Cowboys’ defense was publicly called out, then publicly shamed by Panthers

Rico Dowdle was right. The Cowboys’ defense should have buckled up.

Instead, the worst statistical defensive unit in the NFL saw Dowdle offer up 239 total yards to help power the below-average Panthers offense (21st in the NFL entering the game) to a 30-27 win behind 410 total yards of production.

It’s the same story, just in a different week, for the Cowboys’ defense. Dowdle knew what the outlook was when he made his comments a week ago about what the Cowboys should expect. He knew he’d have an opportunity to shine. And that he did.

“They wasn’t buckled up,” Dowdle rightfully said postgame.

Six games in, it’s safe to say that the Cowboys’ defense is a disaster. Through the air, the Cowboys have given up the most passing yards and touchdowns of any team in the league.

And even though acquiring defensive tackle Kenny Clark was supposed to drastically improve the run defense, the unit now ranks 31st in the league (out of 32) in rushing yards allowed after Dowdle’s explosion Sunday. They’re allowing the most third down conversions per game, the most overall first downs and the most 40-plus yard plays of any team in the league. Believe it or not, that list could actually go on.

“We knew they were a physical football team,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said after the game. “We weren’t surprised by that, but they were able to run it, and we weren’t. And this is a game where you got to win the line of scrimmage, and we didn’t win the line of scrimmage today. I told the team that. It’s disappointing.

“It’s going to jump off the film at us, the things that we didn’t do well. We’ll get them fixed.”

Nothing against Schottenheimer — it isn’t his side of the ball to have to call and manage during the game, to be fair — but the same “we’ll get it fixed” phrase has been uttered about this defense since the Russell Wilson Extravaganza in Week 2. At this point, it’s safe to assume that it can’t get fixed.

If a former player calling the unit out, and then doubling down during the week, can’t get this defense to show up, it’s tough to see how anything can.

Although, in a way, that does prove one point that’s worth giving the defense credit for. Schottenheimer has said throughout the season and after this game that he doesn’t see the defensive issues as an effort problem, and that’s not wrong. Players are moving around, not pointing fingers at others and are taking accountability.

At this point, it’s simply that the personnel and the scheme from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is not anywhere close to good enough. The Cowboys’ defense wanted to respond to Dowdle today. They just couldn’t.

“Matt’s trying,” Schottenheimer said. “Players are trying. It’s not a lack of effort. This is not that. We have to be able to play more complementary defense, and early in the season we were getting hurt throwing the football. This game, we got hurt running the football. We were not surprised.”

The defense has tried to make changes as well. Cornerback Kaiir Elam hasn’t started the past two games after a rough start to the year, and cornerback Trevon Diggs was benched to start a game earlier in the season. Linebackers Marist Liufau and Shemar James have consumed the snaps that once belonged to Damone Clark. By way of injury, Juanyeh Thomas has seen time at safety for Malik Hooker. Still, the same issues have occurred.

Again, it’s all just not good enough. For a Cowboys season that should have a lot of optimism around a No. 1 offense, it has instead been tempered to having expectations of a middle-of-the-road team failing to reach its full potential because of the continued defensive problems.

Sunday’s performance punctuated what we’ve all known for weeks about the Cowboys’ defense. Dowdle knew it, too, and called it out publicly.

Then, he fittingly put the unit to shame on Sunday afternoon — publicly.

This story was originally published October 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM.