The Dallas Cowboys are staring down a long offseason, and Jerry Jones isn’t sugarcoating anything-especially when it comes to defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. After Sunday’s 34-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which officially knocked Dallas out of playoff contention thanks to the Eagles’ win over Washington, Jones made it clear: everything on the table will be evaluated, and Eberflus is firmly in the spotlight.
“We have to look at the entire year and what our options are,” Jones told reporters. “The target is on him because of our statistical, as well as actual play on the defensive side of the ball. But that goes with it.”
Translation: expect decisions to be made-and soon.
This wasn’t just another bad loss. It was the Cowboys’ third straight defeat, and the defense has unraveled in that stretch.
After a three-game win streak that included victories over the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs, Dallas has given up 44 points to the Lions, 34 to the Vikings, and another 34 to the Chargers. That’s a troubling trend, and it’s one that’s defined the back half of the Cowboys’ season.
Eberflus, the former Bears head coach, was brought in to stabilize a defense that had talent at every level. But instead of progress, the Cowboys have regressed-especially when it matters most.
And it’s not just about the points allowed. It’s the lack of pressure, the missed assignments, the inability to get off the field on third down.
It’s the kind of stuff that shows up in the film room and on the scoreboard.
Jones didn’t hold back when asked about the team’s Week 15 loss to the Vikings, a game in which rookie QB JJ McCarthy looked far more comfortable than expected. The Cowboys didn’t sack him once-a stark contrast to the 3.5 sacks per game other defenses had averaged against the young quarterback.
“We let their quarterback have a big day on us,” Jones said in a radio interview. “That wasn’t the plan.
We could have used more pressure, without question. It seems like we’re always saying that about these quarterbacks-some of them hadn’t played as well, but when they play us, they play better.
I think that’s telling, too.”
That quote right there? That’s the kind of comment that tends to echo through an organization.
When opposing quarterbacks consistently have their best games against your defense, it’s more than just a bad day-it’s a pattern. And patterns get coaches fired.
Dallas tried to bolster the defense at the trade deadline, adding defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson. On paper, those were smart moves.
But on the field, they didn’t change the trajectory. The Cowboys continued to give up big plays and couldn’t find consistency in the pass rush or the secondary.
Now, with the playoffs out of reach and the season winding down, Jones is doing what he always does-taking stock, looking for answers, and preparing to make changes. Eberflus may not be the only one under the microscope, but he’s certainly front and center. When the defense collapses down the stretch, and the head coach is an offensive mind, the defensive coordinator usually ends up answering the toughest questions.
The Cowboys have talent. They have stars.
But they also have a defense that didn’t hold up when it mattered. And Jerry Jones isn’t the type to let that slide without consequences.