Cowboys Defense Falters Again, and Jerry Jones Hints at Major Offseason Decisions
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense hit another low point on Sunday, surrendering over 450 yards to the Los Angeles Chargers and allowing their second-highest point total of the season. Justin Herbert carved them up with surgical precision, posting his best passer rating in four years. And while the 34-17 loss officially dashed any hopes of a winning season for Dallas, it may have also pushed the franchise closer to a reckoning on the defensive side of the ball.
But for now, Matt Eberflus remains the defensive coordinator.
Owner Jerry Jones made it clear after the game that there won’t be a change in the coaching staff over the final two weeks of the season. Still, his tone suggested that the writing may already be on the wall for Eberflus once the offseason hits.
“We all underachieved,” Jones said following the team’s drop to 6-8-1. “I thought we've done some things out there that, frankly, we can carry forward with us.
And that's always the case, that there's some positive things. The question is: can we make some changes where we need to?”
That’s a telling quote from a man who’s long been known for his loyalty-but also for his readiness to make bold moves when the moment calls for it.
Eberflus, in his first season back with the Cowboys, was brought in before head coach Brian Schottenheimer was even officially named. Jones believed in him from the start. But that belief has been tested all year, as Dallas has struggled to find any consistent identity on defense.
The scheme hasn’t clicked, and personnel issues haven’t helped. The loss of Micah Parsons just before Week 1 was a gut punch.
Injuries to key defenders like Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown, and DaRon Bland only deepened the hole. The front office tried to patch things up-trading for Quinnen Williams in November and bringing in Kenny Clark early-but the reinforcements didn’t arrive soon enough to change the course of the season.
Statistically, the results under Eberflus have been hard to defend. The Cowboys have allowed 23 or more points in 11 of their 15 games-a number that mirrors the league average heading into Week 15. They've also given up more than 329 yards in all but two games this season.
“Obviously the target’s on him because of our statistical as well as actual play on the defensive side of the ball,” Jones said. “But that goes with it.”
Despite the numbers, Jones isn’t ready to make a final call just yet. He emphasized that Eberflus will be evaluated in full after the season finale against the Giants on January 4.
Still, the tone has shifted. Jones, typically measured when discussing his coaching staff, didn’t exactly sugarcoat the reality of where things stand.
“I might not couch it as ‘difficult,’” he said when asked about the looming decision. “It’s certainly something that we have to do, and that is look at the entire year and look at what our options are and how to correct not being here at the same time next year.”
If the Cowboys do decide to move on from Eberflus, it would mark the fourth defensive coordinator in as many years. That kind of turnover usually signals a deeper issue within the organization-but it also reflects just how far the defense has fallen short of expectations.
For now, Eberflus will get two more games to try to right the ship. But with the playoffs out of reach and the defense continuing to spring leaks, the question in Dallas isn’t whether change is coming-it’s how sweeping that change will be.