The Dallas Cowboys walked off Soldier Field in Week 3 carrying a new scar: a defense exposed for the world to see. The Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t just pick them apart; he tossed four touchdowns with barely a finger laid on him. No sacks, no interceptions. If there was ever a game where the defense needed to prove itself, this was it. But Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was left scrambling for answers.
Former NFL QB and FOX broadcaster Terry Bradshaw wasted no time calling out the scheme. “[Matt] Eberflus’ defense for the Cowboys is rush for play zone. If you don’t have a pass rush and you have a quality quarterback and great receivers, you’re going to see these kind of results all year long.” Bradshaw’s jab zeroed in on the approach that made Williams’ job look effortless. The rush wasn’t there, the coverage wasn’t tight, and the Bears took full advantage. Dallas has invested a lot in speed and pressure, but now, with injuries mounting, the system feels brittle. Still, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones remains optimistic.
With head coach Brian Schottenheimer and DC Matt Eberflus leading the charge, the response is anything but panic. As Stephen Jones noted in an interview on 105.3 The Fan, “I believe in coach Schottenheimer and coach Eberflus. He’s been successful in this league for many many years and I believe they’ll get the job done.” Stephen also referred to Eberflus’ past with top-tier defenses in Indianapolis and his earlier days in Dallas under Rod Marinelli.
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For Jones, that trust is more than nostalgia. As Stephen further added, “track record’s very good. We’re very comfortable with coach Eberflus and how he coaches and what he brings to the table and certainly understand everybody’s going to look hard at anything that’s not having success right now, and we’re certainly struggling on that side of the ball.” Moving forward, the biggest change Dallas will need to make is to figure out a way not to give up big plays to the opposing offense. In week 2, Dallas had given up seven plays for 20 or more yards. Against the Bears in Week 3, they gave up five similar plays. As Cowboys owner Jerry Jones put it bluntly postgame, “Those big plays, on either side, will eventually take the heart out of you when you get a bunch of them.”
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The Jones family isn’t just backing the coaches; they’re addressing the grind directly. Now facing an uncertain Week 4 vs. the Green Bay Packers, Jerry and Stephen have both shared optimism and put resilience center stage.
Playoff mindset to be tested: “17-round fight”
Inside the locker room, the message is blunt. Starting quarterback Dak Prescott called the Week 3 defeat as it is: “Not acceptable.” HC Brian Schottenheimer also layered that with his own admission, “We got to do a better job.” But Jerry Jones, for one, sounded optimistic when he noted he believes the Cowboys are a playoff team. When asked about it on 105.3 The Fan, Stephen Jones explained why.
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The Jones family isn’t shying away from the challenge, even with a 1-2 record heading into Week 4. “That’s why we’re in the business… to get in the tournament,” Stephen noted. “We think we’ve got a lot of good things that are going for this team. And we do think we should only get better as the season progresses. And one of the guys in the locker room said, ‘Hey, this is a 17-round fight and we’re only in the third round.’ … we feel like with this coaching staff and with this group of players that we’ll do the things that we have to do to be successful.” There’s recognition that personnel issues and scheme changes will need to be addressed. Dallas is playing the long game. What they do next will matter as much as what they do a few more weeks down the line.
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