Cowboys face a tough decision on Matt Eberflus after another sub-par showing on defense

Audio By Carbonatix

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott led the Dallas Cowboys to touchdowns on their first two drives against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Justin Herbert easily answered both times against a Dallas defense that tops the list of reasons the Cowboys will miss the playoffs for second year in a row and could finish with a losing record in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the last of three straight in 2002.

Matt Eberflus moved to the coaching booth from the sideline before the 34-17 loss to the Chargers, a few days after owner and general manager Jerry Jones had some cryptic words for the first-year defensive coordinator on his radio show.

Jones' tone hadn't changed much when he saw reporters after the game.

Eberflus was a valued defensive assistant in Dallas a decade ago, and could have been the defensive coordinator then under different circumstances. Instead, he went on to Indianapolis in that role before landing the head coaching job in Chicago, where he was fired midseason a year ago.

Now, the Cowboys face a difficult choice with a known and trusted coach. Jones said Eberflus wouldn't be fired before the Cowboys (6-8-1) finish the season on the road against Washington (Thursday) and the New York Giants (Jan. 3 or 4).

The outspoken and ever-present owner fell far short of endorsing Eberflus. A change would mean a fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons in 2026.

“I might not couch it as difficult,” Jones said when asked how difficult a decision he faced with Eberflus, who was on the Dallas staff for seven seasons ending in 2017. “Now, that’s not uncommon to evaluate at this time of the year your entire coaching staff. And obviously the target’s on him because of our statistical as well as actual play on the defensive side of the ball. But that goes with it.”

Herbert was playing his third full game with a broken non-throwing (left) hand heavily protected. The Chargers didn't get to 300 yards total offense in either of the first two. They had a season-high 452 against the Cowboys, and Herbert completed a season-best 79% of his passes.

“I thought it was OK. I thought it was fine,” first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer said of Eberflus' move to the booth. “I know we need to get more pressure on the guy and didn’t do a great job getting pressure on him. And I thought both quarterbacks played great today. And unfortunately, their guy got the win.”

WR George Pickens bounced back from two sub-par games with seven catches for 130 yards with a 38-yard score when Prescott hit him in stride in the end zone. He is a strong candidate for the franchise tag after what could be a 1,500-yard season in his Dallas debut following the offseason trade that brought him from Pittsburgh.

The Cowboys have been shut out on sacks in consecutive games for the first time since 2017. Not getting to Herbert was particularly egregious considering he has been dropped a career-high 49 times and the Chargers have used a makeshift offensive line because of injuries.

Tyler Smith's value is on display again with the decision to move him to left tackle to replace struggling backup Nate Thomas with Tyler Guyton sidelined by a sprained ankle. Smith was the left tackle as a rookie replacing the injured Tyron Smith before the club decided to put him at left guard. Now, he will start the rest of the season as the protector of Prescott's blind side, and there's a chance the move could be permanent. If Tyler Smith stays put, it's possible Guyton would replace Terence Steele at right tackle next year.

Schottenheimer's play-calling has been hit-and-miss, and he had a big miss against the Chargers. Facing fourth-and-1 at the LA 16-yard line down by a touchdown late in the third quarter, diminutive gadget receiver KaVontae Turpin was lined up 7 yards deep as the running back with fullback Hunter Luepke near the line of scrimmage to Prescott's left. The dive play to Luepke was stuffed, and the Chargers drove 76 yards to a field goal for a 27-17 lead.

DT Quinnen Williams was out against the Chargers, missing a game for the first time since the trade with the New York Jets. He seemed to be coming along OK in returning from a concussion when a neck issue arose. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys play a defensive cornerstone in the coming seasons in two meaningless games. ... LB DeMarvion Overshown, who missed the first nine games recovering from his second major knee injury in two years, exited with a concussion and didn't return.

27.8% — Dallas' defensive QB pressure percentage is among the best in the NFL, and yet the Cowboys are in the bottom third in the league with 29 sacks. They're having trouble getting quarterbacks on the ground.

Even though they're already eliminated from the playoffs, the Cowboys can finish 5-1 in the NFC East with victories over the Commanders and Giants. They would also be the second team to finish 8-8-1 since the NFL went to 17 games in 2021. Washington did it three years ago.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL