3 important building blocks for Cowboys putrid defense are taking hold

It’s hard not to be upset about the state of the Dallas Cowboys defense over the last 21 games. The offense, led by quarterback Dak Prescott and the NFL's best wide receiver duo, has been a top-five unit. The offense is Super Bowl caliber, and the phase of the team that will carry Dallas to victories, but the defense has consistently been one of the worst units in the league.

The defense has an all-new coaching staff in 2026, running a new scheme with a rookie defensive play-caller and multiple new starters and depth pieces. This situation gives fans hope that the unit will improve as the coaching staff gains experience and the players gel. The question is whether or not it's started yet, four weeks into the year?

Third-down defense

One of the key issues in 2025

was the defense's inability to get off the field on third downs, allowing 47.3% coversions for opponents. This season they are allowing an even worse 52%; so how can this be an improvement? It’s because after that number was 82% in Week 1 — and that included a game-ending kneel down.

Dallas has been good in this area the last two games, holding the Baltimore Ravens to 3-of-9 and the Houston Texans to 3-of-10. A combined rate of 32% on third down the last two weeks would put them in the top five for the season. Overall, it might look poor, but with the addition of Joey Porter Jr. and returning players like Cobie Durant and P.J. Locke, if the Cowboys continue their third-down defense at the rate they have held teams the last two games, they’ll be a good defense quickly.

Stopping opposing running backs

Dallas was bullied by the New York Giants in Week 1. They ran the ball 37 times for 165 yards, and their running backs ran 26 times for 182 yards. The 5.7-yard average is an embarrassment for the defense. In Week 2, the run defense improved. Dallas allowed 32 attempts for 182 yards overall and 24 carries for 110 yards to the running backs. The yards per carry fell from 5.6 for New York to 4.6 against the Washington Commanders.

The more significant improvements came in Week 3 and Week 4. The Ravens' run game was impressive with the QB added, but their running backs were only okay. They took 31 handoffs for 122 yards, under 4 yards per attempt, and the Houston Texans' running backs took 16 attempts for only 46 yards, an average of under 3 yards per attempt. This is a massive improvement for a team desperate to play well against the run to set up a more successful passing defense.

Three-and-out defense

Getting the Cowboys' offense the ball back quickly, increasing their possessions and time with the ball, is a key to success for the Dallas defense, and that didn’t go well early. The Giants went without a three-and-out all game in Week 1. The defense hardly got a stop, let alone a three-and-out. In the next game, Dallas got a three-and-out against the Commanders on their opening drive with starting quarterback Jayden Daniels at the helm, but it was the only one.

The game against the Ravens was a breakout performance. The Cowboys defense had four three-and-outs in that contest, including two fourth-down stops causing turnovers.The game against the Texans featured two three-and-outs and two other drives that ended after four plays. Going from one three-and-out in two contests to two turnovers on downs in one game is absolutely an improvement. If Dallas can get three of those from the defense every game, the offense should carry them to many victories.

You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 important building blocks for Cowboys putrid defense are taking hold