‘Spoke From The Heart’: Quinnen Williams Backs Up Pregame Speech With Sack, 3 Tackles For Loss In Cowboys’ Win

PHILADELPHIA — Quinnen Williams sacked Tanner McKee for an 8-yard loss in the fourth quarter Monday night, and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-21 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Williams finished with 4 tackles, 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 quarterback hit in 38 defensive snaps. His sack came on second-and-9 from the Philadelphia 17 with 5:48 left, and the Eagles turned it over on downs two plays later.

The defense did not put together a perfect game, Williams said, but the win came first.

“It’s huge. It’s huge to get in that win column. Got to go definitely watch the film, learn from it, grow from it, and move on from it,” Williams said. “We didn’t, especially as a defensive unit, we didn’t put together a perfect game or to our standard. We got to go learn from it and grow from it. But it’s amazing to get a win. We play this game to get a win, and I’m just super happy to get it.”

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday he would leave the contents of Williams’ pregame talk for Williams to share. Williams has played really good football the last two weeks, according to Schottenheimer.

“I’ll let you guys ask him about his pregame talk. He spoke from the heart, and then he went and backed it up, which is not surprising for a player of his character and caliber of talent,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday. “But he’s a guy we expect to dominate, and he has played really good football the last two weeks, and that’s important. It’s going to be a huge part of us kind of piecing this whole thing together.”

Quinnen Williams’ Pregame Message And A Night Of Tackles For Loss

Dak Prescott said Williams spoke to the team before kickoff. Dallas ran for 204 yards behind its offensive line.

“Linemen lead the way,” Prescott said. “Q did a great message to the team before the game, just talking about the O-line and the D-line, right, going and controlling the game. And on offense, that’s exactly what it was.”

Williams is closing in on a year with Dallas. He is not the only lineman with a voice in the locker room, Schottenheimer said, naming defensive tackle Kenny Clark and guard Tyler Booker.

“I think there’s a number of guys that are like that. I mean, Kenny Clark’s got a huge voice in our locker room. There’s guys that are young players that have a huge voice. Tyler Booker, could name a few more. Demo has a big voice,” Schottenheimer explained. “But I think Quinnen’s been here for almost a year now. He kind of understands how we function, and so he’s much more apt to speak his mind. And when he talks, everybody kind of stops and listens.”

Williams recovered a McKee fumble on fourth-and-1 at the Philadelphia 44 in the first quarter, but he was flagged for offside on the play, and the Eagles scored a touchdown later on the drive. He was also flagged for a neutral zone infraction on Philadelphia’s opening touchdown drive.

Schottenheimer said Monday night that Williams had been great all week.

“He’s been great all week. He was fired up about this op and did a tremendous job just wreaking havoc inside,” Schottenheimer said.

Linebacker Shemar James wore the green dot and named Williams among the players who make his job easier.

“So, I mean, just having Demo, having Q, having KC on the defensive line, I mean, it just makes my job easier,” James said. “I just tell those guys what to do, and I just do my job and watch them thrive.”

DeMarvion Overshown intercepted McKee in his first game since Week 1. Williams said the energy and speed Overshown brings lift the whole linebacker group.

“Oh, it’s unbelievable, man. The energy he brings, the speed that he’s bringing, the play style he’s bringing, that whole [linebacker] unit is amazing,” Williams explained. “I’m excited about this unit, excited about learning, excited about growing and fixing our mistakes and getting better because we got the guys in that unit, man. We got the coaching staff in that unit to be the best we can possibly be, and the sky’s the limit.”

Williams Says The Dallas Cowboys Defense Has Things To Fix

Philadelphia ran for 121 yards. Williams said the defensive line can do better when it comes to stopping the run.

“I think we’re heading in the right direction. I think that, like I said, I’ve got to watch the [film], and we’ve got to fix some things, especially up front as a D-line, especially when we come down [to] stopping the run. I feel like we can do better at that,” Williams said. “And, yeah, just watching the [film] and getting better every single week and going in the right trajectory.”

Defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Dallas in March and plays alongside Williams and Clark. Schottenheimer said Tuesday he wants the lines to be the heartbeat of the team.

“I could talk about [Otito] all day. I mean, what a terrific football player. Size, strength, balance, plays with extension, sheds blocks. He doesn’t get enough credit because he’s sitting in there with two five stars, if you will,” Schottenheimer said. “But Quinnen’s been great the last two games. Kenny, outstanding as well. But those three guys really, at the end of the day, we want the lines to be the heartbeat of our football team.”

Williams wanted to see the film before grading the defense’s night.

“I’m gonna go watch the film and then I know exactly how to answer that question,” Williams said.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and moved Dallas to 3-4. The New York Giants lead the NFC East at 4-2-1, and Williams said getting a win of any kind was exciting.

“I think just getting a win in general was exciting. Learning from it, growing from it, and moving on,” Williams said.

The focus stays on what the defense can control, according to Williams.

“I think it’s big just focus on what we can control, and then that’s getting better every single week, learning from our mistakes and building on the things that we did good and fixing the things that we did bad every single week,” Williams said. “And going in the right trajectory that we know we can be as special as a defensive unit.”

Dallas hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon CT on FOX.