Three defensive coordinators in three years. That sums up why the Dallas Cowboys are struggling to find a rhythm under the latest regime of Matt Eberflus. Shuffling through coordinators has left the Cowboys’ defense spinning its wheels, never fully gelling. But Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has finally placed his finger on the problem and called out who’s to blame: himself.

Speaking on 105.3 The Fan, Jerry left no doubts in anyone’s minds. “We’ve had three different defensive coordinators over the last three years. That’s my fault. That really is. You knew you were going to have somebody different than the last two years when we hired Flus. On the other hand, you look at any of these defenses, they get better and better as the season goes along. That’s just part of it. … I think our defense will improve, and it will improve to the level of preventing some scoring.”

Jones hired Matt Eberflus, hoping for a steady fix, banking on his proven record of turning defenses into iron walls. But that defense has remained shaky. Dallas ranks dead last in defensive rankings, having allowed more than 411 yards and a total of 21 touchdowns in just 6 games. Injuries haven’t been kind to Eberflus’ schemes either.

Dallas ‘agent zero’, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, is still out with a knee injury and could return sometime in November. Rookie Corner, Shavon Revel has yet to make a splash, rehabbing his ACL. And the Veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs had been ruled out of Dallas’ Week 7 matchup with a concussion he suffered at home.

Rookies like defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku and linebacker Shemar James have shown flashes of brilliance every time, but the total team defense has just been falling flat. Their inability to close out games after promising starts has been the defining narrative for Dallas this season. Jerry Jones has admitted that it won’t be solved overnight, but it does set a new tone. The GM trusts Eberflus to make things right.

As Jones further added, “He will get there. He’s trying to eliminate those explosive plays. … We know Eberflus. … What you really want more than anything is at times like these, you don’t want people that break and run. You want them to hang in, stick in there, look pragmatically, make the adjustment if necessary, but do it begrudgingly because Flus has a plan.”

But Jones’ take on the coaching woes is just part of the story. The Dallas defense’s road to relevance runs through another factor beyond Matt Eberflus’ plans. They need a locker room leader to bring the squad together in the secondary.

Jerry Jones and the defensive leadership

While speaking on 105.3 The Fan, Jerry Jones was reminded of a name the Cowboys Nation knows all too well: Charles Haley. Corey Mageors reminded JJ of how Haley pushed the entire locker room to ball out. When asked if there’s anyone on the defense who can fill those shoes, Jerry had a simple answer, but it came with a catch.

“That’s why we have such a chance: It’s our quarterback.”

Franchise quarterback Dak Prescott’s voice echoes loudly for the offense. He commands respect, leads with poise, and gets the offense humming on all cylinders almost every single week. But while Jerry believes that’s enough for the entire team, the Cowboys do need a voice similar to Dak’s for their defense. A star who can snap defenders out of bad plays, rally the troops, and lead by example. 

In a recent presser, Prescott had echoed Jerry Jones’ sentiment that the defense would eventually get better.

“It’s an iron sharpens iron mentality. I understand the players and pieces they have over there. You see them getting better. They’re getting better.”

But going 2-3-1 into Week 7, these gaps need to be filled fast. Can the defense stop leaking points, and can someone step up to lead the charge? The upcoming clash against the Washington Commanders presents another chance to rewrite the story. If not, the silence on defense will continue to be deafening.