Cowboys’ Byron Jones: ‘We’re just trying to keep it together going forward’

Byron Jones is adamant that his confidence hasn’t been shaken. The same can be said for the rest of the Dallas Cowboys’ secondary.

“The way we work every single day, that’s what builds your confidence right back up,” Jones said. “We worked extremely hard this week to try to right our wrongs and try to go forward and make something happen for this team.”

The Cowboys desperately need improved secondary played. They’re coming off their worst performance of the season, allowing Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to scorch them for 434 yards and three touchdowns.

That’s the most passing yards the Cowboys have allowed this season and the first 400-yard passer since Washington’s Kirk Cousins had a 449-yard day on Thanksgiving a year ago.

Of course, Cousins and the Redskins are set to visit Thursday. Cousins is having another solid season statistically, ranking second in the NFL in passing yards (3,038) behind only New England’s Tom Brady.

Cousins has topped 300 yards five times this season, including in two of the past three games, and would love to continue what Rivers did to the Cowboys’ young and inexperienced secondary.

But Jones, one of the few veterans in the defensive backfield, is confident they’ll respond.

“It’s about just keeping the ball in front of us,” Jones said. “Not letting the roof get broken. What we talk about is ‘keeping the cup,’ a guy on top, a guy on the inside, a guy on the outside. If they complete a pass, get them down.”

The Chargers had 11 explosive plays against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. In the first matchup against the Redskins, the Cowboys allowed just six explosive plays (runs of 12-plus yards and passes of 16-plus yards).

To try and get things back on track, the Cowboys are switching things up in the secondary. Starting cornerback Anthony Brown is being demoted in favor of rookie Chidobe Awuzie.

The play of safeties Jones and Jeff Heath have also been points of concern. Both are expected to stay in starting roles, but more of a rotation might be used.

Jones, the Cowboys’ 2015 first-round pick, has created just one takeaway this season – an interception he returned for a touchdown against Washington in Week 8.

Jones ranks third on the team in tackles with 54, and is fourth with five passes defensed. But he hasn’t had a pass defensed since Week 8 at Washington.

“For us, we’ve shown sparks, we’ve shown glimpses of good defense,” Jones said. “Then there’s some times where we fall apart. That’s not characteristic for us. We work too hard for that, so we’re just trying to keep it together going forward.”

Getting Awuzie more into the mix could be a boost for the secondary. The second-round pick out of Colorado has battled a hamstring injury much of the season but is a player the Cowboys coveted coming out of the draft.

Awuzie has been active the past two games, spending most of his time on special teams, but is ready to take on more of a full-time role on defense.

In 47 games in college, including 41 starts, Awuzie finished with three interceptions, five forced fumbles and 35 pass breakups.

“I feel real good. I’ve played the past two games and I’ve been able to hit some pretty good speeds and not be in pain,” Awuzie said.

Asked about being put in a starting role, Awuzie said, “It don’t mean nothing if we don’t get a win. I’m a guy who is going to play my role regardless. If I’m starting, then I’m going to try to make those plays. If I’m not, then I’m still going to be amped up on the sidelines doing my special teams thing.”

This story was originally published November 28, 2017 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Cowboys’ Byron Jones: ‘We’re just trying to keep it together going forward’."