Cowboys' Quinnen Williams Takes Blame For Defensive Struggles

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams reacts after a defensive play against the Houston Texans. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cowboys' Quinnen Williams Takes Blame For Defensive Struggles

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Oct 16, 2026 10:15 AM ET

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Through five games, the Dallas Cowboys have had one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They're 25th in the league in points surrendered with 136 and 31st with 1,977 yards given up. That type of futility can't be pinned on one player, but multiple veterans in Dallas are trying to do exactly that.

Von Miller recently took accountability for his shortcomings to start the season. Now, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is also taking blame.

Williams told reporters that he was one of the players who called for the team to have a players-only meeting. The goal was to find a way to turn things around and Williams said he himself takes full responsibility for their struggles.

“I take full personal responsibility for it. I look in the mirror for myself. I know I need to play better, I know I need to do better, and I take full accountability and full responsibility for the way this defense is going at the moment. I took a break this weekend and reset, learn and grow, and focus on getting better,” Williams said via Tommy Yarrish.

Quinnen Williams is off to a slow start to 2026 season

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As a veteran leader, Williams is saying the right things. He's also correct in saying that he needs to be better.

Williams, who signed a three-year $105.9 million extension this offseason, has a PFF grade of just 57.2 overall with a run defense grade of 52.9. He has 15 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one sack, but is coming off his worst outing of the season. Williams had just two tackles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Former NFL safety Donte Whitner singled Wiliams out after their Week 5 loss, saying he was stuck to offensive linemen as if he had velcro on him. Whitner said Williams' performance was worthy of benching, which we know won't happen, but it's a sign of how far he is from expectations.

The good news is that we've seen Williams dominate in the NFL for years, so there's no denying that he has the talent to make some noise. The question now is how do the Cowboys get the best out of him. If it's a scheme issue, then defensive coordinator Christian Parker and senior defensive assistant Mike Pettine need to figure out where to put him on the line to help him succeed. If not, the Cowboys need to hope Williams' words are proof thay he will put in the work to improve going forward.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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