The Dallas Cowboys’ Christmas Day victory was fueled by more than just scheme; it was powered by the memory of Marshawn Kneeland’s relentless playstyle, a source of inspiration Brian Schottenheimer made sure his team didn’t forget. Heading into a matchup against the Washington Commanders means going to a relentless physical battle, and you’re going to lose if you don’t lay it all out there on the field. That’s exactly what the Cowboys did on Christmas Day. They were intense, and the head coach gave credit to the late star.

“This was going to be a physical football game…but it’s never going to be about the opponent. It’s always going to be about us. We talked about our relentless play style. We actually went back and talked a little about Marshawn this week and what he meant to us. And he mirrored that playstyle. So I had no question that our guys would come out and play the way they did,” the head coach said, explaining where that intensity came from after the game.

That checks out. Kneeland always played with that kind of presence. At around 6-foot-3, 268 pounds, he had that compact, powerful build that made everything he did look forceful. He could rush the passer, he could set the edge, and he could hold his ground in the run game. The technique mattered, sure, but what stood out was how hard he played, snap after snap.

That same mindset showed up against Washington. Dallas wasn’t just physical at the point of attack; they were aggressive in how they coached the game, especially early.

The Cowboys came out swinging and took a 24-10 lead into halftime, fueled by 174 passing yards and two touchdown throws from Dak Prescott. Brian Schottenheimer went for it on fourth down four times before the break and converted every one of them. It kept Washington’s defense stuck on the field and let Dallas control the flow of the game.

Dallas piled up 17 first downs in the first half while Washington managed just 18 offensive plays total. It was one-sided. It felt less like a regular-season game and more like a heavyweight bout where one side never backed up. And Brian Schottenheimer wants to see that every week.

“We trust our guys. We trust Dak. We got playmakers everywhere. That’s the way we’re gonna play the rest of the year,” the head coach said.

If the Cowboys keep playing with that kind of edge, it might be the truest way to honor Marshawn Kneeland. But for it to mean something long-term, it has to carry over. For the tribute to Kneeland’s relentless spirit to truly matter, it needs to be adopted by the entire team, a standard the defense has consistently failed to meet this season.

The Cowboys need a better defense next year

Honestly, it’s hard to see defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus coming back next year. If the Cowboys do move on, that would make it four different coordinators in four years, which is never ideal. But sometimes you still have to do it. Dak Prescott was healthy for most of the season and played at an MVP level. The offense held up its end of the deal. The defense didn’t, especially after Micah Parsons’ exit.

By just about any measure, Dallas has fielded one of the league’s worst defenses. They’re giving up 30 points and 377 yards a game. Quarterbacks facing the Cowboys are having career days. They’re averaging 254 passing yards per game, 33 passing touchdowns, and a 109.7 passer rating, all league highs, according to The Athletic.

You can make a very real argument that this team could’ve made a legitimate playoff push if the defense had simply been average. The offense ranks fifth in points per game (28.4) and first in total yards (398.6). Think about that for a second. If the defense even came close to matching that level, we might be talking about Dallas very differently right now.

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And it sounds like even Jerry Jones has reached that point. On his Friday morning radio appearance, Jones was understandably upbeat after the Cowboys’ 30-23 win over Washington. But when the conversation turned to the defense, the tone changed pretty quickly.

“No. No. Not at all,” the owner said. We have a lot of work to do there. I’m sorry if I have let my enthusiasm for the win yesterday misrepresent. No. Not at all. We got a lot of work to do over there. But we can do it.”

So yes, expect change. Whether it’s a new coordinator, a new scheme, or a complete defensive reset, something is coming. For better or worse, this defense won’t look the same next year.