Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus looks on during warmups before the game against the New York Giants Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Depressing stat highlights harsh reality of Cowboys' defense

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 5:45 PM ET

Three straight games, three straight losses for the Dallas Cowboys.

In their final home game of the 2025 season, the Cowboys were outscored by the Los Angeles Chargers 17-0 in the second half, falling 34-17. It was a fitting defeat, considering how the last couple of weeks have unfolded.

Dallas is now 1-5-1 when allowing 30+ points. The defense continues to scrape by at the bottom of the league.

Maybe the most frustrating aspect on that side of the ball is the lack of a consistent pass-rush. That issue is under a glaring spotlight after the last two weeks.

Uneven Pass-Rush Plaguing Dallas Cowboys' Defense

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sunday afternoon marked the second consecutive game where the Cowboys failed to record a sack. It's not like the defense front was facing two of the top offensive lines in the league, either.

Los Angeles came into the contest ranked second-worst in the league in sacks allowed (51). Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had been sacked 11 times in his last two appearances. The victory over Dallas marked the first game this season that LA didn't allow at least one sack.

A week earlier, the Cowboys produced a single quarterback hurry while giving away the game in the fourth quarter against Minnesota. The Vikings also sit near the bottom of the league in sacks allowed.

These are the type of lapses that can happen when a team doesn't field an elite pass-rusher. The Cowboys are relying on a veteran on his last legs, as Jadeveon Clowney is second on the roster with four sacks. Outside of that, James Houston and Dante Fowler Jr. are the only real threats, with Quinnen Williams getting in the mix as well.

Clowney's production has been up and down over the last few years. Houston recorded eight sacks in 2022 but only totaled one during the past two years. Fowler Jr. posted 10.5 sacks last season; however, he's finished with five or fewer sacks in eight of his 12 seasons in the league.

Another issue on a long list that the Cowboys will have to set out and fix this offseason.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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