Just three weeks into the 2025 season and already the knives are out for Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Dallas has given up 92 points in three games. Nearly half, 37, to the lowly New York Giants, who have scored a total of 15 points in their other two games this year.
The defense has forced just one fumble and did not recover it.
The lone turnover was an interception in the overtime win and to this day no one knows why Russell Wilson threw that pass in the first place.
This unit has yielded 1,193 yards on 184 plays. By comparison, the Cowboys’ offense has 1,181 yards on 206 plays and has six total turnovers.
Making matters worse is how wide open receivers have been, especially in the loss to the Bears last Sunday.
Burnt Toast has a better overall rating than every defensive back in the room…combined.
An Empty Facade
It would be ridiculously easy to pin this disaster entirely on Eberflus, his defensive scheme, and his play-calling.
But it may not be that simple. Consider the Cowboys’ defense when he accepted the position back in January.
He had two solid edge starters in Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
If he could get Mazi Smith to “get it” the run defense would be improved.
Even with DeMarvion Overshown out for at least half a season, he had a promising young linebacker in Marist Liufau. Getting some help at middle linebacker should have been a snap.
Even with the injuries, he had two ball hawks in the backfield in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland.
The pieces were there back in January when he joined the team. Then all hell broke loose.
Empty Cupboard
Diggs went his own way in rehab, leaving everyone guessing about his progress.
Lawrence was allowed to sign with Seattle in March. Jerry Jones did little to help his defense out in April’s draft.
Then, a week before opening the regular season, the best player on his defense, Micah Parsons, was traded away.
Yes, some help stopping the run arrived with Kenny Clark.
Little good that did when Eberflus was left with no way to stop the pass. And that is where the Cowboys are getting killed this year.
Wilson shredded Dallas for 450 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Aubrey’s leg bailed the defense out in that game.
Then Caleb Williams racked up 298 yards and four touchdowns last week.
He was not intercepted, sacked, or so much as pressured.
The Fall Guy
If the defense doesn’t turn it around, and soon, there is a good chance that he will be let go after the season.
That would mean the Cowboys would go into the 2026 campaign with their fourth different defensive coordinator in as many years.
Dan Quinn left after the 2023 season. Mike Zimmer was a one and done after 2024.
If Eberflus is also a one-and-done after 2025, who would Jones and Brian Schottenheimer get for 2026?
Better question: Is there a great defensive coordinator out there dumb enough to sign up for this circus?
If the season continues to play out as it has these first three weeks, Eberflus will likely get fired. If he is, he will simply be the fall guy for another season of Jones’ incompetence as an NFL GM.
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