DECEMBER 18: When speaking to the media on Thursday, Eberflus acknowledged (via Machota) the Cowboys’ defensive performance down the stretch will play a role in deciding his status for 2026. He added an endorsement from the organization is not necessary at this point, although in the absence of a definitive one there will no doubt continue to be speculation about a potential change on the sidelines this offseason. Eberflus will call plays from the booth moving forward after doing so from the field.
DECEMBER 17: Although Dallas leads the NFL in total offense and ranks fifth in scoring, the team is all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs. After dropping to 6-7-1 with a loss to the Vikings in Week 15, the Cowboys’ chances of earning a postseason bid are under 1%, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. It’s fair to place most of the blame for the Cowboys’ lackluster season on their defense.
Under first-year coordinator Matt Eberflus, previously the Bears’ head coach, Dallas sits 29th in total defense. Only the lowly Bengals have allowed more points than the Cowboys.
With the Cowboys’ defense off to a dreadful start in 2025, owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones gave public votes of confidence to Eberflus leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline. The Cowboys then made noteworthy deals to acquire defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson from the aforementioned Bengals. They also saw linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Shavon Revel return from long-term injury absences last month.
Thanks in part to an improved defense, the Cowboys ripped off three straight post-deadline wins over the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs. They were firmly in the playoff mix at that point, but that momentum is gone after back-to-back losses to Detroit and Minnesota.
The Cowboys gave up 44 points against the Lions and surrendered another 34 to the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy, among the league’s least effective quarterbacks this year, played one of the best games of his young career. McCarthy finished 15 of 24 for 250 yards, three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing), and an interception.
After McCarthy helped take a sledgehammer to the Cowboys’ fading playoff hopes, Jerry Jones sounded less bullish about Eberflus. It seems he’ll be under evaluation for the rest of the season.
“The adjustments that we should be making (defensively) should be with these next three games in mind,” Jones said on Sunday night (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “With three games left in the short time that we’ve got to play them in, then that will impact any adjustments that you make regarding coaching with the time frame we’re dealing with. That’s a legit question.”
One of the “adjustments” Dallas made in Week 15 was to give more playing time to Wilson. Jerry Jones noted that was a possibility leading up to the game (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). Wilson then made his first start as a Cowboy and logged more defensive snaps than Kenneth Murray (29 to 22), but the results were uninspiring. Both players recorded one tackle apiece.
Asked about Wilson and Murray, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said (via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News) that the two “can improve in certain areas, and it’s kind of pretty consistent throughout our football team right now.”
Eberflus may need to get more from Wilson, Murray, and the rest of his defense if he’s going to remain on Schottenheimer’s staff next year. Otherwise, Eberflus could follow Mike Zimmer as the team’s second consecutive one-and-done defensive coordinator. The Cowboys haven’t had stability there since Dan Quinn‘s three-year run from 2021-23.
shocking
That took long enough. He sucks.
Yet, he’ll get rehired somewhere else. Maybe a portion coach, but still a good salary.
well he’d definitely make a better portion coach than, say, Andy Reid or Rex Ryan…
Bruhhhh
The Cowboys always find a way to torpedo their season so Jerry might as well give Matthew McConaughey (U571) a shot as DC.
Alight, alright, alright!
“I get older, but the players stay the same age”… though he didnt say players
The Cowboys are 31st in points allowed. Why would the DC be on the hot seat? LOL Jokes aside, Jerruh did the defense no favors by trading their best player just before the season’s start.
Eberlose wouldn’t have had any idea what to do with Parsons anyway. parsons is better off nowhere near this guy.
Eberflus is a nice guy, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more clueless coach. Especially at that level.
It didnt help with DBs being hurt all year. Even Bland hasnt played as well as he is capable. The pass rush is still a non-factor though Williams and Ezeiruaku will be better next year. A disappointing year for Fowler as well.
Not an Eberflus fan by any men’s, but losing Parsons didn’t help. Let’s see oh GB does without him.
29 (correction, now 30) other teams are playing better defense than the Cowboys without Parsons, too.
I think Parsons probably was a large part of why he took the job. It’s definitely the coach’s job to adjust, but I cannot imagine designing an entire defense around the strengths of your best player only to have him taken away, and then all your DBs get hurt. Not sure what a successful season would even look like under those circumstances.
This exact thing happened to Glenn in Detroit last year with Hutchinson and the DB injuries and he got a HC job.
What great coach designs a defense around one or two key players? Injuries are inevitable and adjustments need to be made, so thye better have some flexibility.
When you have an impact player on defense, you scheme to put them into position to make as many plays as possible.
Or you scheme around potential adjustments made by your opponent because that impact player is so reliable in how they disrupt the offense.
The danger of quoting a so-called “Power Index”: Should Philadelphia win at Washington on Saturday evening, Dallas will be eliminated before taking the field on Sunday. Yet Fox is forcing the Cowboys game to most of the nation Sunday afternoon because “Dallas Against Anyone”.
To me it doesn’t matter that we had most of our injuries on the defensive side of the ball. A good coach/coordinator should be able to elevate with what he’s got. He is a stubborn coach who loves to play safe even when blitzing and attacking the offense is working. Robert Salah has had MORE injuries than Eberflus but has that defense prepared and ready, we look lost and not sure of what to do. I do not wish the firing of any person, but we need a leader. Defense is about effort and pursuit. Matt does not inspire these guys for whatever reason. Season has been frustrating to say the least.
It’s not his fault that they traded Parsons right before the season, have had a number of injuries, and one tragic in-season loss, but Eberflus was also a weird hire here, given that their personnel was built for a man-heavy scheme, which doesn’t suit him at all. He’s been a good defensive coach elsewhere, but this isn’t looking like a fit. Which is a shame, because the offensive staff have done great work.