The Dallas Cowboys have been known to sell hype for quite some time now. Even from the days before the Jerry Jones era, the Cowboys have been a marketing juggernaut, casting a fanbase net from coast to coast. But this season it felt a little different.
No one likes to be played a fool, and seasoned fans of the Cowboys have felt especially embarrassed this year since they fell for the homer hype yet again. Yet, there is some solace to be found in the fact Cowboys Nation was not alone in buying the hype; the national media ate the cheese as well.
The Cowboys entered the 2026 season with an established offense. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams and a rather imposing offensive line ensured the Cowboys would be one of the best
scoring machines in the league. The only thing they needed was a defense.
Christian Parker and the roster overhaul was supposed to provide that defensive improvement. Parker came to Dallas a highly organized and well-respected young coach. His scheme and strategy mimicked some of the NFL’s best and the new pieces he was given made it something that could be implemented immediately.
Locally, the fanbase hoped the defense could be something that resembled average. While some circles hoped for better, the realists capped expectations at something that frankly already represented an enormous leap. As fortune would have it, even the more modest of expectations came off as far-fetched. Eight weeks in, the Cowboys defense ranks 29 in DVOA, 30 in EPA/play allowed and 28 in success rate allowed. They’re abysmal in every sense of the word and don’t seem to be improving week-to-week as one would hope.
In The Athletic’s “What We Got Wrong” article about the first eight weeks of the 2026 NFL season, the Cowboys, specifically their defense, were among the items highlighted. After stating he’s not a Cowboys hyper, Ted Nguyen admitted to falling “into the trap” on the Cowboys this season. Nguyen was excited about all the same things locals were and he had all the same reasons to back up that optimism. But just like us, he was horribly wrong.
None of this makes a lick of difference in the end but it does wash some of the shame away that comes from gullibly believing one's own hype. Cowboys Nation weren’t necessarily being foolish homers in their optimism because even unbiased industry experts were on their side. All indications are the Cowboys are disappointments to all, including themselves.
They say misery loves company and the misery brought on by the Cowboys’ floundering this year provides enough misery for all.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys' preseason hype didn’t just fool fans, but national media too
