The Green Bay Packers manhandled the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, winning 23-13. Then again, the Week 6 contest wasn't nearly as close as the final score suggests. The defense kept quarterback Dak Prescott in check, limiting him to 258 yards and forcing two interceptions. Safety Evan Williams registered one of those picks and once again looked like a true rising star.
Williams' takeaway came in the second quarter. He also chipped in six total tackles, a quarterback hit, and a pass deflection.
Without a doubt, the third-year safety has played a pivotal role in Green Bay's three-game winning streak and is quietly building a case to earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Heck, an All-Pro designation seems realistic at this point.
Evan Williams is helping the Packers hold the fort amid injuries on defense
The Packers have started the season without superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons. They then lost standout linebacker Edgerrin Cooper in Week 4 and veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave in the next game. Yet, their defense has kept the ship afloat thanks to players like Williams, whose strong season continued in the dismantling of the Cowboys.
Williams logged his first interception of the season in the win over the Bucs. Following that game, he made it clear that he needed to be a tone-setter, noting that he had to step up in light of Cooper's season-ending injury. He's done just that.
That said, Williams' recent success hasn't caught Cheeseheads by surprise. A fourth-round pick in 2024, the former Oregon Duck has shown substantial improvement annually. After logging 56 percent of the Packers' defensive snaps as a rookie, he played 86 percent in 2025. That number has risen to 100 percent this season. Similarly, his production has gone up every year.
Williams had one interception as a rookie and three the following season. He's currently on pace to set a new personal best. When you factor in his ability to bring the heat, it's easy to see why he was seen as a candidate to break out in 2026.
Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney give the Packers a top-notch safety tandem
Xavier McKinney has been one of the Packers' top defenders the past few years, but Williams is quietly leaving his shadow. Not that the latter was bad, but he had loads of untapped potential, which has been realized this season.
McKinney earned a Pro Bowl nod and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2024, recording an outstanding eight interceptions. He has three this season already. Nobody will bat an eye if he has another banner season, but Williams isn't that far behind.
The bottom line is that the Packers have an ascending player in Williams and an elite defensive back tandem. And the more this team keeps winning, the more attention he (and McKinney) will get.
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