The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most electric offenses in football, but it won't lead to anything. Their defense, led by coordinator Matt Eberflus, has been disappointing this season, holding the team back from the playoff appearance fans hoped for.
In recent weeks, rumors about the coach's job security have reached a boiling point. While it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will be fired, owner Jerry Jones insists on keeping him around through the end of the season.
But in a recent quote, he let a key hint about how he might find a replacement for the defensive coordinator.
Jerry Jones hints at process for finding Cowboys' Matt Eberflus replacement
After the Cowboys' Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Jones was asked about whether he has looked at potential replacements for Eberflus.
Per Cowboys reporter Jon Machota, Jones told the media,"You can imagine the data with the analytics and with the information that's available today, technically. I should, if I'm anything, know and have accessibility to the greatest choices that you could have regarding coaches. That doesn't mean you can get them all, because they may be committed in other ways. But one of the great things about where we are and what we got is we can get good coaches. That's not crossed my mind, as far as the inability to effectively do something different if that's what we decide."
Jones still didn't come out and say that Eberflus will be fired, but it's not hard to read between the lines here. He's strongly considering the move, and he has a method of finding a replacement. The first thing that the owner mentioned in his response was analytics. Of course, that won't be the only factor in making the decision, but it provides some insight into who might be some of the top candidates for the job.
EPA, one of the most prevalent advanced statistics used in football, is often an indicator of the overall effectiveness of a unit. The best defenses based on EPA per play reveal some of the top coaches in the league.
The Cleveland Browns rank second in the league in defensive EPA per play. If their coaching staff gets fired after this season, current Cleveland defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could be a perfect replacement for Eberflus.
Denver Broncos assistant Jim Leonhard also deserves strong consideration. The Broncos rank 8th in EPA per play and second in defensive success rate.
For an owner who likes to keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to coaching decisions, this is a big hint from Jones.