The Dallas Cowboys were not expected to be competitive in 2025. Injuries and an early blockbuster trading Micah Parsons away only confirmed that early-season belief. The focus of the season quickly became to prepare for 2026 and beyond.
Offensively, the Cowboys surpassed original expectations and are among the best in the NFL, but the same can't be said for the defense. The team has performed as the worst since Mike Nolan was in the building in 2020.
Pressure is mounting for defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus with Monday night's win marking the first of four games in 17 days. Thankfully, it ended on a positive note. The defense as a whole played the best game of the season, and it should come as no surprise considering a couple of factors.
Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus can save his job over the next three games
After planning a conservative defense complemented by a lethal pass rush, arguably the best rusher in the league was traded away only days before the season opener. Since then, the Cowboys have allowed 20 or more points in each game except for one: the win over the Raiders.
This came off a bye week where the team had 14 days to plan for, playing against an underwhelming offense with injuries across their offensive line, and four players playing snaps for the first time for the Cowboys in 2025.
The additions of Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson solidified the defensive line and linebacking corps. Williams put on a show with 1.5 sacks and five pressures, while Wilson was average but good enough.
The return of star linebacker DeMarvion Overshown thrust speed and controlled explosiveness into the linebacking corps, something the group lacked before Monday. Rookie Shavon Revel stepped in and played solidly for a first-year player coming off a season-ending injury from 2024.
The upcoming stretch of offenses is petrifying, with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles up first on Sunday. Despite an average overall performance so far, their offensive weapons are unquestionably some of the best in the league. They are preceded by the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs and the underrated Detroit Lions.
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To hold either of them to under 20 points is a tall ask, and should be celebrated extensively if it happens. What Eberflus needs to do is instill hope into the players and the team moving forward. With the playoffs likely out of reach, and competing for a trophy an afterthought, Eberflus needs to get positive momentum building into 2026.
The trajectory of the defense before Week 11 would be enough to consider a shift at defensive coordinator, but that is something owner Jerry Jones wants to avoid if possible. Flus is the fourth defensive coordinator over the past six years.
The constant changes and inconsistencies haven't allowed the Cowboys to get comfortable within a system. Eberflus' tenure with the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts should be enough to give him a chance, and I mean a real one.
All he needs is to give people hope. The belief that things are not only getting better, but that a real solution and path to success exists for 2026 and beyond. The odds were stacked against him early, and now the return and injection of talent provide a clearer view of what the coordinator is trying to do.
If things go poorly over the next three weeks, the front office may opt for a fifth coordinator in seven years, which is not optimal at all. A healthier roster and a significant addition in Quinnen Williams could be what the team needed to get things right.
This doesn't cancel out the Micah Parsons trade, but it does help mitigate the impact of it with a plan to build moving forward.