Matt Eberflus’ Scheme is Crippling the Dallas Cowboys Defense

Two Weeks of Defensive Disaster

Across the last two games, the Cowboys have surrendered 71 points and 720 passing yards.

Against the Giants, Russell Wilson torched Dallas for 450 yards and three touchdowns, completing 30 of 41 passes and scrambling for 23 more yards.

The following week, Bears second-year QB Caleb Williams was just as efficient, throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-14 win, while not being sacked once.

This isn’t a one-off bad performance. It’s a pattern.

Both games featured the same issues: soft zone coverage, linebackers being mismatched in space, and safeties arriving late to the play.

Linebackers Exposed in Coverage

Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray Jr. are downhill linebackers who play their best football attacking the line of scrimmage.

Instead of allowing them to be tone-setters, Eberflus is asking them to patrol shallow zones against NFL-caliber athletes in space.

The results have been predictable.

Against New York, Wan’Dale Robinson (8 catches, 142 yards) and Malik Nabers (9 catches, 167 yards, 2 TDs) repeatedly found soft spots over the middle or burning the safeties for a touchdown.

In Chicago, Cole Kmet waltzed into the end zone uncovered, and both Bears running backs were consistent safety valves for Caleb Williams.

These aren’t just execution issues; they are schematic mismatches that opposing coordinators are actively targeting.

Corners Playing the Wrong Role

Dallas invested in Trevon Diggs and Kaiir Elam because they are man-to-man corners. They thrive in press coverage, disrupting timing and forcing quarterbacks to make tight-window throws.

But in Eberflus’ system, they are sitting back in zone, letting receivers dictate routes.

The Giants and Bears took full advantage—Luther Burden III (3 catches, 101 yards, TD) and Rome Odunze (3 catches, 62 yards, TD) made explosive plays in space because the Cowboys’ corners were reacting rather than challenging.

Diggs’ ball-hawking ability has been neutralized because he’s never in a position to jump routes.

Donovan Wilson Out of Position

Safety Donovan Wilson is a physical enforcer built for box play, blitzing, and disrupting run lanes.

In this scheme, he’s playing deep zones, effectively turning him into a center-fielder—a role that minimizes impact.

Both the Giants and Bears used play-action to freeze him, then attacked behind him for big gains. This misuse of one of Dallas’ most aggressive defenders and a prime example of why this defense lacks bite.

Predictable and Passive

Perhaps the most damning problem is how vanilla this defense has become. There are no creative disguises, no consistent QB spies, and almost no exotic pressures.

The Cowboys had zero sacks against Chicago and barely touched Williams all game. Russell Wilson faced the same soft looks for four quarters and methodically shredded them.

You can’t sit back and expect the front four to win on a constant basis.

Why Micah Parsons Wouldn’t Have Saved This Defense

Some fans believe that if Micah Parsons were still on the team, the Cowboys would look like a different unit. That’s wishful thinking.

Parsons wasn’t even practicing in the weeks leading up to his trade to Green Bay, dealing with what was reported as a “back issue” that had already limited his impact.

Even if he were healthy, Parsons’ presence would not fix the schematic problems that plague this defense.

Dallas’ linebackers would still be miscast in coverage. Diggs and Elam would still be sitting in zone. Donovan Wilson would still be wasting his skill set in deep coverage. This isn’t about one player—it’s about a system that refuses to adapt.

Coaching Problem

The Cowboys don’t have a talent problem—they have a coaching problem.

Matt Eberflus’ scheme is outdated, predictable, and misaligned with the strengths of his personnel. Sanborn and Murray should be attacking, not covering. Diggs and Elam should be pressing, not bailing. Wilson should be hitting, not chasing.

Until this defense is re-imagined—either by Eberflus admitting his system doesn’t work or by Dallas finding someone who will—expect more of the same: blown coverages, long drives, and a unit that keeps this team from reaching its true potential.