To start the season, the Dallas Cowboys’ defense has been one of the worst in the NFL. They allowed 30 points to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday, which may be the worst showing they’ve had on that side of the football this season. The Panthers are a decent team, but giving up 183 rushing yards to former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle is inexcusable, despite him having an excellent two weeks.
As the Cowboys continue to find ways to improve defensively, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is the man in charge of trying to fix things. According to Eberflus, he’s not happy with how the defense has performed, and it’s not up to the standards that the Cowboys have set in the past.
“Thought a couple weeks ago we took a step forward versus the Jets,” Eberflus said, per Dallas News. “Last week, obviously, disappointed in that performance. It’s not to our standard how we played last week.”
### Cowboys Are In a Tough Spot Defensively
Eberflus has a tough job, as the Dallas Cowboys don’t exactly have a ton of talent on the defensive side of the football. In his defense, the unit was expected to be below average entering the season. Still, after his failed stint as head coach of the Chicago Bears, he continues to face criticism, with some suggesting he might not be a great coach.
Brian Schottenheimer wanted to quiet those doubts, saying that Eberflus is a great coach. “I’ve been Matt,” coach Schottenheimer said, per the team. “I’ve been a coordinator. And I’ve been where people are calling you out and saying you don’t know how to coach and, ‘Man, this guy is the worst coach in history.’
“Matt Eberflus is a damn good football coach. We have to perform better. But I’ve been him, so part of me being in (the defensive meeting room) is to help as an asset, to tell him, ‘I believe in him. I understand what he’s going through.’ It sucks. It’s no fun. We’re gonna ride this thing out. And we’ll play better. We really will.”
### Should the Cowboys Make Changes?
Regarding potential changes the Dallas Cowboys can make, nothing is off the table, according to Eberflus. “When your performance has been inconsistent or not to the standard, you certainly look at everything,” Eberflus said about the defense. “You try to find solutions. That’s the coach’s job to get that done. Nothing is off the table.”
Some have wondered if the Cowboys will pursue a move for a defensive player over the next few weeks before the November 4 trade deadline, but Eberflus stayed consistent in his message, stating that changes are already happening within the building.
The next three weeks will show if that translates into improved performance, but one thing is clear—the Cowboys can’t afford to let this defense continue playing this poorly.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/matt-eberflus-fix-defense-plan/
