Mental Fortitude: Cowboys rely on mind over matter in a game of inches

he Dallas Cowboys had a plan—a pretty good plan, at that.

Trevon Diggs was the young alpha in the defensive backfield with a propensity to jump routes and take the ball away from opposing offenses.

DaRon Bland entered his second year with higher expectations. He went from a 5th-round pick in 2022 to a starter who led his team in interceptions in his rookie season.

Furthermore, the last piece of the puzzle came from a 12-year veteran with a Defensive Player of the Year distinction on his resume.

Stephon Gilmore came in ready-made to be the rock to lock down the side of the field opposite Diggs.

Unfortunately, plans changed, and players had to adjust because of injuries. What stayed the same was the expectations of the season. Gilmore has stepped up, but can he keep it up?

That’s UP for debate.

Stephon GIlmore has made the impact plays when needed

The Dallas Cowboys are sitting at 4-2 right now. A big reason for that winning record is Stephon Gilmore’s steadiness.

Having a player representing a thermostat versus a thermometer in crucial moments is invaluable in football.

Gilmore has been a thermostat – his temperament is as consistent as anyone.

So far, Dallas’ opposition (Giants, Jets, Cardinals, 49ers, Patriots, and Chargers) has been a mixed bag.

The San Francisco game gets most of the attention, and for good reason.

For me, that’s the not matchup that stands out. The New York Jets game stands out like a sore thumb.

Overall, Stephon played a good game despite giving up 106 receiving yards.

Garrett Wilson’s slant route highlighted two things: He played outside leverage, thinking the safety would take the inside. That’s an intelligent player, and Dallas needs that.

Garrett Wilson burns Stephon Gilmore for 68 🔥

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/4DEJNguc4o

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 17, 2023

Unfortunately, Malik Hooker took a horrible angle trying to tackle Wilson in the open field, and the rest was history in the form of 68 yards and hitting his head on the goalpost.

The second part was Gilmore’s physical abilities.

Hooker gets the lion’s share of the blame for that touchdown; however, you can see the pressure placed on Stephon at the top of that route.

It could be me, but Trevon Diggs should have taken most of that matchup.

Nevertheless, the veteran corner didn’t take much to get over it.

The interception to close the Chargers game again highlights that mental part of the game.

Stephon Gilmore gets the pick and the Cowboys beat the Chargers on #MondayNightFootball
pic.twitter.com/CDh6tG3rCr

— NFL Highs (@frito_paw) October 17, 2023

The Dallas Cowboys pressure caused Justin Herbert to have happy feet in the pocket.

But Gilmore beat the rookie, Quentin Johnston (a bigger, less shifty player), to the inside position to grab that interception.

That’s the significant part of having Stephon on this team. His route recognition is excellent.

What should fans expect for the remainder of the season?

If you subscribe to Pro Football Focus results, you will likely have a gloomy outlook on Stephon Gilmore as the remainder of the season ensues.

Currently, he has a 65.4 coverage grade and a 68.6 tackling result. For me, analytics only tell part of the story.

If you include those results, add passer rating allowed for good measure.

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Lowest passer rating allowed by cornerbacks this season:

1: Ahkello Witherspoon (19.7)
2: Daron Bland (25.2)
3: Martin Emerson (37.0)
4: Mike Hilton (43.9)
5: DJ Turner (52.1)
6: Stephon Gilmore (52.9)
7: Troy Hill (55.5)
8: Darious Williams (56.6)
9: L’Jarius… pic.twitter.com/R1a2XIIy4f

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 19, 2023

His value will be front and center against players like Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, and A J Brown.

While all three can get away from you, they’re technically sound route runners who I would be comfortable putting Gilmore in front of.

DeVonta Smith, Tyreek Hill, and Terry McLaurin pose different problems.

It would have been nice to have Diggs up against them, but Bland will do just fine, with help occasionally.

Everyone is beginning to see that speed and explosion cause problems for the aging player. Dallas didn’t trade for him for his elite physicality at this stage in his career.

They wanted a veteran who understood what was happening in each play.

He brings that to the team in spades, which could be the difference.