There is still a lot of emotion, angst and conjecture at the Dallas Cowboys headquarters regarding last Sunday’s devastating loss to Baltimore Ravens and controversial decisions made in the final 28 seconds.
But as the Cowboys (1-2) turns to Sunday’s now must-win Texas showdown against the desperate Houston Texans (0-3) there is appears to a phoenix rising through the ashes of disappointing start to the season on defense that they can feel good about in the form of rookie middle linebacker Jaishawn Barham.
Sure the Cowboys defense remains at the bottom of the league, ranking 30th in yards and 31st against the run one year after fielding one of the worst units in franchise and NFL history and spending the entire offseason looking for upgrades.
Barham and rookie safety Caleb Downs lead the team in tackles with 20.
And while it was expected of Downs to make an immediate as the 11th overall pick, Barham’s play in a welcomed surprise _ at least to everyone but the third-round pick from Michigan.
“That’s what I came here to do,” Barham said in his first in-season interview with the media. “Play football, find a role on this team, and help this team. Now that I’m doing that, I feel like I gotta keep doing that and helping this team.”
And it looks like the Cowboys are going to give him a chance to keep doing it.
While Downs was a walk-in starter on the Cowboys from Day 1 and a prime reason the team hoped to be better on defense, Barham was considered a developmental project of sorts.
He played inside linebacker at Maryland before transferring to Michigan and playing outside linebacker edge rusher the past two seasons.
The Cowboys drafted him because of his size and potential but they weren’t necessarily expecting an immediate impact at linebacker, despite huge needs at the position.
After whiffing on several options in free agency to quarterback the new defense under Christian Parker, the Cowboys decided to move weakside linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to middle linebacker and traded for Dee Winters to play weakside linebacker.
Barham flashed enough in training camp to be part of the three-man rotation at inside linebacker. But when Overshown suffered a hamstring injury in the season opener, Barham stepped in as the green dot play caller in the middle and hasn’t looked back.
Barham is the first Cowboys rookie with four tackles for loss in his first three games. Per NFL Pro, the Cowboys defense allowed 2.4 fewer yards per play with Barham on the field against the Ravens last Sunday in a game in which they allowed 192 yards rushing.
Barham had five run stops against the Ravens, including a couple of fourth down stops on future Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry. It was a third most by a rookie this season, bringing his season total to 13, third among rookies.
When asked about stopping Henry, Barham didn’t blink: “It’s football.”
Did it mean anything to you because it was Henry?
“No. It’s football,” Barham said.
And when Overshown returns from injury, he is expected to out at least one more week, look for the Cowboys to continue letting Barham play football in the middle of the defense.
“We’re going to play that by ear,” coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “I think Jaishawn is earning those opportunities though right now with how he’s playing. And I do think that the good thing for him has been with the green dot, it does settle him down a little bit. I think it helps him get into the focus and flow of the game. We’ll discuss it. But at the end of the day, like I said, you got to be flexible because of the fact that multiple guys have to wear it. But I’m very, very pleased with Jaishawn and his development.”
Overshown has cross trained at weakside linebacker, which is his natural position, and would like play there next to Barham.
Another example of Barham growing into his own and showing some maturity was his presence at the podium in front of the media Wednesday. He has only talked to the press twice before, once at rookie minicamp and once at training camp.
He has turned down weekly requests from the media since the start of the season.
Schottenheimer and the Cowboys public relations staff has talked to him about fulfilling his professional obligations.
With his role increasing and as well as the potential of a fine coming from the NFL, he relented.
That’s a sign of progress.
His play also caught the eye of his teammates.
Veteran edge rusher Von Miller pointed out Barham when talking about some bright spots on defense through the first three weeks, despite the ugly overall numbers.
He said Barham is evidence of improvement on defense and something to look forward to as the season goes along.
He said Barham does something special and keeps getting better every week. He said that is going to result in good things for the Cowboys defense in terms of him being a difference maker.
To Barham, it’s just football.
