It's not a secret to anybody at this point: the Dallas Cowboys' defense has been a disaster, and to make matters worse, Jerry Jones stuck to his guns and defended Matt Eberflus to continue as defensive coordinator.
To be fair to Eberflus, the players on the field have to hold up their end of the bargain, too, and that hasn't happened. Cowboys fans also fully expected Micah Parsons to be the anchor of the defense. Trading him to the Packers was supposed to help the run defense, per Jones, but Rico Dowdle just ran for over 180 yards on Sunday.
The pass defense didn't show up either, as Dallas let Tetairoa McMillan feast for the first two touchdowns of his career. Cowboys insider and film analyst Bryan Broaddus says the defensive issues are irreparable and go far beyond just Eberflus.
"I think there are times, they're not good enough as players. I think at times, you have players that just aren't good enough. "Bryan Broaddus
The Cowboys don't have the players to get the defense turned around
This is about as harsh as it gets.
If the players on the field aren’t good enough, it won’t matter what Eberflus draws up on the sideline. According to Pro Football Focus, several Cowboys defenders posted grades in the 40s against the Panthers, which is a virtual kiss of death in the NFL.
It is obviously fair to criticize Eberflus still. After all, his defense is ranked dead last in the NFL in various metrics.
The issue is also far beyond Parsons. Sure, he would've been a huge help, but last season with Dallas, the Cowboys' defense still ranked near dead-last in the league. Parsons is a game-wrecker, but he's only one player. He can't mask the flaws of 10 other players and a coordinator.
Donovan Wilson has been a disaster in coverage, Sam Williams doesn't have any semblance of a pass rush plan, and Kenneth Murray Jr. highlights the worst linebacker room in football. Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland have been disappointments because the pass rush isn't getting home, and Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark's calling cards aren't to muck up the run.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, it might not matter that the NFC East is suddenly wide open. There's a path to climb to the top of the division, but the return of DeMarvion Overshown and one or two trades might not be enough. That's how bad the defensive personnel is.