To say the Dallas Cowboys had a bad day against the Chicago Bears last Sunday would be an understatement. It all started on their first possession after forcing a three-and-out. Javonte Williams broke a 22-yard run, but he fumbled before going out of bounds, and the Bears capped off a five-play, 76-yard drive with a touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to Rome Odunze.
Dallas would find themselves in a 14-3 hole before adding a field goal and then tying the game after George Pickens scored and Jalen
Tolbert caught a two-point conversion. Unfortunately, that would be the final points the Cowboys would score all game. The Bears would add 10 points before halftime and another seven in the second half to win 31-14.
It was the second consecutive game that the Cowboys were putrid on defense. They allowed four touchdown passes by Williams (tied a career high) and they didn’t sack him once, which is the first game in the career of Williams in which he wasn’t sacked. On top of all of that, All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and rookie right guard Tyler Booker both suffered high ankle sprains and will be out for multiple weeks.
As the Cowboys look to pull off an upset this Sunday at home when the Green Bay Packers and Micah Parsons come to town, here are three things we learned about Dallas.
Matt Eberflus and his scheme are not working
The defensive scheme of Matt Eberflus is to rush four and drop seven into coverage. It’s a zone concept that he’s run forever. However, through the first three games, it’s clear that the Cowboys don’t have the type of personnel to constantly run the principles that he’s based his scheme on. Dallas has defensive backs who are more suited to play man coverage and they don’t have the horses up front to constantly get pressure with four men, which is why they rank 30th in total defense.
For the record, there’s nothing wrong with playing zone at times when you want to keep things in front of you and not allow big plays downfield. With that said, Eberflus has basically run zone the entire season so far, and teams are starting to pick it apart. At some point, Eberflus is going to have to adjust to what he has on the roster or the Cowboys’ defense is going to get shredded all year.
Cowboys offensive line will be challenged immensely for the foreseeable future
As mentioned earlier, Booker suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday and will likely head to injured reserve. This was actually the second injury to the offensive line as starting center Cooper Beebe is dealing with the same issue after Week 2 and is on a 6-8 week timeline. So, this means that veteran Brock Hoffman will continue to start at center in place of Beebe, and T.J. Bass almost certainly will take over starting right guard duties for Booker.
Hoffman and Bass are serviceable players. That doesn’t negate the fact that there is a significant drop-off when it comes to what Beebe and Booker provide. The interior of the Cowboys’ offensive line was considered its strongest area. With the talent not being what it usually is, the means quarterback Dak Prescott could see more pressure from the interior which is a signal caller’s worst nightmare. Hoffman and Bass have to be ready for the challenge or the Cowboys’ offense will be compromised greatly.
Marist Liufau needs more reps and fast
Second-year linebacker Marist Liufau showed a ton of promise in 2024 and was expected to take a jump in 2025. After he surprisingly only played six snaps in the Cowboys’ season opener, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that Liufau had earned more time on the field. Since then, Liufau has only played 17 snaps on defense (33 on special teams).
The linebacker position was a question mark for the Cowboys going into the season. Truth be told, additions Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray haven’t played well so far. Liufau’s ability to fill run gaps is known, he can also cause havoc while being at least as effective in pass coverage as the current situation. The middle of the Cowboys’ defense will continue to be a liability is changes aren’t made.
