Mailbag: Lessons to learn from Super Bowl teams? – Staff, DallasCowboys.com
“Defense wins championships” proved true yet again on Sunday. Is this a lesson the Cowboys can learn soon?
Patrik: The biggest lesson is that defense can win championships, period. And I say “can” because most leave that word out of the adage, but it applies in Dallas, because the Cowboys’ offense could likely win a championship if only its defense was also as good — or even anywhere near it. That’s the point of doing away with Matt Eberflus after only one season and bringing in a fresh, young fast-riser
in Christian Parker, and from the Eagles, no less, to try and finally get the Cowboys’ defense to contender status.
Both the Patriots and Seahawks had defenses that led them to the Promised Land and, for about three and one-third quarters, New England’s kept the trophy within reach; but Seattle’s never relented and that’s the other lesson here: football is decided in four quarters, not three, two or one … and the Cowboys need to remember that as well, given their inconsistencies in 2025.
Tommy: Defense wins championships. It’s how both teams got there. Sure, their offenses have spectacular players and I’m not trying to takeaway from that whatsoever. When I think of what wins in the playoffs though, it’s what helped New England shut down Denver on the road: their defense. It’s what helped the Seahawks cruise against the 49ers in the divisional round: their defense.
DeMarcus Lawrence drops truth bomb on Cowboys fans after Seahawks’ Super Bowl win – Todd Brock, The Cowboys Wire
DeMarcus Lawrence called his shot, and the Seahawks defense dominated in a Super Bowl victory.
“Dallas is my home,” Lawrence famously said after signing with the Seahawks in free agency, “but I know for sure I’m not going to win a Super Bowl there.”
Now he has after just one season in Seattle. Lawrence posted two tackles, a QB hit, a defended pass, and a forced fumble as part of a smothering Seahawks defense nicknamed the “Dark Side” that maintained a shutout into the fourth quarter of Sunday’s contest.
Afterward, while celebrating in the locker room with his new Seahawks teammates, Lawrence was asked what he would say to Cowboys fans who cheered him on for the first 11 years of his pro career.
He echoed his earlier sentiment from the spring.
“I appreciate all my fans that supported me through it all, but at the end of the day, players win championships,” Lawrence told Josina Anderson of Exhibit News Network, “not logos. Don’t ever get it twisted.”
Ouch.
4 Cowboys who could have breakout seasons in 2026 – LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys are expected to target defense heavily in the draft, but getting some breakout young players would go a long way too.
Shemar James
Let’s start with the defense. Shemar James had an uneven rookie season. He was pressed into playing almost 60 percent of the offensive snaps, and by season’s end, his head was spinning. It didn’t help that his veteran linebacker counterparts struggled as poorly as they did, putting James in some difficult positions.
However, he did gain plenty of experience out of the gate as a fifth-round pick. James had nearly 100 tackles last season, including 15 against the New York Jets. He should adjust better at recognizing defenses and route combinations in zone coverage in his second year. James has a solid foundation of physical traits to succeed; he just needs more time and more stable coaching. He should get some time in the rotation.
Shavon Revel
The Cowboys are counting on Shavon Revel to be better than he was last season. The most troublesome area for the Cowboys heading into this year is cornerback. Dallas was ravaged by injury and threw whatever healthy bodies they could find to cover outside the numbers. Caelen Carson has yet to claim a role, and although the Cowboys paid a hefty sum to DaRon Bland, you could also make the case that nickel is his better position. Dallas has their eyes set on a cornerback in the draft, but Revel is the prototype corner that Dallas and many teams would like to have in the draft.
Revel has length and is ideal as a press-man cornerback with his long arms and speed. Another year removed from an ACL injury should see Revel regain some of his athleticism. Fortunately for him, Christian Parker has helped many cornerbacks find their way in the NFL and may be able to do the same for Revel. You hate to say that Revel is in for a make-or-break year with the Cowboys, yet where the Cowboys are at cornerback, the future is now, and there may be no other choice but for Revel to thrive in the position he’s in.
Why the Cowboys need to mirror Seahawks’ approach at one critical spot – Marcus Mosher, The Landry Hat
The Cowboys have a free agency decision to make about Javonte Williams at running back this offseason.
The Dallas Cowboys would be wise to pass on paying big money for RB
One of the most convincing trends over the 12 Super Bowls is how teams manage the running back position and the cap. Since 2014, no running back has accounted for more than 1.5% of a team’s respective salary cap during that Super Bowl-winning season. In fact, eight of the 12 leading running backs for the Super Bowl-winning team accounted for less than 1.0% of the team’s cap that season.
The last running back to have a cap hit of more than 1.5% was Marshawn Lynch during the 2013 season and his number was an astonishing 6.2%. But since then, we’ve seen a long list of teams who won the Super Bowl (and those who fell one game short) limit the amount of cap space used on the position.
Admittedly, cap hit percentage isn’t the best way to judge a running back’s value on the cap, but it’s the best way to easily display it. And whether you use cash paid, base salary, cap hit, or whatever metric, you can make the same conclusion: paying a running back a ton of money isn’t a wise way to build a Super Bowl champion.
We just saw the Seahawks win a Super Bowl behind Kenneth Walker, a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Who could Super Bowl champion Seahawks face to kick off 2026 season? – Kevin Patra, NFL.com
The Cowboys being in the kickoff game against the defending Super Bowl champions for the second season in a row would certainly be something.
Next season, Seattle hosts the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.
Here are my top four matchups for the Seahawks to begin their Super Bowl defense in 2026’s NFL Kickoff Game:
Dallas CowboysHate them or love them, the Cowboys still bring the eyeballs. With Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, likely George Pickens, Quinnen Williams and whatever other defensive moves Dallas makes this offseason, Jerry Jones’ squad would bring the glitz to another Kickoff Game. Dak versus the Seahawks No. 1 defense would be must-see television. The question is whether the NFL puts Dallas in back-to-back Kickoff Games?
