The Dallas Cowboys face the Washington Commanders in Week 2 with their season already hanging in the balance. Starting 0-2 would put Dallas in a brutal position, and three Cowboys defenders carry the burden of making sure that doesn’t happen. After a rocky Week 1, the Cowboys defense needs more from everyone against a Commanders offense that showed its own vulnerabilities last Sunday.

I’m not hitting the panic button just yet, but the urgency is as real as it gets.

After Week 2, the Cowboys must face Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil, then take on a terrifying Texans defense, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Green Bay Packers, and the Philadelphia Eagles before October ends. Dallas entered the season with a Top-5 schedule in terms of difficulty, and the results have to show up now. The Cowboys do not have a lot of time to adjust.

With all that in mind, these 3 Cowboys defenders are obligated to step up in the home opener. 

Jaishawn Barham has to grow up fast

The first name on the list is rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham, and it feels a little unfair to put him here. And yet, DeMarvion Overshown is hurt and the Cowboys need a middle linebacker.

Asking your third-round rookie who played edge rusher at Michigan last year to step up as the Mike, rock the green dot, and shoulder all of that responsibility after a debut in which he looked a bit overwhelmed is a tall order.

Week 1 against the Giants featured some mistakes and a player who appeared exhausted by the end of the game. People have talked about Barham’s effort pushing to the flat on that final play where New York scored another touchdown. Some call it an effort issue. He might have just been tired.

And now the Cowboys need him to be the starting middle linebacker because DeMarvion Overshown got hurt. Weakside linebacker Dee Winters is not the answer at Mike. He looked bad taking on blocks and lacked physicality versus the run. He had some decent moments in pass coverage, but Winters cannot be asked to fill that role. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer left the door open earlier in the week regarding Overshown’s replacement, but Clarence Hill from DLLS Sports reported that Barham is expected to get the nod. If I had to guess, it’s going to be Barham. Fair or not, he’s the only option.

Caleb Downs faces a tough test

This is going to be a huge game for defensive back Caleb Downs, and it starts with the fact that safety Malik Hooker is out with a wrist and forearm injury. Whenever the Cowboys are in base personnel with four defensive backs, Downs is already the safety. But in nickel packages, which is what matters most here, Downs becomes the focal point.

Earlier in the week, Brian Schottenheimer reaffirmed that the Cowboys want Downs playing close to the line of scrimmage, serving as a threat near the football. Sunday proved why. Downs is great when he’s able to tackle, and he’s a weapon as a blitzer. Jerry Jones said during training camp that Downs is as much a part of the coverage plan as he is the pressure plan. Those Downs blitzes will be a consistent wrinkle, though defensive coordinators, even the most aggressive ones, don’t blitz their defensive backs too often.

The bigger reason Downs is on the list: Stefon Diggs. Cooper DeJean, the Eagles’ All-Pro nickel cornerback, struggled against Diggs in Week 1. Diggs hauled in four catches on five targets versus DeJean, with four going for first downs, one for a touchdown, and 55 yards total. If Diggs did that to an All-Pro nickel, Jayden Daniels will try to exploit the rookie early and often.

Could Downs ball out and lock Diggs down? You never know. But the realistic expectation is that Diggs will win several of those reps. What the Cowboys need from Downs is the ability to shake off those plays quickly and keep the matchup competitive throughout the game.

Quinnen Williams must be a game wrecker

The biggest name on the list is defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who said he did not play his best in New York. 

Usually that’s what we call “player speak” from someone who played well while the defense struggled around him. But when you look at the film, Williams wasn’t lying. He was far from the biggest problem on defense Sunday, but he did not play at the All-Pro level you’d expect from someone who just signed the contract extension he did. He has to be better.

The good news is this matchup sets up well for a bounce-back game. The film from Eagles versus Commanders showed Washington’s left guard and center getting consistently shoved back, with defensive tackles resetting the line of scrimmage all game long. That allowed Philadelphia’s linebackers to play freely, meeting Commanders running backs at the hole with easy reads. Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams should be able to replicate that.

John Owning from the Blue Star Bulletin pointed out that the Cowboys played Williams a little wider than he would like in Week 1. If Dallas keeps him lined up over that left guard and center, he’s going to create havoc against this Commanders front. That interior weakness was one of Washington’s biggest problems in Week 1.

Williams owes it to Barham, too. If the Cowboys are asking the rookie linebacker to do something unfair, Williams has to make it easier for him. Facilitate easier reads. Simplify the game for the rookie. Just show up, step up, and wreck the game. Against this Commanders offensive line, there’s no excuse not to.