Everyone who has watched the Dallas Cowboys during the first two months of the 2025-26 NFL season knows one thing: the defense is abysmal. In fact, it’s been historically bad through eight weeks, and the team needs to improve at all three levels.
On Tuesday, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was asked about the team’s struggling defense and called out one specific position for its lackluster performance.
While many people will point to the secondary after Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix lit up the team with four passing touchdowns, Jones thinks the linebackers need to step up their game.
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Against Denver, the Broncos’ running backs averaged 5.35 yards per rush before contact, meaning the linebackers were not attacking the line of scrimmage or running lanes.
Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins runs against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
That’s just not going to cut it, so Jerry called it out.
“We need to basically have better play from the linebackers, maintaining the integrity of our gaps, which the linebackers have to fill, the linebackers have to slide,” Jones said during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan.
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“So they did a good job against us, Denver, and we did a poor job.”
Dallas has an arsenal of picks and players that can be put to use at the NFL trade deadline, so if the linebacker play does not improve next week against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, Jones and the front office will need to determine whether they’re ready to make a move or sit back and watch the struggles continue.
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the sideline during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Through the first eight weeks of the regular season, the Cowboys rank dead last in total defense. The unit gives up an average of 401.6 yards per game and has allowed 24 touchdowns.
Dallas run defense ranks No. 30 in the league, giving up 141.3 yards per game and allowing eight touchdowns.
If that wasn’t bad enough, things aren’t any better against the pass. The Cowboys’ pass defense also ranks last in the league, giving up 260.3 yards per game to opposing quarterbacks and allowing 16 passing touchdowns.
Something has to change, because the defensive effort through the first two months of the season have been holding the team back in a major way.
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