"Matt Eberflus, known for his predominantly zone-based scheme, flipped the script vs. Washington - running man coverage on over 45% of snaps. The result: a pick-six, four sacks, and a 45.7 passer rating in man coverage as Dallas dominated without Malik Hooker or Trevon Diggs. Cowboys' Defensive Revival When the Dallas Cowboys took the field against the Washington Commanders, few expected such a dominant defensive performance - especially without Malik Hooker and Trevon Diggs anchoring the secondary."
"Eberflus, long known for his predominantly zone-based system, changed course. Instead of relying on spot-drop coverage and soft zone looks, he unleashed a man-heavy attack - calling man coverage on more than 45% of defensive snaps, the highest rate of the season. The impact was immediate. While in man coverage, the Commanders' passing game completely collapsed: That shift let the defense play fast, physical, and instinctive - finally matching scheme with talent."
"Rookies Shemar James and Donovan Ezeiruaku recorded their first career sacks, while Jadeveon Clowney and Kenneth Murray also each recorded one. For good measure, James forced a fumble when he got to Jayden Daniels, and Clowney recovered the fumble. There was a lot made of the secondary playing better in man coverage against Washington, but the pass rush deserves as much credit."
Matt Eberflus abandoned a mostly zone-based approach and called man coverage on over 45% of defensive snaps. The Cowboys produced a pick-six, four sacks, and held opponents to a 45.7 passer rating in man coverage. The man-heavy strategy allowed defenders to play faster, more physical and more instinctive, which pressured the quarterback into hesitation. Rookies Shemar James and Donovan Ezeiruaku recorded their first career sacks, while Jadeveon Clowney and Kenneth Murray also tallied sacks; James forced a fumble that Clowney recovered. The shift to man coverage revitalized the pass rush and compensated for the absence of Malik Hooker and Trevon Diggs.
Read at Inside The Star
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