ReportWire

Tag: Matt Eberflus

  • The Dallas Cowboys hit their lowest low point in the 21st century

    The Dallas Cowboys played a season where their starting quarterback not only started all 17 games but enjoyed one of the best statistical years of his career, and it finished with a losing record with no playoffs.

    Even if you are not the president, or member, of the Dak Prescott Fan Club, and believe some of his numbers are not a true indicator of how both he and his offense played this season, for their starting quarterback to do this much, and the team achieve so little, in 2025 is depressing.

    Try as they may, the Cowboys can’t expect to build an entire team around a kicker.

    Following a loss in New Jersey on Sunday against the New York Giants, another Cowboys season is mercifully over, and this is the worst this franchise has been this century. Year 1 of Brian Schottenheimer netted a losing record, the second consecutive for the Cowboys. Unlike the last time this team finished with a losing record in consecutive years – 2001 and 2002 – at least at the end of that ‘02 season there was the hope with the arrival of head coach Bill Parcells.

    Today the only expectation sold as “hope” is that defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be fired after an evaluation that should require 10 minutes rather than 10 days. When your defense is one of the worst in the history of professional football, like the Cowboys here in 2025, that normally gets you canned.

    Year 2 of ShoddyBall should be better than Year 1, but the 2025 team revealed so many weaknesses, needs and holes that axing a defensive coordinator is only going to get you so far. One offseason can’t do much more than maybe resulting in this team making the playoffs in 2026. That’s if everything goes right.

    “I can promise you this. We’re going to get to the bottom of it. We’re going to work our asses off to figure it out,” Schottenheimer said in a press conference after the season-ending loss on Sunday in New York. “We’re going to adjust and make changes that we need to do to help.”

    The 2026 Dallas Cowboys: We’re going to get to the bottom of it.

    Let’s make it easy for you: The defense is horrific. The offense is overrated. The special teams isn’t good, either. They were damn lucky to finish 7-9-1.

    Stop the nonsense that “If they hadn’t tied Green Bay, they would have won the NFC East!”

    The Cowboys lost to the Giants and Cardinals, two of the worst teams in the NFL. The Cardinals’ win against the Cowboys on Nov. 3 in Arlington was Arizona’s last win of the season.

    As feared, the trade of defensive end Micah Parsons days before the start of the season effectively destroyed what was already a weak defense that the arrival of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams two months later in a deal with the Jets could not adequately fix.

    The Cowboys allowed an average of 30.1 points per game, worst in the league. There is one offense that could have kept pace with that defense; the L.A. Rams led the league in points per game, 30.5.

    The Cowboys offense had the seventh-highest scoring offense in the NFL, and it wasn’t nearly enough. A sub-average defense would have pushed the Cowboys to a few more wins, and maybe the playoffs where they would not have advanced beyond the divisional round.

    Which is the depressing part. The Cowboys are not that far from making the playoffs, because in this version of the NFL most teams are close; even if the Cowboys successfully address some of their issues on defense this offseason, they’re still not that close to contending for a spot in the NFC title game.

    The Cowboys are now defined by their inability to reach not the Super Bowl, but the game before the Super Bowl. For the kids in the audience, the last time the Cowboys played in an NFC title game was Sunday, January 14, 1996; a 38-27 win against the Packers at Texas Stadium.

    The Cowboys’ starting fullback that day was Daryl “Moose” Johnston. On Sunday, Moose celebrated his 25th season of calling NFL games for Fox Sports. Moose was in the Fox booth for the Cowboys’ season finale on Sunday, and he is like so many former players who are no longer mystified but saddened by the continued state of the team.

    Because whether you’re a former player, a fan, or even a member of the media that covers the Dallas Cowboys, it’s just depressing.

    Mac Engel

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered sports since the dawn of man; Cowboys, TCU, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, etc. Olympics. Movies. Concerts. Books. He combines dry wit with 1st-person reporting to complement an annoying personality.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

    Mac Engel

    Source link

  • Jerry Jones talks possibility of ‘dramatic’ offseason moves for Dallas Cowboys

    EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

    The Dallas Cowboys have one last game to get to on Sunday afternoon, but a thorough evaluation process will take place as soon as the team returns to Frisco on Monday morning.

    A large part of that process will be evaluating how to improve defensively after a season that was derailed by defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ group that sits at the bottom of the NFL in most defensive metrics and statistics. However, the buck doesn’t stop with Eberflus, according to owner Jerry Jones. At the end of the day, there could be a reality where it doesn’t even include him.

    “I can make the case that we haven’t had a satisfactory defense for five or six years,” Jones said. “[It’s] everything. I think you can look back relative to decisions we made three years ago, five years ago and look at why we made some of the decisions we made on coaches. What did we expect from them relative to what we’re doing with our personnel?”

    “That’s why it’s inaccurate to put this on the evaluation of Eberflus. It really is. I don’t want it to sound like it’s as simple as evaluating Eberflus. It’s much broader than that.”

    The Cowboys are heading into a pivotal offseason after putting together one of the league’s best offenses. Jones agrees with that notion. Even after a calendar year that has seen the team trade away Micah Parsons and trade for George Pickens and Quinnen Williams, Jones could be looking at similar sizable moves.

    “I think we can do some things to maybe make as dramatic a difference as we have could in a long time,” he said. “You can take that either way you want to do it. You can take it because you’re as dissatisfied as you’ve been in a long time. You can say do you really want to evaluate. The good news about this is in many ways, it’s the same motions that you’re evaluating on our staff and how we play defense.”

    Jones pointed to even when things were going better defensively, notably under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from 2021 to 2023, that they still had issues stopping the run. Decisions that were made then play into the evaluation as much as decisions they make now.

    “We need to look at the decisions we’ve made on defense over the last several years,” he said. “We need to approach some things differently. That’s the only way you can address this out of internal things we’re looking at.”

    How long the process will take wasn’t exactly determined by Jones, but he did indicate that they will have to move quickly based on the timeline of dominoes falling around the league.

    “It starts first thing tomorrow,” he said.

    Nick Harris

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.

    Nick Harris

    Source link

  • Cowboys fell short of expectations in 2025, and Jerry Jones knows he’s at fault

    When you diagnose the defensive issues that the 2025 Dallas Cowboys had as they head into a season finale against the New York Giants at noon Sunday that is largely meaningless, you can point to a lot of things.

    For one, the lack of production. My goodness, how could it get any worse?

    The unit enters Week 18 dead-last in the league in points allowed per game (29.8) and 30th in yards allowed per game (376.8). And despite the offense being the complete opposite — first in yards per game (398.6) and fourth in points per game (28.4) — the Cowboys will have to watch the playoffs from their couches next week.

    The Cowboys didn’t meet owner Jerry Jones’ expectations this season, and he has taken responsibility for the team’s failure.

    “We will get better on defense,” he said. “I promise you that.”

    What went wrong on that side of the ball? And how do Jones and the Cowboys get it fixed for 2026?

    Pass rush promises unfulfilled

    Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme became a big talking point throughout the season, and rightfully so. The Cowboys are in the bottom half of blitz rate despite preseason promises that pressure could be generated without the traded Micah Parsons through just that: the scheme.

    “We felt like because of our depth on the edge, as well as the ability to scheme pressure, that we could make up for Micah,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said.

    Instead, the Cowboys head into the final week of the season with just 31 sacks, which ranks 25th in the NFL.

    With only one defensive end under contract going into 2026 — rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku — you can expect a complete overhaul of the position group. Veteran Jadeveon Clowney could find his way back next season, but the Cowboys’ confidence that they once had in the preseason in getting to the quarterback has vanished.

    The glaring example of Dallas’ pass rush woes came against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 21. Against a beaten-up offensive line that had given up at least one sack in every game this season, the Cowboys could not bring quarterback Justin Herbert down one time in the 34-17 loss.

    “I was disappointed — very disappointed,” Jerry Jones said after the game. “We came in really planning to get pressure and did not … That was a shortcoming of us today. We couldn’t get pressure.”

    Run defense still sits below league average

    But even in the context of the Parsons trade, the Cowboys expected to be better in defending the run. And to their credit, it has gotten better, but it’s still a long ways from being corrected.

    The team sits tied for 20th in rushing yards allowed (1,972) and 27th in yards per carry allowed (4.7) entering the final week of the year despite a trio of defensive tackles in Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa that should have that unit playing closer to the top 10 in both categories.

    “We need to stop the run,” Jones said after trading Parsons. “And we haven’t been able to stop the run in key times for several years. And when you have the kind of extraordinary pass rush that Micah had, then the way to mitigate that pass rush is to run at you.”

    Well, the Cowboys did solve one problem. It’s not as easy to run on them, yes. But now, it’s a whole lot easier to pass on them.

    High expectations in the secondary

    Jerry Jones has taken a lot of accountability in recent weeks for the defense’s shortcomings. Specifically, he thought the secondary would have better production than it’s had. Instead, it will need its own overhaul in the offseason to offer optimism in 2026.

    “We had high expectations in our secondary,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “Make no mistake about it, everybody had their finger in what we did out there defensively. Everybody. It’s not just a one-man blame at all.”

    But coming into the season, why was there confidence to begin with? The team knew Trevon Diggs’ best days were most likely behind him, rookie Shavon Revel Jr. wasn’t going to be ready at a level you needed him to be this season, and the zone-heavy scheme from Eberflus is the direct opposite of what all the defensive backs have operated under the past four seasons in Dallas.

    Being ranked 32 out of 32 in pass defense is hard to excuse. The problems not only sit with the defensive coaching staff and the players in the locker room, but they also sit just as heavy in the owners’ box every Sunday.

    Where does Jerry go now?

    Whatever Jerry Jones decides to do to rectify these issues, he’s making it sound like it’s going to be quick and swift.

    “Therein lies what you have to sit down and figure out,” Jones said. “What, if anything, you want to change. We’ll get to that pronto. Everybody involved in this thing, I’m sure, has been thinking ahead about how to adjust out of our results this year.”

    The thinking process will tie in a lot of factors, but it starts with the future of Eberflus. A hire that the front office sought out and brought in, it’s now up to those same decision-makers to pull the plug on his time in Dallas after one season. It hasn’t worked.

    “We all underachieved, really,” Jones said. “And the fact we’re not in the playoffs says that for you … We’ve got to have a more solid defense. That’s disappointing this year. We will get better on defense. I promise you that.”

    Now, will that promise be followed through? Or will it be added to the list of the unfulfilled expectations that Jones has laid out in the past year — and for the last three decades of the team’s playoff success drought.

    One of the most crucial offseasons in the history of Jones’ 37-year tenure as owner will answer just that.

    Game schedule dates, times, locations

    • Dec. 29 at Portland, 9:30 p.m., NBC
    • Jan. 1 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Jan. 3 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Jan. 6 at Sacramento, 10 p.m., NBC, KFAA, MavsTV
    • Jan. 8 at Utah, 8 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Dec. 29 vs. Jackson State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 3 vs. Baylor, 1 p.m., TNT
    • Jan. 6 at Kansas, 8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
    • Jan. 10 vs. Arizona, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
    • Jan. 14 at BYU, 10 p.m., ESPN2
    • Dec. 31 at BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 3 at Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 7 vs. Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 11 vs. Arizona State, 4 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 14 at West Virginia, 6 p.m., ESPN+
    • Dec. 27 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m., Victory+
    • Dec. 31 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m., Victory+
    • Jan. 1 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Victory+
    • Jan. 4 vs. Montreal, 1 p.m., Victory+
    • Jan. 6 at Carolina, 6 p.m., Victory+
    • Alamo Bowl
    • TCU 30, USC 27 (OT)
    • New Mexico Bowl
    • North Texas 49, San Diego State 47
    • Jan. 4 at N.Y. Giants, noon, Fox
    • End of season
    • May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
    • May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
    • May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400

    This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 10:52 AM.

    Nick Harris

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.

    Nick Harris

    Source link

  • 5 takeaways from Cowboys’ home finale loss to Chargers: Maybe a change comes now

    ARLINGTON

    In the Dallas Cowboys’ final home game of the season, the playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers entered AT&T Stadium and came away with a 34-17 win to move to 11-4.

    The loss ensured Dallas (6-8-1) will finish without a winning season for the second consecutive year.

    The first half was a points bonanza, with the Chargers taking a 21-17 lead into the halftime break after both teams found offensive success. However, the defenses adjusted in the second half — one better than the other — and the Chargers blanked the Cowboys’ offense over the final 30 minutes for the win.

    Just two games remain in the Cowboys’ season, and the team is already showing signs of looking to the future.

    Here are five takeaways as Dallas begins to put its offseason plans together:

    Could a change come before the end of the season?

    In Sunday’s game, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus coached from the booth for the first time this season in a move that the staff hoped would allow the defense to make quicker adjustments throughout the game. Well, different approach, same result.

    The Cowboys’ defense allowed over 400 yards (452) for the sixth time this season, while Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw for more yards (300) in this one than he had in any game in the past two months. The Los Angeles offense averaged 7.3 yards per play and scored over 31 points for just the second time all season.

    It’s become a troubling trend for a Cowboys defense that hasn’t been able to stop anything over the course of the season — much less an offense for a team destined for the playoffs.

    As Eberflus’ job comes more into focus in the final two weeks, could Dallas elect to make an early decision on his future? It most likely won’t happen on a short week with a game on Thursday, but one final game with an interim coordinator in place could give Dallas a jump-start at evaluating a future candidate.

    Brian Schottenheimer will need work in the offseason, too

    As a play-caller, Brian Schottenheimer has mostly found success with his unit.

    It has been far from perfect, but he has a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in his first season calling plays for the Cowboys. However, some situational play-calling has to get cleaned up.

    After a strong performance in the first half that saw Dallas put 17 points on the scoreboard and 216 yards of total offense together, the second half saw the first-team offense go scoreless and finish back-to-back drives with fourth-down misses.

    On the first, a fullback dive to Hunter Luepke was read the whole way by the Chargers’ defense. On the second, a third-down deep shot to KaVontae Turpin set up a fourth-down play that didn’t allow for any movement toward Prescott’s strong side as he scrambled.

    Schottenheimer has been keen on looking at postgame tape to see how he can get better, referring to them as “after-action reports.” An after-action report on the whole season could benefit his play-calling as well.

    Again, the George Pickens noise was silly

    While the offense certainly had its issues in the second half of this game, George Pickens was the one constant.

    After his worst two-game stretch as a member of the Cowboys — posting just 70 yards on eight receptions — Pickens exploded for a 130-yard day on seven receptions. The highlight came on a 38-yard go-ball score that saw him beat one-on-one coverage off the line and streak the sideline for the easy score.

    The performance etched Pickens into the top 10 of single-season receiving totals in franchise history, as he now sits eighth in team history with 1,342 yards.

    The noise that he took from the two lackluster performances was worth pointing out, but it wasn’t deserving of the effort concerns or long-term questions that began to circulate. In conclusion, Pickens will be just fine.

    Tyler Smith sustains value at left tackle

    For most of the season, the Cowboys have had issues at both tackle positions. At left tackle, Tyler Guyton has started 10 games and has allowed 31 quarterback pressures, while Nate Thomas has started four games and has allowed 23 pressures. At right tackle, Terence Steele has started every game and has allowed 43 pressures.

    With Guyton missing his fourth consecutive game with a high ankle sprain, the Cowboys opted to push Tyler Smith from left guard out to left tackle against the Chargers, a position he has started at in 20 of his 60 career games.

    The official pressure numbers won’t be available until the morning after the game, but Smith provided much more reliable protection to Prescott’s blind side than what we’ve seen throughout the season.

    With the Cowboys no longer having a financial reason to keep Smith inside at left guard after he signed an offseason extension, maybe the Fort Worth native could be a long-term option at left tackle. Considering Guyton’s college position was right tackle, a move could make sense for the Oklahoma alum if the team decides to move on from Steele.

    Cowboys won’t have a WR3 problem in 2026

    When wide receiver Ryan Flournoy went down in the second quarter with a knee injury, somebody needed to step up into the third pass-catching role. Needless to say, that didn’t happen.

    Pickens and Lamb sustained their productive afternoons, but they failed to get any supplementary help from the receivers behind them on the depth chart when Flournoy exited the game. It’s a reminder of how productive Flournoy has been when the ball has gone his way this season.

    On the team’s first drive, he fought through a tackler on the goal line for his fourth touchdown of the season, and he should have had another if it weren’t for a Tyler Smith holding call on a play that ended in Flournoy hauling in a tough touchdown grab.

    As the Cowboys look to the future down the stretch, one thing they don’t have to worry about with Flournoy: They have their WR3.

    This story was originally published December 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM.

    Nick Harris

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.

    Nick Harris

    Source link

  • 3 things to watch in the Cowboys’ last 3 games that will affect next season

    While the Dallas Cowboys are on the precipice of being eliminated from playoff contention, several storylines are still relevant for the final three games of the season.

    With just one more loss or one more Philadelphia Eagles win, the Cowboys will officially be eliminated from postseason contention and will direct their sights to the offseason. Before then, there are still three games that will shake out some of the unanswered questions that the offseason will bring.

    Here are the three biggest storylines to track in the Cowboys’ final contests:

    Can Matt Eberflus save his job?

    When looking at the Cowboys’ problems this season, the buck starts and stops with the defensive unit.

    Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has had far from a successful first season back in Dallas after being fired during the 2024 season from his head coaching job with the Chicago Bears. Through 15 weeks, the Cowboys’ defense is 29th in yards allowed per game (374.9) and 31st in points allowed per game (30.0).

    In the Cowboys’ Week 15 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the defense allowed first-year starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy to throw for a career-high 250 yards. He was the fourth quarterback to own his season-high passing total against the Cowboys’ defense in 2025, joining Caleb Williams, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

    On Tuesday, owner Jerry Jones appeared to put some public pressure on Eberflus for the first time this season.

    “We let their quarterback have a big day on us,” Jones said on his weekly radio interview on 105.3 The Fan. “That wasn’t the plan. We could have used more pressure, without question, at different times. The result was that we let [McCarthy] make some pretty significant plays out there. Plus, he played pretty well. It seems like we’re always saying that about these quarterbacks. Some of them hadn’t played as well, but when they play us, they play better. I think that’s telling, too.”

    In a last-ditch effort of sorts, Eberflus will head to the coaching booth for the remaining three games of the season. He came to the decision after multiple conversations with head coach Brian Schottenheimer, as they see it as a way for Eberflus to make adjustments quicker with a full field view.

    “It’s a chance for me to get good perspective, get good information, see the game develop in terms of the view on the sideline,” Eberflus said. “So, I’m going to go upstairs and call from up there. It’s going to be a good adjustment.”

    Can Eberflus find even the slightest of positivity in the final three weeks? Conversations will be had about the practicality of replacing Eberflus in the offseason versus having four defensive coordinators in as many seasons if the team does decide to move in a different direction.

    If the defense can show some consistency down the stretch, Eberflus will at least have one argument to remain in Dallas.

    Will George Pickens rebound?

    It was determined before the season started that wide receiver George Pickens would be playing on his expiring rookie contract in a one-year “prove it” situation in his first season with the Cowboys. And if you look at the numbers, he has proven it and then some.

    Through 14 games, Pickens has hauled in 81 receptions for 1,212 yards and eight touchdowns — all team highs and career highs. But in the past two games, criticism has swirled around Pickens, as he’s posted just eight receptions for 70 yards and no touchdowns.

    Any decision that doesn’t result in Pickens wearing a Cowboys uniform in 2026 would be foolish, but could a reality exist where he plays next season on the franchise tag? If these past two games have given ownership any pause about a long-term deal, it could be more realistic. But if he’s able to finish strong, it would put the doubts to bed and instead put a bow on one of Jerry Jones’ best trades in his 36 years of ownership.

    “Just one day at a time,” Pickens said this week. “You never know what can happen, so I just keep grinding.”

    Does Trevon Diggs finish on a high note?

    It’s been yet another tumultuous year for cornerback Trevon Diggs, as he has missed nine games with knee soreness and has been at the center of controversy around how he has approached things off the field with the team.

    Since having his 21-day practice window opened in his slowed return from injured reserve, Diggs has expressed frustration about feeling healthy enough to play but the team not throwing him on the field. That appeared to boil over last week when he said he expected to play after being part of the game plan all week just to be told on Saturday he would not play.

    Schottenheimer has emphasized consistency being the reason he hasn’t been activated, but the tune appears to be changing heading into Sunday.

    “Diggs is having a very good week,” Schottenheimer said. “When you look at Trevon this week, what I’ve loved about him is he’s having fun playing football. He’s smiling and running around. To his credit, he’s having a really good week.”

    Diggs was activated off injured reserve Saturday and will play Sunday against the Chargers. Heading into an offseason that has the writing on the wall of a release of the former All-Pro cornerback, these next three games could either change the narrative on that decision or further cement it.

    The Cowboys could get out of Diggs’ contract this offseason with a post-June 1 designated release that would save them $15.5 million toward the salary cap in 2026 with a dead cap hit of just under $3 million.

    Game schedule dates, times, locations

    • Dec. 20 at Philadelphia, 6 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Dec. 22 at New Orleans, 7 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Dec. 23 vs. Denver, 7 p.m., NBC
    • Dec. 25 at Golden State, 4 p.m., ABC, ESPN
    • Dec. 27 at Sacramento, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
    • Dec. 21 vs. Florida A&M, 3 p.m., ESPN+
    • Dec. 29 vs. Jackson State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 3 vs. Baylor, 1 p.m., TNT
    • Jan. 6 at Kansas, 8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
    • Jan. 10 vs. Arizona, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
    • Dec. 20 vs. Kansas State, 4 p.m., ESPN+
    • Dec. 31 at BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 3 at Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 7 vs. Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
    • Jan. 11 vs. Arizona State, 4 p.m., ESPN+
    • Dec. 21 vs. Toronto, 6 p.m., NHLN, Victory+
    • Dec. 23 at Detroit, 5:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, Victory+
    • Dec. 27 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m., Victory+
    • Dec. 31 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m., Victory+
    • Jan. 1 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Victory+
    • Alamo Bowl
    • Dec. 30 vs. USC (at San Antonio), 8 p.m., ESPN
    • New Mexico Bowl
    • Dec. 27 vs. San Diego State (at Albuquerque, N.M.), 4:45 p.m., ESPN
    • Dec. 21 vs. L.A. Chargers, noon, Fox
    • Dec. 25 at Washington, noon, Netflix
    • Jan. 3 or 4 at N.Y. Giants, TBD
    • End of the regular season
    • May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
    • May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
    • May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400

    Nick Harris

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.

    Nick Harris

    Source link

  • If Cowboys’ defense can sustain success, get ready for this team to go on a run

    ARLINGTON

    Through seven weeks of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys’ defense was — hold on. I’ve used putrid. I’ve used awful. I’ve used demoralizing.

    Google: synonym for bad. Results: Deficient. Inadequate. Substandard. Dreadful.

    Whatever negative word you could possibly use, it probably fits. The unit entered Week 7 dead-last in yards allowed per game (401.6) and third-to-last in points allowed per game (29.4), and has been the cause of multiple losses through the first third of the season.

    Heading into a divisional matchup against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, it was clear that there would be a different approach. Jerry Jones promised more man coverage. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus spoke about more pressure and playing more to the strengths of his personnel in place. Then, it was all backed up.

    Against man coverage on Sunday, Commanders quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota were 5-for-15 for 67 yards. Against zone coverage, they were 11-for-17 for 152 yards and one interception. It was the most passing attempts against man coverage that a Cowboys defense has had all season.

    “We were able to play fast out there,” cornerback DaRon Bland said. “We showed who we are out there. It was a great day. As a cover guy, I like to be playing man.”

    The changes weren’t just made in the back end. Despite linebacker Jack Sanborn returning from a concussion this week, rookie Shemar James kept the starting job over him and turned in the best performance of his young career with a strip sack of Daniels to go along with seven tackles.

    “It means a lot,” James said. “Because it means the coaches trust you to keep you in there and allow you to do your thing. That’s what I’ve been trying to do since I’ve been here, just earn the coaches’ trust, show them I can play and show them I can be for all 11.”

    Up front, the pressure was dialed up even more as well. On the 40 dropbacks for the Commanders, the Cowboys sent a blitz on 17 of them. They were able to get home for four sacks, including the first for rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku.

    “Amen,” Ezeiruaku said. “First of many. … I finally got that first one, and the guys were hyping me up. I’m happy and grateful that today was the day I got one.”

    The changes were seen on all three levels. From more man coverage to personnel to more pressure, Eberflus’ adjustments on the defensive side of the ball were felt Sunday, and it allowed the Cowboys to play their most complementary game of the season.

    But can it last?

    “There’s definitely things that we got to clean up,” defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa said. “We’re always chasing the perfect game, but this is definitely something to build off of.”

    “Our main thing is being consistent,” cornerback Trikweze Bridges. “We’re going to keep going with that, and just be consistent.”

    That’s the key to all of this: consistency. If the Cowboys can achieve that elusive word, then maybe we’ll have to start Googling synonyms for that one as well.

    Through seven weeks, we know what the offense is and what it can be. But what is the defense? Was Sunday a mere anomaly, or is it the sign of what’s to come under these new changes?

    If it’s an outlier, then this team is right back to losing against teams it shouldn’t be.

    But if it’s the latter, there’s no reason to not believe that the Cowboys are poised to go on a run. With an upcoming slate of games that will see them take on the up-and-down Broncos next week before a two-game stretch against the lowly Cardinals and Raiders, a consistent defense during that stretch can very easily create a four-game winning streak.

    If it does, remember the Sunday afternoon against the Commanders. It just may end up being the “get-right” game.

    Nick Harris

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.

    Nick Harris

    Source link

  • Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams fights through training camp’s early ups and downs

    Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams fights through training camp’s early ups and downs

    LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has experienced some ups and downs during his first eight days of training camp.

    Despite his occasional struggles, the first pick of the 2024 draft from Southern California believes he’s making progress.

    “I think I’m on track to be ready,” Williams said. “I’m exactly where I need to be and where they want me to be. I’m excited.

    “Every day I wake up, I’m learning something new. Getting ready for the season, preseason and these next practices. Very excited, still progressing.”

    The Bears haven’t decided whether or how much Williams will play in Thursday night’s preseason opener, the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans at Canton, Ohio. Coach Matt Eberflus was expected to announce his plans for the game on Tuesday, but Williams sees the upside in getting playing time against mostly backups in an extra preseason game.

    “The reps are always paramount for anybody like myself — a young rookie, second-year guy, third-year guy — it’s paramount,” Williams said. “It’s really important and we’ll see about these preseason games coming up, how they play out.”

    Williams has struggled at times with simple things like the cadence or getting plays off before the play clock expires. At other times, he flashes brilliance with his throws.

    At Monday’s practice, he made two passes into tight windows for touchdowns in the back of the end zone. Linebacker Jack Sanborn had to marvel at one.

    “I mean, he made a throw in the back that I even gave him a little high-five for, cause it’s impressive,” Sanborn said.

    Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been encouraged by Williams’ ability to accept where he needs to improve and to work at it.

    “I think that daily improvement and that positive mindset that he shows up with every single day, both of those things give him a chance to be great because he works hard and he does all the right things around and leading up to every single practice,” Waldron said.

    At Saturday’s practice, Williams was picked off by reserve players on successive plays and also had a football knocked out of his hand by edge rusher Montez Sweat, who isn’t supposed to touch the quarterback in practice. It wasn’t Williams’ best day, but he bounced back on Monday after a day off.

    “I’m always tough about the mistakes,” Williams said. “That’s the part about me that drives everything, being tough on myself, being tough on the mistakes that happen, whether it’s (missed assignments), a turnover or anything like that, being tough on myself and understanding that there are going to be mistakes.”

    Williams continues to look ahead when he’s correcting mistakes.

    “I know it’s preparing me for those games late in the season, those preseason games coming up,” he said. “Obviously, I go versus this defense every day, so they make it tough on me.”

    An aspect of Williams’ game most evident in the first week of practice was how he can extend a play outside the pocket and improvise for a big throw. He hit Tyler Scott on a deep ball last week off one such play.

    That ability was a difference-maker at USC for Williams during his 2022 Heisman Trophy-winning season and again last year.

    “It’s a healthy of balance of working on it and understanding, feeling the offensive line and where they’re going, the defensive line and things like that, the play, the scheme that you have been running that play and getting after it and letting it rip,” Williams said.

    Perhaps the toughest part for Williams is meeting his own expectations.

    “Obviously there’s going to be challenging times,” he said. “It’s not that it’s not coming quicker or slower than I expected.

    “It’s more or less just myself, when I go out on the field, I expect myself to not mess up. It’s just how I am.”

    The two interceptions were examples of it.

    “And so when I do, it’s frustrating, and I would think for any quarterback in the league — there’s only 32 of us that are starting — for any quarterback in the league, I would expect them to be the same of when you go out there you expect to have no (missed assignments), no interceptions, no turnovers and things like that.

    “And when you do, it’s frustrating. But it’s how you respond and react to those frustrating times is when you grow and get better.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Source link

  • Williams up and down as Bears D looks to be elite

    Williams up and down as Bears D looks to be elite

    Bears corners Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon weigh in on defense’s potential

    LAKE FOREST, Ill. — In the span of two plays at Chicago Bears minicamp Wednesday, Caleb Williams went from being picked off by Tremaine Edmunds, to throwing a deep touchdown pass to Velus Jones Jr — An illustration of the continued ups and downs of life as a rookie quarterback in June minicamp practices.

    But those ups and downs should come with the added caveat that Williams, the new golden goose of Bears football, is dueling against a defense that was Top 15 in the NFL last year in total yards allowed, and tied for the league lead in team interceptions (22).

    “It’s intimidating for other people,” said Kyler Gordon. “People constantly getting hit, constantly running to the ball, all different hats [are] loud, people communicating loud … I love it.”

    With veteran safety Kevin Byard being the lone addition to Chicago’s secondary this offseason, the hope is to hit the ground running with the goal of taking that next step toward being a truly elite defense in the NFL.

    “It’s a lot of energy out there for us to have,” said Jaylon Johnson. “I definitely think we can take it up a few notches this year and we’re going to have a good offense to go against to make us better.”

    After signing a four-year/$76 million contract extension back in early March, being the best cornerback in football is all the motivation Johnson said he needs heading into next season to ensure he that title can be earned.

    “I feel like for me, I’m on a different level mentally,” Johnson said. “Then I feel like the consistency part just comes with honing in on my technique, and that’s something I take extreme pride in.”

    According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson had the highest coverage grade (91.0) and defensive grade (90.8) among NFL cornerbacks last year, while also giving up the fewest receiving yards among corners who were the primary defender on pass plays (195) in the NFL.

    For his performance, Johnson was named second team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 2023.

    Injury absences at minicamp and contract talks

    Cole Kmet and Braxton Jones were held out of Wednesday’s practice for precautionary reasons ahead of the Bears’ summer conditioning program, according to head coach Matt Eberflus.

    Teven Jenkins, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, said his representation has reached out to Chicago general manager Ryan Poles about a possible contract extension, but nothing is on the table at this point in the year.

    Kaitlin Sharkey

    Source link

  • Eberflus: Sweat will ‘be here next week’ for minicamp

    Eberflus: Sweat will ‘be here next week’ for minicamp

    Pro Bowl edge rusher was one of a number of absences from the Bears final day of offseason OTA’s

    LAKE FOREST, Ill. — A noted absence from Chicago Bears offseason OTA’s, at least during sessions available to the media, was Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat.

    Head Coach Matt Eberflus cleared some of the air around his top edge rusher Friday.

    “I’m not going to get into all the numbers, in terms of like the exact dates and when guys were here, but he’s been in the building,” Eberflus said of Sweat. “He’s been here a few, several times during the offseason and when he’s in, he’s locked in and ready to go.

    “And of course, he’ll be here next week and we’re excited about that.”

    Eberflus went on to say Sweat has not been around the team “for the last couple weeks,” but the key for him going into next season will be to perfect a consistent burst off the line, and like everyone else on Chicago’s roster this offseason, establish a good base of conditioning leading into the warmest months of the year.

    “His whole thing is about having a consistent get-off and then getting that base for the offseason leading into summer,” Eberflus said. “That’s really for everybody. We’re talking about that daily—about guys getting a good base going into summer conditioning because they’ll have about 42 days before they come back. And that’s going to be important for him.”

    According to The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, Nate Davis and Rome Odunze were present Friday, but Keenan Allen, Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard were also absent from the Bears’ last OTA session.

    When asked if young guys, like rookie fifth round pick Austin Booker, were getting extra reps with the absence of established veterans like Sweat, Eberflus said they were, but there’s only so much that can be evaluated at this point in time.

    “Yeah, I think [DeMarcus] Walker was ill the last couple days so, he was sitting out today,” Eberflus said. “I think the young guys do get a lot more reps in there. But again, we got to wait until the pads come on. We got to see that to really evaluate that. You have to wait for the pads.”

    And when pads come on, Eberflus said that he expects Sweat, and the roster to be in full attendance once mandatory minicamp begins on Tuesday, June 4.

    Eli Ong

    Source link

  • Analyzing the Bears’ biggest offseason moves

    Analyzing the Bears’ biggest offseason moves

    The Sun-Times’ Bears experts — Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser and Mark Potash — break down the Bears’ dynamic offseason to this point:

    What can Caleb Williams show this offseason?

    Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, practices during Bears rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Friday, May 10, 2024.

    FINLEY: Confidence. A quarterback who carried himself as an iconoclast in college is inheriting one of the toughest jobs in American sports. Embracing his championship goals — and not being afraid to talk about them — is the best he can do until the snaps start counting in late July.

    LIESER: For now, the Bears just need more of what they’ve already seen: poise and an eagerness to learn. Williams struck the ideal balance between confidence and humility in his arrival and needs to continue that once veterans arrive for Organized Team Activities and minicamp. He has to assert himself without alienating teammates. Because once training camp begins, the Bears are looking to him to lead.

    POTASH: That he learns quickly. The Bears might not be in “playoffs or bust” mode in 2024, but they still need to hit the ground running in training camp. With every player adjusting to new coordinator Shane Waldron’s offense, it’s up to the quarterback to be a step ahead of everyone else. If Williams can master the basics quickly, the pieces are in place to avoid a familiar Bears lament: “We’re still in the first year of this offense.”

    Which rookie not named Caleb Williams is the most compelling?

    FINLEY: Receiver Rome Odunze would be the face of almost any other team’s draft class. He’s charming, sure — pass game coordinator Thomas Brown said he was his favorite interview of anyone outside the quarterback class — but also a player the Bears pegged as one of the biggest difference-makers in the draft. For a franchise that hasn’t drafted a standout receiver since Alshon Jeffrey in 2012, that’s plenty reason to be excited.

    LIESER: Iowa punter Tory Taylor. It’s unusual to be so intrigued by a punter, but the Bears jumped at him in the fourth round. If he proves he was worth being drafted that high, it’ll actually be pretty interesting.

    POTASH: Defensive end Austin Booker is young (21) and inexperienced (18 college games, one start), but at 6-6, 245 with long arms and a lean, athletic build, it’s easy to see why scouts would be intrigued by his pass rush ability. He likely needs time, but if Matt Eberflus’ defense takes the next step, Booker with his raw talent could find playmaking opportunities.

    Which hole does general manager Ryan Poles still have to fill?

    FINLEY: Rotational help at defensive tackle. Justin Jones wasn’t an advanced stats darling — Pro Football Focus rated him the league’s 107th best tackle last year —but that didn’t stop the Cardinals from signing him to a three-year, $31.2 million contract in March. Jones played 69% of the Bears’ defensive snaps last year; presuming Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens can take his place is an act of faith.

    LIESER: The Bears’ pass rush is a glaring need, and it’s too late to do much about it personnel-wise. Poles’ best option probably is to re-sign defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who had a career-low four sacks in 13 games last season but averaged 9.3 per season before that. He’s only 29 and if he’s fully recovered from a broken ankle, he’s a decent choice. It’s either that or bet on Booker developing into an immediate starter.

    POTASH: After a 2022 teardown and 2023 first-step rebuild, Poles has acceptable pieces in place at virtually every position — unless defensive end DeMarcus Walker is no longer acceptable. What Poles needs is growth from within at several positions —Dexter, left tackle Braxton Jones, safety Jaquan Brisker, cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon. The biggest question mark might be at center, with Ryan Bates, Coleman Shelton and Doug Kramer.

    What aspect of the Bears’ schedule release this week will you be watching?

    FINLEY: Beside my own selfish interests — will they play on Christmas? — I want to know whether Eberflus plans to practice all week in England before playing there in mid-October. Matt Nagy went over late in 2019, the Bears lost to the Raiders and a franchise-altering slide began. Fun fact: Nagy was 15-5 before the London loss and 19-26 afterward.

    LIESER: Their game against the Commanders and No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels. The Bears will visit them for the second season in a row, but this time the Williams-Daniels matchup makes it nationally relevant. This would be an excellent choice as a prime-time game for the season opener.

    POTASH: Their second-half schedule. With a rookie quarterback and a first-year coordinator, the Bears figure to be better in the second half than the first. They probably would be better off playing their apparent toughest games — at the 49ers, at the Packers, at the Texans — in the second half.

    What’s Matt Eberflus’ biggest challenge?

    BEARS-051124-27.jpg

    Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus speaks to reporters during Bears rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Friday, May 10, 2024.

    FINLEY: Dealing with expectations. The buzz surrounding the Bears is new territory for the head coach, whose team was widely expected to stink in both 2022 and 2023. He’s now coaching the most famous athlete in Chicago — one who’s yet to play a game. The Bears could very well be talk of the NFL; by speaking publicly more often than anyone in the franchise, Eberflus will be their face.

    LIESER: Balancing the dual roles of defensive play caller and head coach. He said from the start he did not want to do both jobs and thought the most prudent approach was to be a CEO-style head coach. He hired defensive coordinator Eric Washington, but will keep calling plays because it went so well last season when he stepped in for Alan Williams. But his job security hinges on Williams’ progress more than anything else.

    POTASH: Keeping his defense on upward path it was in the second half of last season. If the offense is a work-in-progress with a rookie quarterback and first-year coordinator, that wouldn’t be a big surprise. The defense being the culprit for a disappointing season would be far more damaging to Eberflus’ long-term future with the Bears.

    Grade the Bears’ offseason.

    FINLEY: A-. It’s hard to ask them to do more, starting with assembling a proven, dynamic offensive coaching staff in January and riding the momentum of the No. 1 overall pick all the way to the draft. I’d give them an A+ had the downtown stadium pitch been met with a warmer reception.

    LIESER: A. Williams’ arrival is invigorating. Some of their other moves, on both the roster and coaching staff, are debatable, but Williams outweighs them all. If he’s as great as the Bears anticipate he’ll be, he’ll change everything.

    POTASH: A. By trading for Keenan Allen and drafting Williams and Odunze, Poles has given the Bears their best chance in years to solve the chronic offensive issues that have dogged the franchise.

    Patrick Finley

    Source link

  • Williams, fellow rookies take to Bears rookie minicamp

    Williams, fellow rookies take to Bears rookie minicamp

    CHICAGO — After the first day of Chicago Bears rookie minicamp, head coach Matt Eberflus put the kibosh on any controversy surrounding the Bears’ quarterback position.

    “No conversation,” Eberflus said during media availability Friday. “He’s the starter.”

    “He” being No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, which should come as no surprise to absolutely anyone.

    Before the Bears made him the top pick in this year’s draft, they shipped incumbent starter Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth round pick, and then signed quarterback Brett Rypien to serve as their third-string QB behind backup Tyson Bagent, laying the groundwork for Williams to be QB1 the moment he set foot in Halas Hall.

    That moment was Friday, as Williams and fellow rookies Rome Odunze, Kiran Amegadjie, Tory Taylor and Austin Booker — Along with a contingent of undrafted free agents — took to the practice fields at the Bears’ facilities in north suburban Lake Forest for the team’s rookie minicamp.

    “Right now, I feel pretty good,” Williams said Friday. “We’ll go out here today, I’m going to have a few mess ups probably, and things like that, working to eliminate those as fast as possible.”

    Williams told media members Friday that he had started receiving notes and ideas of how Chicago’s offense runs as far back as his Top 30 prospect visit with the Bears in the beginning of April.

    Those notes included everything from “verbiage, drops, cadence and all the things that really matter — Breaking the huddle, getting in the huddle, being able to communicate, and how those things go,” according to Williams.

    Once he gets those touchpoints down, Williams said he hopes he can get to a point where he can “teach” because that would allow him to both help other guys take the next step within the Bears’ offensive scheme, and give himself a measuring stick of how much he knows.

    “Being able to teach is always big because it’s also another way for you to learn,” Williams said.

    Even with how aggressively his new starting quarterback has attacked preparing to be under center for the Bears, Eberflus fell back on one of his calling card colloquialisms to describe how he want’s Williams to be as they head through rookie minicamp.

    “Just be where your feet are,” Eberflus said. “Be in that moment, be in the play, execute that play, turn the page, go to the next play, and that’s what the elite guys do, and that’s what we expect from him.”

    Eli Ong

    Source link