Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus’ Job In Jeopardy?

Thanks in part to an improved defense, the Cowboys ripped off three straight post-deadline wins over the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs. They were firmly in the playoff mix at that point, but that momentum is gone after back-to-back losses to Detroit and Minnesota.

The Cowboys gave up 44 points against the Lions and surrendered another 34 to the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy, among the league’s least effective quarterbacks this year, played one of the best games of his young career. McCarthy finished 15 of 24 for 250 yards, three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing), and an interception.

After McCarthy helped take a sledgehammer to the Cowboys’ fading playoff hopes, Jerry Jones sounded less bullish about Eberflus. It seems he’ll be under evaluation for the rest of the season.

“The adjustments that we should be making (defensively) should be with these next three games in mind,” Jones said on Sunday night (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “With three games left in the short time that we’ve got to play them in, then that will impact any adjustments that you make regarding coaching with the time frame we’re dealing with. That’s a legit question.”

One of the “adjustments” Dallas made in Week 15 was to give more playing time to Wilson. Jerry Jones noted that was a possibility leading up to the game (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). Wilson then made his first start as a Cowboy and logged more defensive snaps than Kenneth Murray (29 to 22), but the results were uninspiring. Both players recorded one unassisted tackle apiece.

Asked about Wilson and Murray, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said (via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News) that the two “can improve in certain areas, and it’s kind of pretty consistent throughout our football team right now.”

Eberflus may need to get more from Wilson, Murray, and the rest of his defense if he’s going to remain on Schottenheimer’s staff next year. Otherwise, Eberflus could follow Mike Zimmer as the team’s second consecutive one-and-done defensive coordinator. The Cowboys haven’t had stability there since Dan Quinn‘s three-year run from 2021-23.