The Dallas Cowboys' defense is the unofficial punchline of the NFL after it allowed 30 points in Sunday's embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Like any rabid fan base after an ugly loss, Cowboys fans want a pound of flesh. Unfortunately, it's not in Jerry Jones' DNA to fire a coach mid-season. Brian Schottenheimer went to bat for Matt Eberflus after the game, and Jones did the same during his Tuesday hit on 105.3 The Fan.
Jones doubled down on his loyalty to Eberflus, and in doing so confirmed that it was he who hired Eberflus in the offseason to be the team's defensive coordinator - not Schottenheimer.
It's clearer than ever that Jerry Jones hired Matt Eberflus to be the Cowboys' DC
"That’s who I want in the foxhole with me," Jones said. "I jumped at it when I saw a chance we had to get him, and I still feel as strongly as I did the day I brought him in here. The things we’re dealing with here are not one, two major things. It’s a lot of little things we can’t get right."
Cowboys fans had a feeling it was Jones who made the call to hire Eberflus. If there is one thing Jones loves more than being the center of attention, it's hiring familiar faces.
That's what led to the hire of Mike Zimmer last year to take over for Dan Quinn. Zimmer had as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator from 2000-06 after previously serving as a defensive assistant for six seasons.
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Eberflus was a successful college DC at Missouri, but he made his bones in the NFL as Dallas' linebackers coach, a title he held for seven years (2011 to 2017). He helped develop Sean Lee into one of the best linebackers in the game, and was at the helm during Rolando McClain's absurd two-year run with the Cowboys in 2014 and 2015.
Schottenheimer clearly hired most of the offensive staff, including offensive coordinator Klayton Adams and offensive line coach Conor Riley. But as far as Eberflus, that was all Jones.
This defense would stink regardless of who was calling the shots. The personnel is simply that bad. However, it hurts to wonder what it would look like if Jones didn't meddle and allowed Schottenheimer to hire his own defensive coordinator.
For all of the flaws of the roster, Eberflus hasn't done himself any favors by continuing to play Donovan Wilson deep, playing Sam Williams the most of any EDGE, not starting James Houston, and refusing to take Kenneth Murray off the field despite horrendous play.
The next time you question why Eberflus was hired, which will probably be this coming Sunday against the Commanders, direct your vitriol at Jones, not Schottenheimer.