Just four weeks in, the Dallas Cowboys have already realized they’ll need more than hopes and dreams. Currently sitting at an uncomfortable 1-2-1 record, on paper, their next two games against the winless New York Jets and the 1-3 Carolina Panthers have the potential to be wins. However, purely from a defensive standpoint, things could get tricky. That’s exactly where the team’s All-Pro CB, Trevon Diggs, comes in with some important demands from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

“Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs would like for the team to play more man coverage. Playing so much zone has been getting “comfortable being uncomfortable”,” The Athletic’s Jon Machota shared on X earlier this week. “I wouldn’t say it’s more complexed, but when you’re playing man, you’re right there with the person. … As the weeks have been coming, (playing zone) has been way easier, way easier. I feel like we’re on our way to getting the ball and being on our way to making plays.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about what I want. It’s not about the other people. It’s about what the whole defense wants, what coach wants, what coach thinks is best for us to win. And if he feels like this gives us our best chance to win, we gotta play it and just play it to the best of our ability. It’s not to point fingers at nobody. It ain’t nobody’s fault. We just gotta execute,” he further added as per the tweet.

Unfortunately, Diggs is right.

In the first three weeks, the team’s defense played a measly nine snaps of man coverage, while ranking third in Cover 3 usage (46.3%) and Cover 2 rate (23.9%). In fact, as per ESPN, while Eberflus has the team playing the most zone coverage among teams (84% of snaps), things seem to be falling through rather painfully.

Jerry Jones’ team has the second-lowest blitz rate (percentage of plays where the defense sends five or more players to rush the quarterback, aiming to create pressure and force a quick decision or sack) in the league at 19.8%. And if that was not enough, Dallas has been allowing opponents to convert 58% of the time as the worst third-down defense in the league currently. To put it into perspective, the team was the NFL’s ninth-best third-down defense just last season—allowed conversions just 36.6% of the time.

The holes in the Cowboys’ defensive unit have clearly started to pop up after Micah Parsons’ trade. While there are many reasons, the most obvious is that Dallas’ first-year defensive coordinator is struggling to get the best out of his players. In the first four weeks, the Cowboys’ defense has allowed 33.3 points per game on average, ranking 31st in the league. These defensive struggles have been a major reason the team sits at 1-2-1. Eberflus’ approach toward zone coverage isn’t helping matters, either.

The defense has struggled to generate consistent quarterback pressure, recording just five sacks so far. Eberflus’ defense relies heavily on zone coverage. It might have worked with the Chicago Bears when he was their head coach, but in Dallas, not so much. The coach knows that, too.

“Where’ we’ve got to grow and we’ve got to get better is cup tackling,” the defensive coordinator said in a media conversation Thursday. “that’s the space tackling, having force, pursue an apex on that… We’ve been working hard on that all week, and then third downs… in the field and also in the red zone. We have to do a good job of getting off the field.”

Thankfully, it looks like Eberflus might be getting some help on the defensive side soon.

Help is coming for Trevon Diggs and the Cowboys’ defense

You’ll find the Cowboys at the bottom of the league from their defensive perspective. They’re one of the teams that have generated the fewest sacks. On top of that, they currently rank 32nd in the NFL in yards allowed per game. Yet, the Cowboys’ owner, Jerry Jones, found a layer of optimism from last Week’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers (overtime tie: 40-40).

“If you felt it, even though they scored 40 points, our defense improved as that game went along right before your eyes,” Jones said. “And we did make some stops that were out there that were key stops against a fine offensive football team in Green Bay. So, I think your eyes didn’t betray you, and that we got better as that game went along. That’s what you’re looking for.”

Hopefully, in Week 5 they’ll get even better. Why? For starters, Trevon Diggs is reportedly set to return and bolster the Cowboys’ secondary. On top of that, Dallas could get additional defensive help from players coming off the IR, NFI, and PUP lists this week. According to CBS Sports, cornerbacks Caelen Carson, Josh Butler, and Shavon Revel are all expected to be back in action for Week 5. However, the Cowboys have yet to confirm.