Why it will take more than just a new defensive coordinator to fix the Cowboys defense

"When you fire your defensive coordinator (or let him walk, or let him go on a sabbatical, or whatever the Cowboys decide to do with Matt Eberflus), it's often because the entire organization failed, and not just the guy nominally responsible for the defense. It follows that when you're looking to fix that defense, you're going to have to look at more than just the coaching. Because if you don't, you'll quickly find yourself back in the position you wanted to get out of in the first place."

"While saying goodbye to Eberflus is the right decision, the danger is that it provides the Cowboys with a waaaay too convenient excuse for everything that went sideways with the defense this season, and thus provides carte blanche for the Jones family and the front office to continue doing business as usual. In Dallas, the general thinking heading into 2025 was that changing out the defensive coordinator and getting key players back healthy should be enough to be a Super Bowl contender again - despite not even having sniffed an NFC Championship game in decades."

"a defense that ranked 28th in defensive passer rating and 31st in points allowed just needed some Matt Eberflus fairy dust to become a Top 10 unit. a defensive line that ranked 28th in rushing yards per attempt just needed to invest in some over-the-hill free agent defensive tackles and the Cowboys would be a lock for the next NFC Championship game. in a league that's all about the pass, trading away a generational pass rush talent for some run stuffers and picks was a brilliant idea."

Firing the defensive coordinator alone will not fix systemic defensive failures across the organization. The defense ranked poorly in passer rating and points allowed, and the defensive line struggled against the run. Personnel moves favored short-term or questionable solutions, including trading a generational pass rusher for run-focused assets and signing aging interior linemen. The pro scouting and draft results have been increasingly spotty, yet the same approaches risk continuing. Ownership and the front office face the danger of using a coordinator change as a scapegoat instead of addressing scouting, roster construction, and long-term personnel strategy.

Read at Blogging The Boys