Hiring Mike Zimmer was the best offseason move for the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys faced a daunting task in their first game of the season against the top defence in football, the Cleveland Browns.

However, it was the Cowboys’ defence of their best offseason acquisition that elevated them to the top of the league rankings.

The Dallas Cowboys’ hiring Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator to replace Dan Quinn was the best move they made this summer.

Flying Around

The Browns managed only 10 points before scoring a garbage-time touchdown in the last minute of the game.

This defence was flying around, making Deshaun Watson uneasy from the beginning!

Watson failed to complete a pass more than five yards downfield on seven attempts, going 0-of-4 when pressured and 0-of-4 against the blitz.

Watson’s only strength was his ability to break tackles. Micah Parsons sacked him once, but he broke free after repeated sacks by him and others on the defensive line.

Before Dak Prescott signed his contract early Sunday morning, Watson had the highest guaranteed salary in football.

He went 24-for-45 (53.5% completion rate) for 169 yards and one score (when trailing 27-3) with two interceptions. He averaged 3.8 yards per attempt and had a 51.1 passing rating.

Throughout the game, DeMarvion Overshown and Eric Kendricks exhibited lightning-fast speed in the backfield. Making tackle after tackle was really refreshing to see!

Overshown was listed as a backup on the Cowboys’ Week 1 depth chart but started on Sunday. It would not have been surprising if Overshown showed some rust in his first regular-season game, but he appeared to have recovered from his injuries two years ago.

The 2023 third-round selection led Dallas with 11 tackles (five solo), including a sack of Watson.

Consistency

Dan Quinn’s defence has been impressive at times, but their performance on Sunday was unprecedented.

Switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 has already appeared to be the right decision, but it must be consistent.

The Dallas Cowboys’ next two games are at home, against the New Orleans Saints and the Baltimore Ravens.