Quinnen Williams: Cowboys can still achieve season goals
FRISCO, Texas — All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said the Dallas Cowboys still can achieve their goals for the 2026 season despite a 2-4 start and a two-game slide, the team reported Oct. 22, 2026. Williams cited defensive progress, personnel additions and returning players as reasons for optimism with 11 regular-season games remaining. The comments appeared on DallasCowboys.com in a story by Patrik Walker.
The Cowboys have lost consecutive games, including defeats to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. With 11 games left in the regular season, Williams said a sustained win streak could change the club’s trajectory and emphasized the importance of getting back in the win column. He said the team must build on what it needs to build on as a defensive unit and continue to work to reach its standards.
Dallas will travel to Lincoln Financial Field for Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the team reported that the Eagles will be without Jalen Hurts for the remainder of the season because of multiple blood clots. In Hurts’ stead will be Tanner McKee and possibly a recently poached Joe Milton. Williams said the Cowboys are focusing on development and correcting mistakes rather than concentrating solely on the opposition. He added that the club must convert pressures into sacks and take advantage of turnover opportunities when they present themselves.
Williams praised cornerback Joey Porter Jr. after his debut for Dallas in a win over the Houston Texans and a strong man-coverage performance against the Packers before a sudden illness sidelined him the following week. He noted Porter Jr.’s energy, one-on-one coverage ability and the swagger he brings to the secondary. Williams also discussed the relationship between getting pressure up front and creating playmaking opportunities for the secondary. Christian Parker has made strides with the defense, and he has begun getting injured impact players back, including DeMarvion Overshown and possibly Cobie Durant.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The Cowboys’ short-term outlook rests on modest, verifiable improvements in coverage and pressure that Williams and others have highlighted. Joey Porter Jr.’s coverage work and the frontline’s ability to turn pressures into sacks would directly help the secondary create turnovers, a point Williams emphasized. The reported returns of players such as DeMarvion Overshown and possibly Cobie Durant could accelerate that progress if they materialize. With 11 games remaining, the clearest path for Dallas to salvage the season is consistent execution on the defensive standards Williams described.