LANDOVER, Md. — Don't look now, but the Dallas Cowboys are bringing a strong defense to games as of late, and what they mostly put on film in their defensive domination of the Washington Commanders serves as a crescendo of sorts — the previous two contests having seen them get off to a fast start that is not so coincidentally tied to the return of Micah Parsons.
With the All-Pro pass rusher back from injury, things have quickly turned for Mike Zimmer's group, as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels found out the hard way in Week 12, their 7-4 record not saving them from a pissed off 3-7 rival from Dallas.
It may no longer be named FedEx, but the Cowboys were definitely fed up.
"Yeah, we did a great job, but I just wish we finished better at the end," said Parsons after the win that stopped a five-game losing streak, still focused on the late-game surge Daniels' orchestrated after being suffocated for three quarters.
It was a 10-9 affair in the Cowboys' favor entering the final session, before it became one of the wildest shootouts in the history of the NFL; and that is not an exaggeration.
And when Daniels found Terry McLaurin for what turned into an 86-yard touchdown reception with less than 30 seconds in regulation, giving the Commanders a chance at tying the game with a PAT, it instantly felt as if a loss was being snatched from the jaws of victory by the Cowboys.
"Letting 'em get that touchdown at the end," said Parsons. "That really bothered me. But that's what I mean when I say we're a good team. We're slowly putting games together this time we did all three quarters. I would just like us to finish better in the fourth quarter, but we're definitely on our way to being a team that we want to be."
Austin Seibert would miss the extra point, and Juanyeh Thomas would effectively nail the coffin shut with a 43-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the onside kick attempt by Washington.
So far as stellar as the Cowboys' defense was for much of the game, it's the final few seconds that Parsons and the unit will carry forward into a short week against the New York Giants and beyond.
"Yeah, I mean obviously you feel good because you're in the position to win the game if you get another stop, but the point is you shouldn't even get there," he said of McLaurin's touchdown. "That's the reality. We shouldn't even get to hoping that they miss a field goal. … We should be able to end the game on defense, get off and take a kneel down — not all the kick returns and extra points and all that nonsense.
"We should be able to end the game."
It's that type of mentality that has helped the defense seemingly turn the corner as they try to piece together their second two-game win streak of the season when the Giants take the field at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving.
To do so, they'll have to end another unfortunate streak: six consecutive losses at home.
"Ending the [overall] losing streak is good, but what are you gonna do the next couple weeks?" said Parsons, already turning the page to Big Blue. "You can do it one time but, consistency, so do it again against the Giants."
In all, the Cowboys finished the Commanders off with four sacks on Daniels, two belonging to Parsons, a fumble recovery and two interceptions, along with a list of quarterback pressures and some of the best coverage in the secondary of the season — despite the loss of Trevon Diggs to injury, Caelen Carson being inactive and DaRon Bland being on a pitch count in his long-awaited return to the field.
There were plenty of standouts who helped break the game open for the Cowboys, including Golston, who owns the aforementioned interception — the first of his career — snatching the ball away from running back Brian Robinson Jr. on a pass attempt from Daniels in a three-point contest in the second quarter.
And that was after he returned from being treated during the game for dehydration.
"It was good that the IV bag flowed fast," Golston said jokingly, before explaining the difference as of late with defense over the previous several weeks where they struggled against the run and in the category of takeaways.
They have six takeaways in the last three games.
"Locking in on the scheme," Golston explained. "The scheme has always been a good scheme. We just weren't honing in on the details. We've been really embracing that and holding everyone accountable."
Needless to say, it's working.
