles on the other side of the field don't matter because the Cowboys have their own things they need to work through. And at the end of the day, it all comes down to the all-important word: Execute.
"We've got to execute," Williams said. "That's the number one thing. No matter what they're doing, no matter what no team in the NFL is doing, the Dallas Cowboys defense has got to execute."
