The Dallas Cowboys played one of their best games of the season Monday night, beating the Las Vegas Raiders 33-16 to improve to 4-5-1 and stay in the NFC playoff hunt.
Despite the strong performance, Cowboys legend Dez Bryant-still one of the team's most vocal supporters-shared his thoughts on the game and the state of the team moving forward on social media.
After praising WR George Pickens, who went off with nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, Bryant urged owner Jerry Jones to consider a surprising move to strengthen the defense.
Bryant suggested Jones part ways with current defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who's only in his first season, and instead hire Chicago Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris. Harris is expected to draw interest for DC jobs across the league, with Chicago boasting the NFL's top three players in total interceptions this season. He previously coached in Dallas and enjoyed a long NFL career, primarily with the Green Bay Packers.
"If I were Jerry… I would respectfully go in a different direction than DC Eberflus," Bryant said on X. "Not because he's a bad coach. I would offer Al Harris the DC job and let him find his defensive support. You have to be the best at what's current. I've watched great teams and been a part of great teams the Cowboys have had over the years. Also, you have to keep the roster young and hungry… I played with guys who were past their due date and didn't love the game… respectfully."
Urging the owner to fire a coach after a win-especially when the defense only allowed 16 points-is unusual, but Dallas still ranks near the bottom of most defensive categories this season.
While that doesn't fall solely on Eberflus, the Cowboys' defense, particularly their defensive backs under Harris, consistently ranked near the top in takeaways. In fact, in 2021 Trevon Diggs led the NFL in interceptions, and in 2023 DaRon Bland did the same. Both players were coached by Harris during those seasons.
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