Cowboys' Matt Eberflus Reveals Motto for Run Defense: 'No House Guest!'

The Dallas Cowboys' run defense has been the team's Achilles heel for what feels like forever, and now it is Matt Eberflus' turn to try and tighten things up.

Since Dak Prescott became the starter in 2016, the Cowboys have had a top 10 defense against the run just three times, ironically, in his first three years in the league.

Since 2020, the Cowboys haven't been higher than the 18th-best defense against the run, and last season, allowing 137.1 yards per game (ranked 29th), Eberflus has some work to do.

But thankfully, having a stout run defense has been his calling card during his time in the league, however what makes a defense good at stopping the run?

“Teamwork,” Eberflus said. “It's not just the inside guys, not just the outside guys, it's everybody to have an elite run defense. It's going to take everybody, and one of my mentors (Rod Marinelli) used to say, 'No house guest' ...

"That starts with we'll be a good tackling team when our corners tackle. That's important, because all the schemes nowadays make your corners tackle. So, our guys will be a good tackling bunch. And we work on that daily.”

During his time with the Chicago Bears in 2023, Eberflus had the best run defense in football, allowing just 86.4 yards per game. It is worth noting that the Bears finished 31st last year and 22nd in run defense in 2022.

So exactly what we'll get is unknown, but Eberflus has skins on the wall in his defense being capable of stopping the run, because let's face it, Dallas was run through far too often last season.

Can Eberflus change that?

If the Cowboys are to amount to anything substantial, he'll have to.