2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 7-9-1
Cowboys defense
Every snap the Cowboys defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good+0.17 EPA a play allowed, 32nd of 32, and 0.19 above what the offenses they faced usually manage (32nd).
- How they playThey blitz on 27% of dropbacks, the 20th-most in the league, and get pressure on 29%.
- Where offenses find roomThrough the air: +0.24 EPA a dropback, 31st, softest intermediate middle (+1.42 a throw).
- Who hurt themMalik Nabers (NYG): 167 yards and +10.7 EPA on 13 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | +0.17 | 32nd of 32 | 2nd | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | +0.24 | 31st of 32 | 5th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | +0.05 | 29th of 32 | 11th | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 49% | 32nd of 32 | 2nd | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 12% | 31st of 32 | 5th | |
| Yards per play | 6.3 | 31st of 32 | 5th | |
| Yards per carry | 4.7 | 27th of 32 | 17th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 48% | 31st of 32 | 5th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 5.6% | 26th of 32 | 20th | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 29% | 3rd of 32 | 92nd | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 17% | 6th of 32 | 83rd | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.0% | 31st of 32 | 6th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 68% | 30th of 32 | 8th | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 2.86 | 32nd of 32 | 2nd | |
| Takeawaysper game | 0.6 | 30th of 32 | 6th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | +0.19 | 32nd of 32 | 2nd |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Cowboys. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 2 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 7 against the Commanders, 0.23 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average -0.02 a play elsewhere, the 30th-toughest schedule of offenses.
at PHIL 20-24+0.16usual +0.02
vs NYGW 40-37+0.22usual 0.00
at CHIL 14-31+0.30usual +0.07
vs GBT 40-40+0.34usual +0.09
at NYJW 37-22-0.02usual -0.14
at CARL 27-30+0.16usual -0.05
vs WASW 44-22-0.21usual +0.02
at DENL 24-44+0.39usual +0.03
vs ARIL 17-27+0.11usual -0.03
at LVW 33-16-0.22usual -0.22vs PHIW 24-21+0.06usual +0.02
vs KCW 31-28+0.25usual +0.02
at DETL 30-44+0.33usual +0.07
vs MINL 26-34+0.23usual -0.14
vs LACL 17-34+0.45usual -0.05at WASW 30-23+0.20usual 0.00at NYGL 17-34+0.12usual +0.00Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is intermediate middle: +1.42 EPA a throw against a league +0.59. The lockdown zone is intermediate right, +0.11 a throw (league +0.26). Completions against them run 6.9 points over expected, 31st-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 4.7 yards a carry against them, 27th of 32. The leak is outside left: 6.4 a carry and +0.28 EPA (league 5.0, +0.01).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 17.817th | 171.032nd | +0.5332nd-toughest | 27.21st-most33.31st-most39.31st-most |
| Tight ends | 6.812th | 51.715th | +0.3626th-toughest | 7.111th-fewest9.712th-fewest12.413th-fewest |
| Backs, receiving | 5.926th | 43.231st | +0.1023rd-toughest | 20.76th-most23.26th-most25.75th-most |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 23.31st-most23.31st-most23.31st-most |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Nabers | NYG | 13 | 167 | 2 | +10.7 |
| Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG | 10 | 142 | 1 | +10.5 |
| Rico Dowdle | CAR | 35 | 239 | 1 | +8.9 |
| Quentin Johnston | LAC | 5 | 104 | 1 | +8.7 |
| Matthew Golden | GB | 7 | 63 | +8.6 | |
| Troy Franklin | DEN | 8 | 89 | 2 | +8.6 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Third downs go the offense's way: even third-and-7+ converts at 31% (league 26%). They are stingiest in games they trail by 9+ (+0.08 a play, league +0.04) and weakest in 3rd down (+0.31, league -0.05).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 467 | +0.11 | +0.01 | +0.10 |
| 2nd down | 335 | +0.11 | +0.02 | +0.09 |
| 3rd down | 200 | +0.31 | -0.05 | +0.36 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 57 | 72% | 60% | +12 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 47 | 53% | 44% | +9 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 96 | 31% | 26% | +5 pts |
| Red zone | 191 | +0.24 | 0.00 | +0.24 |
| Two-minute drill | 117 | +0.34 | +0.03 | +0.31 |
| When they lead | 444 | +0.24 | -0.01 | +0.24 |
| One-score game | 695 | +0.23 | +0.02 | +0.21 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 160 | +0.08 | +0.04 | +0.04 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 27% of dropbacks and average 4.3 rushers; 72% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow +0.25 EPA when they blitz and +0.24 when they do not.
They put 6.5 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 7%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 5.3 a carry; into eight or more, 1.3.
Offenses throw more than usual against them: 3 points over their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains +0.26 EPA against them on 26% of throws; screens +0.01.
58 defensive penalties for 517 yards, 29 of them first downs, the 31st-fewest. They miss 10% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 23rd-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Osa Odighizuwa leads the pass rush with 30 pressures and 3.5 sacks on 63% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95Kenny ClarkNT | 68% | 14 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 36 | |
| 97Osa OdighizuwaDT | 63% | 30 | 3.5 | 23 | 6 | 43 | |
| 41Donovan EzeiruakuLB | 55% | 22 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 39 | 1 |
| 54Sam WilliamsLB | 43% | 14 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 35 | 1 |
| 90Solomon ThomasDE | 37% | 6 | 2 | 3 | 25 | ||
| 42Jadeveon ClowneyDE | 34% | 20 | 8.5 | 10 | 12 | 38 | 1 |
| 13Dante Fowler Jr.DE | 32% | 18 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 15 | |
| 53James HoustonLB | 28% | 18 | 5.5 | 13 | 6 | 35 | 1 |
| 92Quinnen WilliamsDT | 27% | 16 | 1.5 | 9 | 3 | 21 | |
| 94Marshawn KneelandDE | 15% | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
Kenneth Murray, Jr. plays 79% of the snaps with 81 tackles and 1 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59Kenneth Murray, Jr.LB | 79% | 81 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 42 | 105.7 | 7 |
| 50Shemar JamesLB | 48% | 91 | 2 | 1.5 | 7 | 34 | 101.1 | 5 |
| 0DeMarvion OvershownLB | 21% | 28 | 1 | 15 | 80.4 | 3 | ||
| 55Logan WilsonLB | 21% | 24 | 18 | 87.9 | 1 | |||
| 57Jack SanbornLB | 20% | 33 | 1 | 18 | 107.4 | 6 | ||
| 35Marist LiufauLB | 18% | 30 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 98.8 | 5 |
| 31Damone ClarkLB | 7% | 14 | 2 | 61.5 | 1 |
Trikweze Bridges is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 67.6 passer rating on 24 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6Donovan WilsonSAF | 83% | 32 | 26 of 32 | 301 | 7 | 110.1 | 2 | 5 |
| 26DaRon BlandCB | 66% | 74 | 47 of 74 | 602 | 5 | 99.8 | 1 | 6 |
| 28Malik HookerFS | 56% | 25 | 16 of 25 | 302 | 2 | 102.4 | 1 | |
| 27Reddy StewardDB | 47% | 43 | 36 of 43 | 352 | 94.1 | 3 | ||
| 35Kaiir ElamCB | 40% | 45 | 25 of 45 | 372 | 3 | 91.3 | 1 | |
| 28Trevon DiggsCB | 38% | 22 | 17 of 22 | 270 | 4 | 117.1 | ||
| 14Markquese BellSAF | 33% | 14 | 12 of 14 | 180 | 1 | 121.0 | 1 | 3 |
| 34Shavon Revel Jr.CB | 33% | 32 | 23 of 32 | 283 | 2 | 110.9 | 3 | |
| 25Trikweze BridgesDB | 22% | 24 | 10 of 24 | 131 | 2 | 67.6 | 1 | 3 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.