The Dallas Cowboys suffered their second-straight loss after falling to the San Francisco 49ers 30-24 in Week 8’s edition of “Sunday Night Football.”
A big reason for Dallas’ recent struggles has been the absence of two of their top defenders, Micah Parsons (ankle) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), due to injuries.
Parsons has proven to be the centerpiece of a top Cowboys defense since joining the team in 2021. He has led the team in sacks over the past three years, not to mention being the only member of the defense that has recorded over ten sacks in a season, which Parsons has done three times.
Lawrence, on the other hand, has been one of Dallas’ best run defenders throughout his 11-year NFL career. Without their two stars, the Cowboys have allowed nearly 500 rushing yards over the past three games.
However, the Cowboys suffered a big setback before the season even began as defensive end Sam Williams was ruled out for the year with a knee injury.
Still, even without playing a single game this season, the NFL has suspended Williams for three games without pay for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
The suspension went into effect starting with the 49ers loss and will go through Weeks 9 and 10 when the Cowboys face the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Williams will be eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11.
Williams joined the Cowboys as the No. 56 pick in the 2022 NFL draft following three years with the Ole Miss Rebels. The 25-year-old showed promise in his first two seasons, recording 48 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The third-year pass rusher was expected to take on a bigger role for the Cowboys this season with the departure of multiple pass rushers in the offseason, including Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr., but his time will have to wait.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
The Cowboys have now fallen to 3-4 on the season and are in the midst of one of the toughest portions of their schedule, which includes seven consecutive games against playoff-caliber teams.
Although Williams won’t be able to help Dallas turn their season around, the return of Parsons and Lawrence, along with cornerback Daron Bland, could.
