FRISCO, Texas - Football season is getting closer and closer.
The Cowboys are set to depart for training camp in less a month. That's when we'll get the first up-close look at Brian Schottenheimer's first season with this revised roster and coaching staff. When we get to Oxnard, that's when we'll start to get some real answers about this 2025 Cowboys team.
But what are the questions? We've compiled our annual list of pressing questions that need answers heading into the regular season. The staff writers, consisting of Patrik Walker, Tommy Yarrish, Nick Eatman, Mickey Spagnola, Kyle Youmans and Kurt Daniels, weigh in on some of the pressing issues.
Today, we'll continue the series with a deep dive into the new defense from Matt Eberflus, who has been the head coach of the Bears, but also served as the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis and the linebackers coach in Dallas nearly a decade ago.
14) What does Eberflus' defense look like?
Tommy: The one thing that you'll know you're getting out of a Matt Eberflus defense is takeaways. In the seven years he's been a defensive playcaller, only one time in his career has a defensive unit he's coached finished outside the top 10 in takeaways, and the one time they didn't, the still finished in the top half of the league at 14th. It'll also be a unit that, if all things are going right, will be able to stop the run. Eberflus' defenses have been top 10 units in five of his seven seasons as a defensive play caller, but they finished 31st and 28th in 2022 and 2024 respectively. They finished 1st in 2023, so Eberflus has shown he can make the leap from worst to first in the category buthas a new team to work with in Dallas.
One thing I think we'll see that's a bit more uncharacteristic of Eberflus' defenses in the past is an increase in getting after the quarterback. The Cowboys pass rush unit is incredibly deep, and bringing the heat on opposing quarterbacks is a great way to force even more turnovers for your team, something that Eberflus will be sure to contribute to this unit.
Kyle: For Cowboys fans who miss the Dan Quinn defenses of the past, Matt Eberflus will demand similar results and display similar effort. His defenses have always embodied superb effort and intensity, much like Quinn's defenses from 2021-23. There will also be some key differences.
Where Quinn's defenses focused on turnovers and pressure off the edge, Eberflus' unit will rely on sure tackling and interior pressure from the three-technique and linebackers to speed up the quarterback. This doesn't mean there won't be help from Micah Parsons and other edge rushers. Just expect some more flair from guys like Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas. This should allow the linebackers to run free and swarm the football, focusing on the tackling elements to avoid the big play.
Nick: For starters, this defense is designed to get more turnovers, which is always a good thing - for everyone. Turnovers, or the threat of them, make the offense play timid and scared. Plus, when they do happen, it's a short field and the offense should benefit as well.
As far as scheme goes, I think you'll see some differences in the middle of the D-line. With Dan Quinn, who liked to use the big 1-technique players such as Hankins, it was a little more of a read-and-react defense. Just plug the middle and try not to let the pile get pushed back. With Eberflus, he uses a little more of a quicker defensive tackle that moves into the gaps, sometimes laterally, but always to initiate responses from the O-line. That puts the offense more on its heels and allows the linebackers to go make plays.
Plus, it's a little more of a traditional 4-3 defense. I think with Quinn, he almost played the 4-2-5 style, using linebackers such as Markquese Bell and Donovan Wilson up by the line of scrimmage. With Eberflus, you'll see mostly three linebackers when they're in the base defense.
Kurt: Asked this question after his hiring, Matt Eberflus said, "Pretty simple: We take the ball away. … We stop the run, and we make exciting plays." We haven't seen much of the specifics first-hand just yet, but we do at least know that Eberflus has been successful as a defensive coordinator in the past. During his time in Indianapolis, the Colts finished among the NFL's top ten in takeaways and rushing yards allowed in all four years he was there as well as in points given up three times. However, in his three seasons as the head coach of the Bears, the numbers obviously weren't quite as nice. Which leads to the question, Is it the scheme or the players? Hopefully for Dallas this year, the answer will be both.
