Nate Wiggins Showed Resilience Against Dallas

Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) breaks up a pass intended for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Nate Wiggins Showed Resilience Against Dallas

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Wesley Dixon | Last updated Oct 3, 2026 8:56 AM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Nate Wiggins is widely regarded as Baltimore’s best cornerback and is routinely tasked with covering an opponent’s biggest receiving threats. He did exactly that against the Dallas Cowboys, spending much of the afternoon matched up with either CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens.

Late in the game, Wiggins was called for pass interference while covering Lamb on a controversial play that put Dallas near the goal line. Instead of allowing the call to affect him, Wiggins responded by holding firm and breaking up a back-shoulder fade intended for Pickens with 23 seconds remaining.

Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver praised Wiggins after the game for how he responded to the penalty, while also highlighting the pressure that comes with playing cornerback.

“It’s one of those situations we’re always talking about controlling your response. Something happens, control your response so you can get the outcome that you want, and I thought [Nate Wiggins] did just that, particularly at that position. It’s one thing if you’re a defensive lineman and you get reached, nobody really knows. Like, you’re a linebacker out of your gap, they probably blame the D-line. But that corner position, the spotlight’s on you, and when you make a mistake, if you don’t have the mental fortitude and mental toughness to bounce back from that, then it just continues to domino.”

On An Island

Unlike more box-score-friendly positions, cornerbacks are often at their best when they barely show up in the stat sheet. Players such as Deion Sanders, Darrelle Revis, and Champ Bailey became legends partly because quarterbacks avoided challenging them like the plague.

That is why Weaver’s comments about Wiggins’ mental toughness were fitting. Wiggins and Baltimore’s secondary did not have their best game against CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, as Lamb finished with seven catches for 112 yards while Pickens added seven receptions for 82. Wiggins, however, did not allow those struggles or the late pass-interference call to affect him when Baltimore needed him most.

Wiggins has generally performed well this season, earning a 71.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranks 15th among cornerbacks. His seven stops also rank fifth at the position. His response against Dallas showed the kind of resilience Baltimore will need from him throughout the season. Wiggins is going to continue drawing assignments against the league’s best receivers, and there will be reps he loses. In those moments, having a short memory and turning his attention toward winning the next play will be just as important as his physical and technical ability.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: