It is easy to say from afar, let alone behind a keyboard, that a coach should be fired. Those calls can be overreactionary following a season-altering loss. And while the Dallas Cowboys' season all but ended with their 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night, it is absolutely justifiable to say that defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus should lose his job.
Sometimes the analysis doesn't need to go beyond the surface level. Allowing J.J. McCarthy, the worst quarterback in the NFL this season by virtually every metric, to have a career night and put up 34 points, is a fireable offense.
Jerry Jones was asked after the loss about his confidence that Eberflus is the right man for the job. While Jones didn't say whether Eberflus would be back in 2026, it sure sounds like he's second-guessing his conviction in the team's DC.
"The adjustments that we should be making should be with this year, with these next three games in mind," Jones said, via Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan. "They should not be being made -- and with three games left in the short time, we've got to play them in -- then that will impact any adjustments you make regarding coaching, the timeframe we're dealing with. That's a legit question."
Jerry Jones is quietly backing away from Matt Eberflus after the Cowboys' Week 15 loss
That is a lot of word salad from Jones, which is nothing new. However, it does sound like he will give a long, hard look at Eberflus after the season. It seems that the final three games will carry a lot of weight in the evaluation process.
Cowboys fans will roll their eyes reading that, as 14 games of evidence suggest Eberflus is not capable. Jones and Eberflus have a long history. It was Jones who advocated for and ultimately hired Eberflus in the offseason. The 83-year-old might have played dumb after the game in the name of protecting an old friend, but he knows this defense is terrible.
Even after poor performances earlier in the season, Jones loudly supported Eberflus. After the Cowboys allowed 30 points in a loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, Jones lauded Eberflus' experience and said he's someone "who I want in the foxhole with me."
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Jones even went as far as to say that "I still feel as strongly as I did the day we brought him in here," regarding Eberflus.
Since then, the Cowboys have allowed 29.5 points per game, including 30 or more to the Broncos, Lions, and Vikings. So much for the defense turning a corner after the trade deadline.
If Jones had any inclination that Eberflus would be back, he would've ended any speculation about the 55-year-old's future with some bogus excuse for Sunday's pitiful performance.
It may ultimately take Brian Schottenheimer stepping in and pushing for a change for Eberflus to be fired, but Jones’ postgame quote suggested he’s quietly backing off his belief. Jones will reevaluate everything after the season, if he hasn't already made his decision.