Inside The Star
There are two primary suspects in solving the case of how the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season imploded into the 7-9-1 train wreck it became.
The obvious suspect is Jerry Jones.
He assembled the roster that went out and underwhelmed this season. The other is no longer on the team.
Matt Eberflus’ one-year stint as Dallas’ defensive coordinator augured into the ground at high speed in less than a year.
In his defense, he was left scrambling when Jones traded away the player Eberflus was intending to build his scheme around right before the season opened.
Not many coaches can overcome their owner/general manager sabotaging the team like that. It didn’t help when Eberflus’ hand-picked players failed miserably.
Most of the defense’s fault is rightfully laid at Eberflus’ feet.
Still, a healthy share of the blame falls on the other defensive coaches and the players themselves.
None of them coached or played anywhere close to the level of expectations the season began with. Starting with the defensive backfield.
You thought CB stood for Corner Back in Dallas? Au contraire, mon frère.
(And there’s your first, and last, dabble into French for 2026.)
CB in Dallas stands for charcoal briquettes. As in, the Cowboys’ backfield was burnt so often they’ll be available to light up in your outdoor grills this summer.
Trevon Diggs mentally checked out when Parsons was traded. The defensive backs accounted for five of the Cowboys’ six interceptions.
Donovan Wilson led the team with two.
DaRon Bland had just one, but he made it a 68-yard house call.
Bland is now tied for 21st all-time in Pick Sixes. He needs six more to catch Rod Woodson.
And that was as good as it got in the backfield in 2025.
Rookie Shemar James led all Cowboys’ linebackers with 91 tackles. He did it in just 14 games and six starts.
Kenneth Murray, who Dallas traded for, was second with 81.
Murray played in all 17 and started in 16 of them.
James was clearly the Cowboys’ best linebacker this year.
DeMarvion Overshown fought his way back from last year’s knee injury. He played in six games but battled a concussion that hampered his season.
Marist Liufau was a ghost in Eberflus’ scheme.
Jack Sanborn might as well have been one too.
A total of 12 players saw action on the Cowboys’ defensive line in 2025.
The tragic loss of Marshawn Kneeland roughly a third of the way into the year did not help this unit.
Jadeveon Clowney had a strong year at edge, as did James Houston, when Eberflus could be bothered to play him. Sam Williams and Dante Fowler underwhelmed.
The Quinnen Williams trade, pairing him up with Osa Odighizuwa, was supposed to plug up the middle against the run.
That didn’t quite work out as planned.
Although the trade did unload the 2023 first round bust that was Mazi Smith. That alone made it a great trade...
