Funny how a few wins and an upgrade in talent can completely change the view on a coach in the NFL, isn’t it? Remember, it was just a month ago, really, that one of the most disdained citizens in all of the DFW area was Cowboys defensive coach Matt Eberflus who, according to some narratives, had taken the 1985 Bears and turned them into the Little Sisters of the Poor.
It’s an understatement to say that things did not go well under the tutelage of Eberflus in his first two months as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. Through nine games, the Cowboys were 3-5-1 with a potent offense averaging an impressive 29.2 points per game and 378.4 yards of total offense. But they were brutal defensively, giving up 30.8 points per game and 397.4 yards of total offense.
The defense had been hard-hit by injuries and underperformance, and the trade that sent away the best pass-rusher in the NFC–Micah Parsons–had left a gaping hole in the team’s foundation. But there was Eberflus, the new guy, and amid calls for his firing, he took the bulk of the blame for the Cowboys’ struggles.
Thursday night’s disheartening loss to the Lions by a 44-30 count–the third time the Cowboys have given up 40 points this year–is likely going to bring that blame back to the surface.
Cowboys’ Quinnen Williams Making a Big Difference
Much had changed in the last month for the Cowboys heading into Thursday’s game in Detroit, though.
The trade-deadline additions of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson, plus the return from injury of fellow linebacker DeMarvion Overshown changed the tenor of the defense, heading into Week 14.
“I don’t really know what was going on before I got here, but since I’ve been here, everybody’s just been firing on all cylinders when it comes down to doing the job to their best ability,” Williams said. “One person can’t change things. One person can’t affect the game for wins and losses. It’s a team effort. It’s a unit effort, especially on defense.
“We all lose together. We all win together. So it’s just been unbelievable to work with those guys in the defensive room and get better every single day.”
GettyQuinnen Williams of the Cowboys
Cowboys Resurgence Pulled Matt Eberflus Off Hot Seat
The Lions loss changes things. The Cowboys are 6-6-1, and their playoff chances are back to a bare flicker. Dallas had three straight wins to its credit, with the defense giving up just 21.7 points and 312.3 yards per game in that span. On Thursday, it was 44 points and 408 yards.
Eberflus has a lot riding on this coming month in terms of repairing his reputation.
At ESPN, veteran analyst and insider Bill Barnwell notes that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has a notoriously quick trigger finger with his defensive coordinators and, indeed, the team is on its third DC in as many years after Dan Quinn left to be the head coach in Washington and Mike Zimmer was ushered out following a rocky 2024.
Still Pressure on Matt Eberflus
As Barnwell sees it, with the Williams deal in the books, Eberflus might well be coaching for his Cowboys future over the remainder of the schedule.
He writes, “Eberflus’ defense is at its best when he has a penetrating defensive tackle who can cause problems for interior offensive linemen, which is why the Colts traded a first-round pick for DeForest Buckner while Eberflus was the defensive coordinator in Indy. Dallas paid Osa Odighizuwa to come back in free agency to be that guy, but now, it has two potential standouts in that role.
“If Eberflus’ defense continues to approach league average, he should see a second season in Dallas. If it falls back toward the bottom of the pack and the Cowboys miss the playoffs, though, it’s not difficult to imagine Jones going for his third defensive coordinator in three years.”
After Thursday’s loss, it’s even easier to imagine.
Beleaguered Cowboys Coach Still Facing Pressure in NFL Stretch Run