The Dallas Cowboys have one of the best defenses in the entire league. They rank near the top of the NFL in several categories, whether you're going by traditional stats or advanced metrics. How they've done that seems clear.

Micah Parsons looks even more dangerous. DeMarcus Lawrence is lining up everywhere across the defensive line, something he didn't really do before. The linebackers have been solid. The safety room really is the best in Dallas in a long time. Trevon Diggs is taking fewer risks at cornerback, too.

But one overlooked reason why the Cowboys are looking so dominant on defense is Dan Quinn. I know, I know. He's not really overlooked. After all, he's expected to be one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the league.

But it seems to me what's being overlooked is that we're witnessing Quinn's second evolution since he arrived in Dallas.

When he got here after being one of the architects and coaching the Legion of Boom defense for the Seattle Seahawks in the past, Quinn was labeled as a "Cover 3" coach. A guy whose defenses were built on single-high looks and zone coverage.

But he changed things up with the Cowboys. His defense was built on man-to-man coverage and aggressive pressure packages. In a 2021 season in which quarters coverage (four deep defenders) predominated the league, the Cowboys played a lot of Cover 1 (single-high man-to-man coverage).

Such an evolution from the former Atlanta Falcons head coach was key for the success of the Cowboys in 2021. But in the NFL, you need to keep evolving to avoid being eaten by new trends targeting your weaknesses. And Quinn knows it. That's why his second year in Dallas looks way different than his first one.

Last year, it was all about playing tight man coverage and sending pressure the quarterback's way. That led to several boom-or-bust plays for Trevon Diggs and the Cowboys. They played aggressive football and went to the casino multiple times with their schemes.

Now, Dallas' defense is way more balanced. They're mixing in more coverages (like Cover 2) in there and doing a better job disguising the blitz while simultaneously blitzing significantly less.

Consider where the Cowboys rank among NFL teams in the following trends compared to their ranks in 2021, per Sports Info Solutions:

• Man coverage % 2021: #3 in the NFL 2022: #15
• Zone coverage % 2021: #30 2022: #18
• Blitz % 2021: #13 2022: #22

To put it simply, this is a more diverse defense that likes to roll the dice and is able to play man-to-man coverage but has more answers at its disposal every week.

The Cowboys are also not blitzing "just to blitz." They're doing a marvelous job marrying their pressure packages into their coverage schemes. This is made even easier when you can get pressure in with only a four-man rush.

Less is more, which has resulted in Dan Quinn's defense being able to be super-efficient when they do send the dogs.

This Cowboys defense is easily the best the Eagles will play all season. They need their starting OL healthy in order to have a chance to produce with efficiency. Dan Quinn is doing another magnificent job marrying rush to coverage and utilizing the weapons at his disposal.

— Honest NFL (@TheHonestNFL) October 10, 2022

When we talk about Dan Quinn's success this season, let's not pretend like he's the same coach from Seattle or Atlanta. He's not even the same as the one in Dallas last year. The defensive coordinator is staying on top of things which is hard to do in the NFL.

He's got every reason in the world to be fired up.

Featured image via Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports