Something had to be done.
Whether you feel like Christian Parker is totally to blame for the Dallas Cowboys' defensive struggles, something had to be done.
Brian Schottenheimer announced on Monday that longtime NFL assistant Mike Pettine has joined Parker's staff as a senior defensive assistant. Parker actually tried to pry Pettine out of retirement in January for (presumably) a job on his staff, but it didn't come to pass.
Pettine brings a wealth of experience to Dallas, including defensive coordinator stints with the Jets, Bills, and Packers, respectively. He also served as the Browns' head coach from 2014 to 2015. He's got skins on the wall in the league, and he has experience with Parker and Schottenheimer.
Pettine was the Packers' DC when Parker joined the league in 2019. He worked with Schottenheimer on the Jets from 2009 to 2011. That familiarity should make for a smooth transition for a mid-season hire.
It's hard to be anything but pleased with this decision. At the same time, it's a damning indictment of Parker's first five games that the Cowboys already felt compelled to bring in an experienced voice to help steady a ship that is treading water.
Cowboys' announce the hiring of Mike Pettine to Christian Parker's staff
To be clear, this isn't on the same level as Matt Eberflus moving to the coaching booth late last season. That felt like Schottenheimer's way of pre-firing his defensive coordinator. Parker is not pre-fired. But make no mistake: needing to bring in outside help five games into Parker's tenure absolutely feels like strike one of three.
As premature as it might seem to discuss Parker's job security this early into his time on the job, bringing in an experienced voice makes it a conversation.
The Cowboys' defense has been hit with gnarly injury luck, especially in the secondary, but there's enough talent on the field to get better results. Here's a look at where Parker's unit stands five weeks in (pre-Monday Night Football between the Rams and Bills):
- Last in EPA per play (0.16)
- Last in success rate (50.65 percent)
- Last in EPA per rush (0.36)
- T-22nd in EPA per rush (-0.22)
- 28th in sack rate (3.4 percent)
- Last in forced turnover rate (4.0 percent)
- 30th in points per drive allowed (2.7)
It's clear now that the offseason hype surrounding Parker was overblown. Any theories or projections about Dallas' defense going from dead last to just regular bad or even league average -- yes, the term "average" was thrown around -- can be shelved.
This is still the worst defense in football. Despite improved personnel at all three levels. After a full offseason of planning. At least Eberflus had the built-in Micah Parsons excuse.
Parker's group has been bullied by both the Giants in Week 1 and the Buccaneers in Week 5. It made strides in Week 2, but it was headed for another 30-burger if not for Jayden Daniels' elbow injury.
We saw improvements again in Weeks 3 and 4, but the Ravens still hung 30 points, and C.J. Stroud had the fifth-highest adjusted EPA per play (0.425) of any quarterback in Week 4, per RBSDM.
Christian Parker badly needed some veteran guidance
If I had to form a defense of Parker, I'd say this: Dee Winters is not a starting linebacker. Reddy Steward is a practice squad player playing significant snaps due to injury. DaRon Bland has reached Trevon Diggs territory in terms of being unplayable. And Shavon Revel just hasn't been good.
Parker deserves time to see what this thing looks like once DeMarvion Overshown, Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, and P.J. Locke all return from injury. Maybe getting certain players off the field, coupled with the addition of Pettine, will help settle a defense that has looked completely out of sorts through five games.
There's enough talent here that Parker deserves a chance to prove the first month isn't an accurate reflection of what his defense can become.
Teams can be stubborn about admitting when something isn't working, especially only five games into a new coordinator's tenure. Rather than simply hoping Parker and his staff would figure it out on their own, Dallas acknowledged that the defense needed help and acted before things completely went off the rails.
There's something to be said about that.
But they also handed over the reins to Parker after maybe the worst defensive season in franchise history, and the defense has gone backwards. He's not skating on thin ice yet, but the pressure is mounting much faster than anyone could have anticipated.
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